After a highly successful pilot year, the African Producers Accelerator (APA) returns in 2026 — now opening its doors to mid-career African producers ready to strengthen their companies, refine their strategies, and expand their global footprint.
Led by Big World Cinema in collaboration with the Bertha Foundation and the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa, and in association with the Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI) and Central Film School, the 12-week programme delivers personalised, hands-on support tailored to each producer’s company and project slate. The programme runs from May through to the end of July 2026.
Unlike conventional training labs built around fixed curricula, APA is designed as a bespoke experience. Each participant’s journey is shaped around their unique goals, challenges, and growth trajectory. The programme includes weekly one-on-one strategy sessions, curated masterclasses, and targeted consultations with leading international experts — all aligned with the specific needs of each producer.
The experience culminates in a five-day in-person Lab in Cape Town, where participants refine their company vision and project slate before presenting to a panel of investors. From there, producers move on to the Durban FilmMart, where they benefit from tailored investor and funding meetings, alongside an exclusive networking dinner with international industry stakeholders, including funders, sales agents, festival programmers, and distributors.
APA provides direct access to top-tier expertise across key areas such as world sales, intellectual property, business affairs, development, and financing — equipping producers with the tools needed to scale sustainably.
The programme is specifically designed for producers already operating at a high professional level. The 2025 pilot cohort included standout talents whose recent achievements ranged from winning a BAFTA to premiering at the Venice Film Festival, securing Best Debut Feature at the 69th BFI London Film Festival, winning the Tiger Award at the 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam, and receiving the SA–Netherlands Thuthuka Co-production Fund Prize.
Participation in APA is fully funded. Selected producers will also have their travel and attendance costs covered for both the Cape Town Lab and the Durban FilmMart.
Who should apply?
APA is open to African producers who are:
- Mid-career professionals actively running production companies
- Developing a slate of film and/or television projects
- Seeking strategic guidance, business growth, and international positioning
Eligibility requirements include:
- African citizenship and residence on the continent
- Proficiency in English
- A minimum of three years’ experience as a producer
- Availability to commit to 12 weeks of part-time participation (up to four hours per week)
- At least one produced work — such as a feature film, documentary, or TV series — that has screened at an international festival or been broadcast beyond its country of origin
While having work selected for an A-list festival or distributed internationally is an added advantage, it is not mandatory.
Applications open on 12 March 2026 and close at 23:59 SAST on 5 April 2026.
At a time when the African film industry is gaining increasing global attention, the need for strong, sustainable production companies has never been greater. APA exists to empower producers to build those companies — and to ensure that bold African stories continue to travel far beyond the continent.
About Big World Cinema
Founded in 1994, Big World Cinema is a South Africa-based production and distribution company led by Steven Markovitz and Tamsin Ranger. With a network spanning over 150 producers across Africa, the company has played a pivotal role in shaping the continent’s film ecosystem.
Its productions have reached audiences in over 35 African countries and premiered at leading global festivals including Cannes, Sundance, Venice, Berlin, and Toronto. Big World Cinema’s films have also secured worldwide distribution across major platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Showtime, Mubi, BBC, Criterion Channel, and Al Jazeera, alongside theatrical releases in markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan, Canada, Russia, and across Europe and Africa.
