• Call for Submissions Opens: Now Open
• Submission Deadline: 9 October 2026
• Live Pitch: 28–30 October 2026
  at FAME Week Africa, Cape Town

FAME Week Africa and DAWN, with financial support from the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), invite South African filmmakers with disabilities to enter the Inclusive Lens Pitching Competition.

Created to identify, elevate and connect filmmakers with disabilities with meaningful industry opportunities, the competition gives emerging and established screen storytellers the chance to pitch their project live at FAME Week Africa in Cape Town.

Up to five finalists will be selected to pitch on 28 October 2026, with the winner announced at the Inclusive Lens Awards on 29 October 2026.

The winning filmmaker will receive a R50 000 NFVF-sponsored prize, aimed at helping address accessibility and participation barriers in the development and production of audiovisual content.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We’re looking for original, compelling projects from South African filmmakers and screen storytellers with disabilities.

Projects can be submitted in the following formats:

Feature Films

• Fiction
• Documentary
• Animation

Television or Digital Series

• Fiction
• Documentary
• Animation

Projects may be at concept, development or early packaging stage and can explore any genre, theme or subject.

Your story does not need to be about disability.

The Inclusive Lens Pitching Competition is about recognising talented filmmakers and great ideas. Filmmakers with disabilities should have the same creative freedom to tell stories across genres, subjects and audiences as any other filmmaker.

We want to discover your voice, your vision and the story you want to tell.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO SUBMIT?

Applicants will be asked to provide information about themselves and their project, including:

• Filmmaker biography
• Project title
• Format and genre
• Project concept
• Creative vision
• Intended audience
• Current stage of development

Submissions will be evaluated by an independent panel of industry professionals based on:

• Originality
• Storytelling potential
• Clarity of vision
• Artistic viability
• Commercial viability
• The filmmaker’s ability to develop and bring the project to market

WHAT DO FINALISTS RECEIVE?

Up to five filmmakers will be selected as finalists and invited to pitch their projects live at FAME Week Africa in Cape Town on 28 October 2026.

Finalists will receive FAME Week Africa accreditation, giving them access to the market and conference programme, networking opportunities and opportunities to connect with producers, commissioners, distributors and potential collaborators.

The winner will be announced at the Inclusive Lens Awards on 29 October 2026.

R50 000 NFVF-SPONSORED PRIZE

The winning filmmaker will receive R50 000 in financial support from the NFVF.

The funding is intended to help address accessibility and participation barriers that may affect the filmmaker’s ability to develop and produce audiovisual content.

WHO CAN ENTER?

The Inclusive Lens Pitching Competition is open to South African filmmakers and screen storytellers with disabilities.

Both emerging and established filmmakers are encouraged to apply.