Starting January 18, 2021, filmmakers from Ethiopia are invited to apply for film development funding and training offered by DW Akademie.  Are you a filmmaker in Ethiopia? Have you already made at least one film? Do you have a concept or script for your next feature film, documentary or short film? If you answered “yes” to these three questions, then you qualify to apply for our Film Development Fund. 

Up to five successful candidates will receive a maximum of 10,000 euros and one year of professional mentorship to help develop their film idea. The program will include workshops and skills development by industry professionals mainly from the Global South and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).  These tailor-made trainings will enable you to take your project through the development stage and get your film ready for production. 

Details on eligibility and further application requirements are available here: akademie.dw.com/filmfund/. Successful candidates will be selected by a jury in April 2021.  With its support of filmmakers in emerging film markets, DW Akademie is actively contributing to social change, freedom of expression, and the economic empowerment of local storytellers.

The DW Akademie Film Development Fund is specifically designed to support filmmakers in developing their film projects who may otherwise be struggling to get their voices heard and stories told. It is part of a pro-cess to promote authentic local stories and share them with international audiences, ideally leading to the sector’s further growth and development. 

The project is to be expanded later to additional countries to ensure a continuity of diverse voices from the Global South. 

Calls for proposals can be submitted to akademie.dw.com/filmfund/.

The deadline for submissions is February 26, 2021.