Two day programme brings together the animation and film industries to explore how Africa can build a sustainable animation ecosystem The Cape Town International Animation Festival (CTIAF) is deepening its partnership with Durban FilmMart (DFM), bringing two days of dedicated animation industry programming to Durban.Register for Durban FilmMart today!
Africa has the talent. We have training institutions, emerging studios, experienced freelancers and a growing pool of skilled graduates. What we don't have yet is a coordinated industry infrastructure to consistently attract and deliver large-scale productions. How do we connect these pieces into a scalable ecosystem that can compete globally? And how can we create […]
Africa is producing ambitious, award-winning animation; but who is commissioning it, who is watching it, and where does it find an audience beyond the festival circuit? With much of the industry still focused on selling African stories to international markets, are we doing enough to develop audiences at home? This discussion looks at the full […]
Welcome to the Best of CTIAF 2026: African Roots Short Film Selection. This curated showcase celebrates the profound depth, vibrant diversity, and unstoppable evolution of African and diaspora storytelling. Spanning traditional hand-drawn 2D, intricate stop-motion, rare pinscreen experimentation, and cutting-edge 3D/CGI hybrids, this collection bridges continental heritage with global perspectives. From the bustling streets of […]
Films like Flow demonstrate that ambitious animation doesn't have to depend on blockbuster budgets. Across Africa, small studios are already producing distinctive, beautifully crafted films against modest budgets. Can we build a sustainable independent animation industry around this model ? Can we create an indusry that prioritises original stories, creative ambition; rather than chasing commercial […]
This panel will explore the challenges of sustaining independent creative projects. Through real experiences, industry professionals will discuss the value of perseverance, the lessons learned from setbacks, and when it is time to adapt, change direction or maybe, having to let go.The conversation will explore the journey of building and sustaining a long-term independent production […]
No single studio builds a global animation hub alone - a cluster does. Cape Town is home to studios sitting at every point on the spectrum, from service and outsourcing work for international clients, to original IP, to hybrids balancing both. This session brings studio leaders together with UNDP timbuktoo Creatives Hub, Digital Frontiers, and […]
Entertainment is no longer confined to a single screen or format. Film, animation, gaming and immersive experiences are increasingly part of a connected entertainment ecosystem. This talk explores the common ground between these industries; how they approach world-building, character and narrative. We also discuss how gaming and immersive experiences can expand an existing IP beyond […]
African animation studios are caught between two funding worlds. They may have the talent, experience and ambition to grow, but lack the capital needed to build permanent creative teams, develop original IP and take on larger, more commercial projects. Grants can support individual projects but rarely provide the runway to build a sustainable studio, while […]
Welcome to the Best of CTIAF 2026: African Roots Short Film Selection. This curated showcase celebrates the profound depth, vibrant diversity, and unstoppable evolution of African and diaspora storytelling. Spanning traditional hand-drawn 2D, intricate stop-motion, rare pinscreen experimentation, and cutting-edge 3D/CGI hybrids, this collection bridges continental heritage with global perspectives. From the bustling streets of […]
The world increasingly says it wants African stories. The problem is that wanting them, developing them, showcasing them and actually commissioning them are four very different things. Creators are being encouraged to be authentic while simultaneously being asked to make their authenticity commercially legible to someone else's audience. Four creators discuss where they hold the […]
An interactive workshop and ‘heartical’ conversation, bringing women in African animation and gaming together to look beyond the usual industry conversations and towards each other. Through playful prompts and shared stories, we’ll uncover what connects us and what quietly holds us back. We’ll leave with new connections, different perspectives and shared insights. To begin building […]
