Help

Creative Producer Indaba 2023

Creative Producer Indaba aims to provide professional training and empower Africa's emerging producers with creative vision and leadership skills.

W1 in Marrakech (MA), November 25 - December 1, 2023
W2 in Rotterdam (NL), January 25 - February 2, 2024
online sessions from 8 to 12 April 2024

Submissions have opened for the third Creative Producers Indaba (CPI), a film producers’ development programme presented by the Realness Institute, in collaboration with EAVE, International Film Festival Rotterdam's IFFR Pro, and the Marrakech International Film Festival's Atlas Workshops.

Strong creative producers play a crucial role in driving the growth of local media markets, and the CPI aims to strengthen and grow the number of capable producers on the African continent. Mehret Mandefro, Director of Development and Partnership at the Realness Institute says, “Creative Producer Indaba is addressing the most important gap in the local African media markets - training producers that can develop and finance local stories for the global and local markets. We are thrilled to be launching the third edition.”

Since its inception in 2021, the CPI has nurtured outstanding film talent and facilitated meaningful collaborations that have empowered participants to identify the right partners for their African projects. There are numerous success stories, and a shining example is the collaboration between three African producers: Bramwel Iro from Kenya, Caroline Kganyago from South Africa, and Zoe Ramushu from South Africa. These talented individuals, who participated in last year's Indaba, are now set to co-develop their projects with Dutch producer Ellen Havenith, whose film Tiger Stripes just won the Grand Prize at Cannes' Critics Week. These collaborations exemplify the power of the CPI in fostering connections that transcend borders and build pathways to production for African projects.

The CPI offers 10 African producers with and without projects and 5 international producers the unique opportunity to augment their leadership and entrepreneurial skills, deepen their producerial capabilities, and build professional networks across Africa and beyond. 

2022 alumnus Zoe Ramushu (Zimbabwe/SA) reflects on her experience in the CPI:  “It is a great programme for producers wanting to sharpen their knowledge, build their network and expand their entrepreneurial horizons.”

“The CPI aims to empower creative producers and industry leaders in Africa,” says Kristina Trapp, CEO at EAVE. “EAVE is proud to contribute with our methodology to support the groundbreaking work done by Mehret Mandefro and Elias Ribeiro of the Realness Institute.”

“We are thrilled to once again be part of Indaba,” says Facundo Lema, Talent Manager at IFFR Pro. “The programme  continues to demonstrate the importance of collaboration and fostering a sense of community within the industry, as vital elements in empowering and boosting producers' careers. One of the most remarkable aspects is the creative exchange and the exploration of the countless opportunities that will unfold during the IFFR Pro days.”

The Creative Producers Indaba participants will also attend the Atlas Workshops during the Marrakech International Film Festival in November and attend industry sessions at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in January 2024.

The chosen participants will enjoy the valuable opportunity of receiving mentorship from prominent figures in the industry, including Group Leaders Mehret Mandefro and Diana Elbaum, as well as Story consultant  Mmabatho Kau. Guest speakers such as producers Femi Odugbemi, Katriel Schory, Sata Cissokho, Constanza Arena  and Dayo Ogunyemi, along with IFFR Festival Director Vanja Kaludjercic, will generously share their skills, insights, and guidance.

The CPI welcomes not only film producers but also film professionals who work closely with producers, including funding body representatives, international sales representatives, distributors, broadcasters, and development executives who have a vested interest in the African marketplace,” says Mehret Mandefro  “We are pleased to announce the renewal of our partnership with Projeto Paradiso, which secures one spot for a Brazilian producer. Furthermore, we are thrilled to introduce our new partnerships with the Canada Media Fund, The Austrian Film Institute, and the Swiss organisation Focal.”

Applicants must meet certain criteria, including having produced at least one feature fiction, series, or documentary film, or a minimum of two short films as a lead or co-producer. Film professionals should have a minimum of two years of professional experience.

The deadline for submissions is July 3rd , 2023, at 12:00 Central African Time.

The Realness Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of Institut Français d'Afrique du Sud, the Brazilian foundation Projeto Paradiso, the Austrian Film Institute, The Canada Media Fund, the Austrian Film Institute, The Swiss organisation Focal and The Storyboard Collective, Jeune Creation Francophone and CNC in partnership with European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE), International Film Festival Rotterdam Pro (IFFR Pro), and Marrakech International Film Festival (Atlas Workshops).

For more information and submission details, please visit the Realness Institute website at https://www.realness.institute/creative-producer-indaba.

Read more:

Unlocking Leadership Excellence as Creative Producer Indaba Gathers Global Talent: 15 Participants Announced

Page last updated 14 June 2024


Donate to the EAVE Alan Fountain International Scholarship Fund

A scholarship has been set up to honour the memory of Alan Fountain, former Head of Studies and President of EAVE, who passed away in 2016. Its goal is to enable one producer from outside the EU to participate in all three sessions of the EAVE Producers Workshop each year.

Find out more...

© 2024 EAVE. By using this site you accept our terms of use, including our use of cookies. Please see our privacy policy.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the MEDIA sub-programme of Creative Europe. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Web design by MID

Please indicate your consent to our use of performance cookies

Some cookies are required for our site to function. Optional cookies are used for measuring site performance with Google Analytics. Visit our privacy and legal page to find out more, and manage your consent at any time.