The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites eligible Tier 1 and 2 South African production companies to submit proposals to serve as the Facilitating Production Company for the Youth Filmmaker Project for a period of three (3) years. This initiative forms part of the NFVF’s mandate to advance transformation, skills development, and access to opportunities for filmmakers within the youth demographic (18 – 35 years old) in the South African film industry.
The selected production company will be responsible for the management, implementation and delivery of the programme, including the training, development, mentorship and the production of short films by emerging youth filmmakers.
Applicants are encouraged to propose a distinctive, practical and impactful programme model that responds to the objectives and minimum requirements of this call.
Background
The Youth Filmmaker Project is a national initiative intended to bridge the gap between film education and professional industry practice. It provides emerging filmmakers, particularly those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented provinces, with structured mentorship, practical production experience and the opportunity to make an early professional short film.
The programme seeks to nurture new South African writers and directors by providing the creative, technical and production support required to strengthen their storytelling, understand the professional production environment and establish sustainable career pathways within the screen industry.
The programme will be supported by a broadcast partnership with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), providing participating filmmakers with the opportunity to reach national audiences and gain exposure for their work. The SABC will hold a five-year broadcast licence for the completed films structured as follows:
• Years 1–2: Exclusive broadcast licence
• Years 3–5: Non-exclusive broadcast licence
Applicants should take this arrangement into account when proposing distribution strategies or additional partnerships.
Programme Overview
- Programme duration: Three years.
- Total programme allocation: R12,375,000.
- Annual allocation: R4,125,000.
- Annual development target: 10 youth filmmakers.
- Annual production target: 8 completed live-action fiction short films.
- Film duration: 23–25 minutes per film.
- Geographic scope: National. The recruitment process must demonstrate credible, targeted and equitable outreach across all nine provinces, including rural areas and communities outside the main film and television centers. Selection will be merit-based and the NFVF does not prescribe a fixed provincial quota. However, applicants must demonstrate how the proposed recruitment and selection approach will actively advance meaningful geographic diversity in the final cohort.
- Target participants: Emerging South African writers and directors aged 18–35.
The appointment will be subject to the conclusion of an NFVF funding agreement and satisfactory performance throughout the programme period.
Objectives
The objectives of the Youth Filmmaker Project are:
- To nurture, support and promote emerging filmmakers in South Africa through structured training and mentorship
- To provide practical opportunities for emerging filmmakers to develop and produce short films
- To identify and develop regionally diverse storytelling voices
- To strengthen participants’ pathways into sustainable careers in the screen industry.
- To contribute to the long-term transformation and sustainability of the industry
Scope of Work
The appointed Facilitating Production Company will be responsible for the design, management and implementation of the programme. Applicants must propose a credible approach to delivering the programme, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Recruiting and selecting youth filmmakers nationally through a merit-based process
- Ensuring meaningful reach across all nine provinces and equitable participation by selected filmmakers, regardless of where they live;
- Shortlisted candidates will be selected alongside the NFVF and relevant project partners,
- Developing participants’ creative, technical and professional skills;
- Structuring mentorship and access to appropriate industry practitioners;
- Supporting projects from concept development through production and final delivery;
- Managing the programme budget, governance, reporting, monitoring and risks;
- Delivering completed films and associated marketing materials
- Identifying marketing, festival and distribution opportunities for the completed films
- Submitting regular programme and financial reports to the NFVF.
- The programme is intended as a filmmaker development initiative. The Facilitating Production Company must ensure that participating filmmakers remain actively involved in the creative development and production of their films and are supported through mentorship and professional guidance throughout the programme.
Programme Structure
The programme will run over a three-year period.
Each year the programme will support:
- Up to ten (10) emerging youth filmmakers participating in development and mentorship activities
- Participants between 18 and 35 years old at the participant-call closing date
- Script development and mentorship for selected projects.
- Upon completion of the development of the scripts, the Company and the NFVF will select the best scripts for production.
- The production of eight (8) short films
- Preference will be given to youth who have not had an opportunity to make a film;
Budget Framework
The Youth Filmmaker Project is funded at a total value of R12,375,000 over three years, with R4,125,000 allocated per annum.
Programme Budget (NFVF Allocation)
Applicants must submit a detailed budget demonstrating how the programme will be implemented within the allocated funding of R4,125,000 per annum.
