The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and the Netherlands Film Fund (NFF) have established a co-development scheme called Thuthuka. This scheme aims to support projects that are potentially of high cinematographic quality and of interest to cinema audiences in both countries, as well as to international cinema audiences.
Details:
- The annual budget of the Fund amounts, as a rule, up to 80,000 EUR. The NFVF will match the equivalent of 40,000 EUR in ZAR, taking currency fluctuations into consideration.
- No more than 2 projects will be supported each year, one from South Africa and one from the Netherlands. Each project will receive €40,000 (or the equivalent in ZAR). A maximum of €6,000 for the producer’s fee plus overhead is included in this amount.
- Grants are available for script development.
Individual script coaching and/or coaching in the context of workshops is an integral part of this grant.
- The goal is to write a full script and create a pitch book, and to be able to apply for production support. Receiving a Thuthuka grant does not guarantee selection for future funding.
- Detailed regulations per Fund can be found via links at the end of this call.
- Active participation in the workshops organized by NFVF and NFF is mandatory.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applications are open to:
- Established co-production teams based in the Netherlands and South Africa.
- Applicants who are citizens of the Netherlands and South Africa.
- Established producers with a scriptwriter and a co-producer from the other
country attached for a feature length (>80 min) documentary, live action or animated film.
No applications without a co-producer and writer from the other country will be considered.
- There are no limitations regarding style or genre.
- Both attached producers, directors and writers must be eligible according to the criteria of the respective funds
- Projects must be feasible within the criteria of both Funds.
- Applications should be submitted in English and signed by all partners involved.
Ineligible are:
- Live recordings, TV games, talk shows, reality shows or teaching and ‘how-to’ programs to be shown directly in schools.
- Documentaries promoting tourism, “making-of”, reports, news and current affairs programs and “docu-soaps”.
- Projects including pornographic or racist material or advocating violence.
- Works of a promotional nature.
- Institutional productions to promote a specific organisation or its activities.
- Projects previously funded by Thuthuka and received development funding from both the NFF and the NFVF development funding.
- Companies, producers, writers or directors involved with a project currently in Thuthuka development.
- Applications with a South African writer in South Africa
Applications must include the following information:
- CVs of South African and Dutch producers, Dutch scriptwriter(s) and, if already selected, the director.
- Motivation and vision of the team regarding to the project (including needs for the project)
- Co-production agreement or Letter of commitment from the co producers and writer (and director if applicable).
- Brief project summary (maximum 5 pages).
- Treatment (maximum 15 pages).
- A script in case of a re-write.
- A Schedule for the development phase (e.g., timeline for writing, editing, research, director recruitment) (max 600 words).
- Development budget.
- A brief synopsis not to exceed five pages.
- Recently Certified ID copy of an applicant (dated certification stamp not older than six months)
- Company’s Registration document.
- Track record of both production companies.
- Company’s Valid Tax Clearance Certificate or Tax Clearance Status Pin Document (must be valid for one year).
- BBBEE certificate or signed BBBEE Affidavit with a dated stamp (not older than one year).
The Parties reserve the right to require other documentation from applicants for the completion of the assessment of the project.
Project Evaluation
- Projects will be evaluated by representatives of the NFF and NFVF.
- The aim of this scheme is to increase and encourage the development of high-quality and diverse feature (animation) films and feature-length documentaries.
- Therefore, the evaluation will focus on the creative value of the project, viability of the project
and the proposed target audience.
Timeline:
Call Open: 2 September 2025
Closing Date: 7 October 2025
Project Announcement and first workshops: Rotterdam January 2026
Regulations
Complete overview of applicable regulations and conditions can be found here
For NFVF: https://www.nfvf.co.za/home/
For NFF: https://www.filmfonds.nl
Contact Information:
For the Netherlands Film Fund
Ilse Ronteltap
Ezra Droog
For the National Film and Video Foundation
Terrence Khumalo