Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) – 48th edition
Open for submissions
At a glance: Deadline 23 November 2026 · Durban, South Africa · Festival 15 July 2027 – 25 July 2027 · Fiction, Documentary, Short, Student · Entry fees apply (details below)
About
Southern Africa's oldest film festival (since 1979), run by the UKZN Centre for Creative Arts. Best Documentary, Best SA Documentary and Best Short Film qualify for Academy Awards consideration. Submissions opened 15 Sep 2026; notification 4 May 2027.
- Location
- Durban, South Africa
- Festival dates
- 15 July 2027 – 25 July 2027
- Deadlines
- 23 November 2026 · Early deadline Early Bird
15 January 2027 · Regular deadline - Fees
- Features $17 early / $22 regular; documentaries $12 / $17 (FilmFreeway). Other categories on the listing.
- Eligibility
- African/South African features and documentaries of 60 min or longer (non-African features/docs are by invitation), plus short and student films. Completed after 1 Jan 2026; South African premiere; English subtitles; films declined for DIFF 2026 not eligible.
- Categories
- Fiction, Documentary, Short, Student
- Region
- Africa
- Details checked on
- 7 October 2026
Details are shown in the original language of the organizer.
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