FAME Week Africa has partnered with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPACC) to launch a new pitching competition for film and television producers whose projects showcase the Eastern Cape’s locations, talent and production potential. Shortlisted producers will pitch directly to an industry panel at FAME Week Africa, with qualifying projects potentially considered for funding through the Eastern Cape Film Investment Fund.
Submissions across multiple genres and formats close on 14 September 2026.
Are you a film or television producer with a compelling story that could showcase the Eastern Cape on screen?
FAME Week Africa, the continent’s leading B2B market for film, television and digital content, has partnered with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) and the Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPACC) to launch the ECDC Pitching Session Competition.
The initiative invites producers to submit project concepts or scripts that showcase and utilise the Eastern Cape’s diverse locations, talent and production potential.
The pitching opportunity aims to position the Eastern Cape as a preferred destination for film and television production, support the development of authentic regional stories, provide exposure for emerging and established producers, and create opportunities for promising projects to connect with key industry stakeholders.
The platform will also help identify projects that could potentially qualify for funding through the Eastern Cape Film Investment Fund, while simultaneously showcasing the province’s locations and filmmaking capabilities to the local and international industry attending FAME Week Africa.
What Projects Are Eligible?
Submissions are invited across a broad range of genres, including crime, comedy, action, horror, romance, war, science fiction, film noir, thriller, western, animation, fiction and documentary.
Hybrid and cross-genre projects are also eligible, including science-fiction horror, action comedy, romantic comedy, mockumentary, docudrama, dramatised documentary and theatrical documentary.
· Feature Film: 90–160 minutes
· Short Documentary: 30 minutes or less
· Short Film: Less than 40 minutes
FAME Week Africa will facilitate a dedicated pitching session where shortlisted producers will have the opportunity to present their projects directly to representatives from ECDC, ECPACC and the FAME Week Africa pitching panel.
Projects presented through the platform may be considered for potential funding through the Eastern Cape Film Investment Fund, subject to meeting the Fund’s qualifying criteria and ECDC’s assessment and approval processes.
“The ECDC Pitching Session is designed to position the Eastern Cape as a preferred destination for local and international film and television productions. In response to the ECDC’s interest in expanding film development opportunities in the province, the pitching session will focus primarily on supporting producers and film projects from the Eastern Cape,” says ECDC Acting Executive for Economic Development and Sector Support, Mr Akho Skenjana.
What Should Your Submission Include?
Producers will be required to submit the following project information:
· Genre
· Duration
· Premise
· Logline
· Short summary
· Treatment
· Script
Qualifying Criteria
To be considered, applicants must:
- Be a registered company or Special Purpose Corporate Vehicle (SPCV).
- Be tax compliant.
- Submit a distribution or commissioning agreement from a reputable industry entity or broadcaster. Short-film applicants must provide a distribution plan.
- Have secured at least 50% of the total project budget.
- Employ Eastern Cape-based filmmakers and/or provide job-shadowing opportunities with Heads of Department during the production phase.
- Provide information on the intended and confirmed sources of funding to be used for the full principal photography period.
- Allocate at least 60% of the procurement of goods and services to Eastern Cape-based service providers during production.
- Shoot at least 50% of principal photography in the Eastern Cape.
- Spend at least 60% of the production expenditure in the Eastern Cape.
- Include a training and skills-transfer programme to be implemented within the Eastern Cape.
Submissions Now Open
Submissions are now open and close on 14 September. Submit your pitch HERE
The initiative provides producers with an opportunity to put their projects in front of industry stakeholders while contributing to the growth of the Eastern Cape’s film economy, strengthening local skills and production capacity, and showcasing the province as a competitive filmmaking destination.