This budget must include, but is not limited to:
- Programme facilitation and administration fees
- Training workshops and development activities
- Mentor fees and development support
- Participant logistics and participation-related costs will be managed to support equitable access to the programme;
- Production of short films. Applicants must propose a minimum production allocation per film.
- Marketing, delivery and distribution activities
Programme facilitation and management costs may not exceed 20% of the annual programme budget.
Applicants must clearly demonstrate how the programme will be implemented within the allocated funding.
Intellectual Property
All intellectual property rights in the films produced through the Youth Filmmaker Project must vest with the participating filmmakers.
The Facilitating Production Company will act in a programme management, mentorship and production support capacity and may not require participating filmmakers to assign intellectual property rights as a condition of participation in the programme.
The Facilitating Production Company must assist filmmakers with festival strategy, marketing and distribution, provided that such arrangements are transparent and do not compromise the filmmakers’ ownership or fair participation in the future revenues of their work.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for consideration, the production company must:
- Be a South African owned and registered production company
- Have at least five years’ long form experience in film or television development and production
- Tier 1 Production Company – Experienced filmmakers who have a proven track record for developing and, or producing at least three successful and commercially viable feature films, series, TV films or documentaries.
- Tier 2 Production Company – Filmmakers with limited experience. They must have developed and produced one or two feature films, TV films, TV series, documentaries, or a minimum of four short films and/or commercials.
- Demonstrate mentorship or skills development experience within the industry
- Comply with BBBEE requirements
- Provide a valid Tax Status PIN. (Note that all applying companies will be checked for Tax Compliance Status on the SARS system. Should a company not be compliant at the time of verification, this will result in automatic disqualification)
- Applicants must apply through a registered company and not in an independent capacity.
Who does not qualify?
- Past and Present NFVF Slate recipients; and
- Individuals and/or Production Companies that have at least 4 (four) active NFVF funded projects across the value chain i.e. Development, Production, Post Production, Marketing and Distribution and Festival Funding Support.
- Applicants who apply in their individual capacity.
- Government and public-institution employees: Government employees and employees of government entities, including public universities, TVET colleges and other public higher education institutions, are not eligible to apply. This exclusion also applies to South African companies owned or part-owned by such persons. Applicants must disclose the employment status of all directors, shareholders and beneficial owners. Failure to disclose relevant employment may result in disqualification.
Film Project Requirements
The Company must be able to commit and adhere to the following terms of the NFVF brief:
- Develop 10 and produce 8 short films
- Any budget excess will not be funded by the NFVF.
- Any additional funding raised towards the production of the films is exclusive of the NFVF’s contribution and the NFVF will not be held responsible for the raising of any additional funding.
Application Requirements
All applicants should provide the following documentation:
- 1 – 2 page motivation (Applicant’s vision for the programme and their approach to running the Youth Filmmaker Project.)
- Project plan/roll-out (envisaged structure of programme)
- Production company executive summary with detailed company experience
- Producer and key management team’s CVs with filmography (Describe the team responsible for the programme.)
- Mentorship Approach and Industry Network
(Describe how mentors will be engaged and how filmmakers will be supported.)
- Proposed training and development schedule
- Proposed production schedule
- Risk Awareness and Mitigation Plan
(Briefly identify key operational risks and how they would be addressed.)
- Talent Development Example
(Brief example of a previous mentorship, workshop, or development project with emerging filmmakers.)
- Programme Budget (NFVF Allocation of R4 125 000 per annum)
- Additional Finance Plan (Optional): Applicants may identify additional funding, partnerships or in-kind support they could secure if their company is appointed. Where possible, they should provide supporting documents confirming the proposed funding or support.
- Marketing and distribution strategy and plan
- Recently Certified ID copy (dated certification stamp not older than six months)
- Company registration documents
- BBBEE certificate of company
- Valid Tax Clearance Status Pin Document (not older than one year). (Note that all applying companies will be checked for Tax Compliance Status on the SARS system. Should a company not be compliant at the time of verification, this will result in automatic disqualification). Please note that applications need to be through a production company.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION
Opening Date: 8 September 2026
Closing date : 7 October 2026, 17:00
LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
Applicants need to register and complete the online application form using the following link: https://nfvf.praxisgms.co.za/
Technical and application queries may be directed to Thandekile Hlatshwayo at thandekileh@nfvf.co.za or Manti Mmalebati at Mantis@nfvf.co.za
Content queries may be directed to Refiloe Hlabioa at refiloeh@nfvf.co.za