THE 78th edition of Cannes Film Festival is currently underway in Cannes, South of France. The world’s most attended film festival opened on Tuesday with official unveiling of the jury led by Juliette Binoche, the screening of a three-minute film tribute to Ukraine and the opening night film, Amélie Bonnin’s French romance, Leave One Day. At the festival’s opening ceremony, Robert De Niro received an honorary Palme d’Or, 49 years after Taxi Driver won Cannes’ top prize. The 10-day long festival will play host to loads of screenings, including world premieres of Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest and Ari Aster’s Eddington. Guest to this year’s film fest witnessed the return of Tom Cruise to Cannes. Three years after he brought Top Gun: Maverick to the festival, Cruise returns with the latest Mission: Impossible movie. Nigeria cinema is in the spotlight at this edition of Cannes filmfest. My Father’s Shadow, directed by Akinola Davies Jr. and co-written with his brother, writer Wale Davies, stars Sope Dirisu (Slow Horses, Gangs of London) is in competition in the Uncertain Regards Section – a competition for debut and ascendant filmmakers. The film is set in Lagos in the aftermath of the 1993 presidential election and follows Dirisu’s father and two sons Remi and Akin, as they attempt an odyssey across the city amid the election’s turbulent fallout. The movie has been scheduled to screen on May 17. Nigeria also set up a sprawling stand at the March Du Film section. Dubbed Screen Naija, the stand has played host to a number of panel session on the Nigerian film industry.

THE Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) announces the lineup of projects and participants for the 18th edition of Talents Durban holding during the Durban FilmMart (DFM) in Durban from July 18 to 21, 2025. As the African satellite programme of the Berlin International Film Festival and Berlinale Talents, Talents Durban holds a significant position within the DFMI’s programming portfolio. Berlinale Talents is a networking platform organised by the Berlin International Film Festival, offering a space for emerging filmmakers to connect, learn, and collaborate. Talents Durban serves as its African counterpart, providing a similar platform specifically tailored to the continent’s unique filmmaking landscape. “The calibre and diversity of applications this year reflect the growing vibrancy of African storytelling,” says DFMI Director, Magdalene Reddy.  She adds, “This year’s cohort demonstrates remarkable innovation in form and content, with projects that naturally embody our theme of building bridges. Throughout the intensive four-day in person programme and the two-month online programme, these emerging talents will not only develop their technical skills but also forge lasting connections with industry professionals and fellow creators from across the continent – connections that will sustain African cinema’s growth for years to come.” This edition of Talents Durban is distinguished by its inclusion of participants from 18 African countries, who collectively reflect the continent’s diversity of emerging film professionals.

The selection process was highly competitive, with over 500 applications resulting in the choice of 26 distinctive projects and five film critics, each bringing a fresh perspective to features, documentaries, shorts, series, animation, and film criticism. Selected Talents will participate in a series of project-oriented, hands-on skills development programmes. These include sessions such as Story Junction, where participants present their projects to producers and financiers, alongside masterclasses and one-on-one mentorship opportunities. Domoina Ratsara, Francis Brown, Joel Karekezi, Karabo Lediga, Laza Razanajatovo, Mamounata Nikiemai, Mayye Zayedi, Mmabatho Kau, Rumbi Katedzai and Tarek Mohamed will serve as mentors for the 2025 edition. They will provide invaluable guidance and generously share their expertise with the participants. Butterflies by Aghogho ‘Tega’ Onobrakpeya (Nigeria) made the short project cut for this diet of the DFMI. The other projects selected in the short category include The Soil’s Silent Smell by Melkamu Haile (Ethiopia), My chicken (Huku Yangu) by Dereck Nziyakwi  (Zimbabwe), Based on Future Events: Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? by Bassma Farah Nancy (Egypt), DELIVERY MAN by Ani Eliam (Cote D’Ivoire) and Trucker Man by Shiefaa Hendricks (South Africa).

KADUNA International Film Festival has officially announced the expansion of its award category this year with the introduction of the MTN Viewers’ Choice Category. The category of the awards will allow film audiences at the festival to vote for the Best Film, the Best Male Actor, the Best Actress, the Best Indigenous Language Film and the Best Short Film. The organisers hinted that festivaliers will be notified on how to vote for their choice across the category by May 30th May 2025. The 2025 edition of the Kaduna International Film Festival (KADIFF) will be held under the theme ‘Film For Social Change’. The festival will hold August 26 to 30, 2025.