FILMMAKERS in South Africa now have the opportunity to collaborate with their international counterparts in a new film market that will make its debut in Durban this year.

FILMMAKERS in South Africa now have the opportunity to collaborate with their international counterparts in a new film market that will make its debut in Durban this year.

After an announcement by the Durban Film Office (DFO) and Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) that they will host the first international film co-production market , organisers are calling for the submissions of projects for consideration for the inaugural event.

"This market has the potential to act as a key driver in raising the visibility of film content from Africa," said Toni Monty, acting chief executive of the DFO.

Monty said that they envisaged that the event would give African filmmakers the chance to make their pitch to leading financiers and to network with international directors and producers to form alliances.

Projects with an African citizen in one of the three creative roles of writer, director or producer are eligible to take part. These include fiction features, animation features and documentaries suitable for international co-production and distribution

"We expect the FilmMart to be a place for film financiers to locate fundable African projects and to encourage collaboration between African filmmakers from different African countries to redress the current scarcity of film production on this continent," said Peter Rorvik, director of the Centre for Creative Arts-DIFF.

The organisers said the event promised to be a catalyst for growth in the South African and African film industry by interfacing with global parties to stimulate interest in the city and the province.

It will take place during the 31st Durban International Film Festival from July 22 to August 1.