‘The Ones With the Tempered Flowers,’ ‘On the Sea Road,’ ‘Where Do I Belong?’ Win Big at Durban FilmMart

Tanzanian filmmaker Neema Ngelime’s “The Ones With the Tempered Flowers,” Palestinian director Fitnat Waked’s “On the Sea Road” and “Where Do I Belong?,” from Sudanese director Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad, were among the big winners at this year’s Durban FilmMart, which wrapped with an award ceremony on Monday night. Ngelime’s directorial debut took home five awards, including the prize for best non-fiction film from South Africa’s National Film and Video Foundation and awards from DOK Leipzig, Sheffield Doc Fest and Visions du Réel. The film tells the story of a woman studying her body’s relationship to self and society, and the political weight placed on women’s bodies in Tanzania, and challenging duty masked as love. “Where Do I Belong?” is the latest from Ahmad, who co-directed last year’s Sundance-premiering documentary “Khartoum.” The winner of four prizes at the DFM forum, it follows the director as he decides to leave Nairobi and return to his family in the Sudanese capital, combining documentary footage and hand-drawn pencil animation to tell an intimate and unconventional road movie. Also taking four awards was “On the Sea Road,” the debut feature from Waked, a documentary about the friendship forged between two Palestinian women separated by borders. Popular on Variety Among other standout projects was “The Boy Who Spoke Static,” from Nigeria’s Agbajowo Collective, the filmmaking group behind the 2024 Toronto premiere “The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos,” which won three prizes, including the prize for best fiction film from South Africa’s NFVF. The ceremony capped a rousing edition of the pitch and finance forum at the DFM, which kicked off its 17th edition with a celebration of DFM alumnus “Ben’Imana,” from first-time Rwandan filmmaker Marie-Clémentine Dusabejambo, which won the Cámera d’Or in Cannes and became that country’s first ever submission in the Oscar category for best international feature film. Durban FilmMart Institute director Magdalene Reddy praised the “dynamic array of filmmakers and industry leaders” taking part in this year’s event and stressed how “the talent showcased in this year’s program and film projects exemplifies the strength of African cinema. “The Durban FilmMart Institute…remains committed to building the industry,” she said. “Thank you for participating with such passion and professionalism in all the programs presented over the last four days. Thank you for connecting, for telling your stories. And thank you for shifting the world with us.” Thirty-nine awards were handed out on Monday night, with a value totaling north of $120,000. Here’s a rundown of all the winners: The JustFilms Documentary Award (Ford Foundation) “The Thread and the Wall” (Algeria)Producer/Director: Mouni Bouallam Al Jazeera Co-production Award “On the Sea Road” (Palestine)Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid Climate Story Labs Award “The Birth of Derna” (Libya)Director: Hussein Eddeb National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) — Best Fiction “The Boy Who Spoke Static” (Nigeria)Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) — Best Non-fiction “The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)Producer: Ivy KiruDirector: Neema Ngelime National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF) — Best Animation “Sunday Morning” (Ethiopia)Producer: Nahom AbiyDirector: Minasie Terefe Inkaba Award (Stained Glass TV) “Daddies” (South Africa)Producer: Catharina WeinekDirector: Sean Mongie NEWF Natural World Storytelling Grant “A Touch of Paradise” (Tunisia)Producer: Sarra Ben HassenDirector: Houcem Slouli Red Sea Film Fund Award — Non-Fiction “Heirs of No Regret” (Kenya)Producer: Mumo LikuDirector: Saitabao Kaiyare Red Sea Film Fund Award — Fiction “The Boy Who Spoke Static” (Nigeria)Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa Docubox Award “Where Do I Belong?” (Sudan)Producer: Talal AfifIDirector: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad TRT Award “On the Sea Road” (Palestine)Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid RRImpact Pitch Prize (DocA) “My Djomélé Night” (Burkina Faso)Producer: Cinema SalamaDirector: Barkima Nafissatou Laguempedo Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award “Where Do I Belong?” (Sudan)Producer: Talal AfifiDirector: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad The Whickers Bursary Award “Green Island Girls” (Egypt)Producer: Amrosh BadrDirector: Rogena Tarek Sunshine Cinema UCT Impact Development Award “Pülö: Bloodstream of the Kirike” (Nigeria)Producer/Director: Christina Ifubaraboye “On the Sea Road” (Palestine) Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid DFMI Talents Durban Award “The Basement” (Democratic Republic of Congo)Director: Mélanie K. ZAWADI The Wrapped App Award “Second Bloom” (Zimbabwe)Director: Tendaiishe Chitima Sørfond Award “The Boy Who Spoke Static” (Nigeria)Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa “Where Do I Belong?” (Sudan)Producer: Talal AfifiDirector: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad Rotterdam Lab Award “Four Months and Ten Days” (Sudan)Producer: Samo HusseinCo-producer: Anna StylińskaDirector: Alyaa Musa The DOK Leipzig Award “The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)Producer: Ivy KiruDirector: Neema Ngelime The FIDADOC Award “The Birth of Derna” (Libya)Director: Hussein Eddeb“Fitampoha, the Return of the King of Menabe” (Madagascar)Director: Ramaroson Anatole Movies that Matter Award “The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)Producer: Ivy KiruDirector: Neema Ngelime Animation Production Days (APD) Award “Sunday Morning” (Ethiopia)Producer: Nahom AbiyDirector: Minasie Terefe DOK.fest München Award “Where Do I Belong?” (Sudan)Producer: Talal AfifIDirector: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad Sheffield Doc Fest Award “The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)Producer: Ivy KiruDirector: Neema Ngelime NEWF Post-Production Residency Award “The Birth of Derna” (Libya)Director: Hussein Eddeb NEWF Summit Attendance Award “Second Bloom” (Zimbabwe)Director: Tendaiishe Chitima El Gouna Emerge Award “The Birth of Derna” (Libya)Director: Hussein Eddeb “Cause, Effect & Maybe Consequences” (Nigeria)Director: Cheyi Okoaye Talents Press Award presented by CIFF and FIPRESCI Neya Harouna (Burkina Faso) TFL x IEFTF Next Award (TorinoFilmLab) “Four Months and Ten Days” (Sudan)Producer: Samo HusseinDirector: Alyaa Musa Visions du Réel Award “The Ones With the Tempered Flowers” (Kenya)Producer: Ivy KiruDirector: Neema Ngelime Women Make Movies Award “On the Sea Road” (Palestine)Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid Impronta Films Consultancy Award “Waiting for Evolution” (South Africa)Producer/Director: Karin Slater “Designing Divide” (South Africa)Producer/ Director: Jessie Ayles