The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) is proud to continue its partnership with the Wales One World (WOW) Film Festival through the DIFF x WOW Shorts programme, a cultural short film exchange supported by the British Council’s Festival Connects Fund. The collaboration brings together filmmakers from South Africa and Wales through a shared programme of short films presented across both festivals, strengthening international dialogue and creating new opportunities for Welsh and South African filmmakers to connect with global audiences.
The partnership first launched earlier this year at the WOW Film Festival in Wales, where three South African films from DIFF’s previous edition screened internationally as part of the exchange programme. These included FLEAS (AMAZEZE) directed by Jordy Sank, LEAPT NICHES directed by Dominique Spies and produced by The Animation School South Africa, and B(L)IND THE SACRIFICE directed by Nakhane. All three films previously screened at the 46th edition of DIFF, with B(l)ind the Sacrifice receiving the Best South African Short Film Award and Leapt Niches awarded Best South African Student Film.
Their inclusion in WOW highlights DIFF’s ongoing role as a platform for South African filmmakers to gain international visibility and continue their festival journeys beyond South Africa. Through partnerships such as this, films that premiere or screen at DIFF are able to reach new audiences, strengthen international industry connections, and travel to festivals abroad.
As part of the exchange, DIFF 2026 will present the second DIFF x WOW Shorts package featuring three Welsh short films alongside two South African films selected for this programme. The Welsh selections include MARI LWYD directed by Charlie Grayson, BUTTY directed by Liz Cartwright, and FLOCK directed by Mac Nixon. These films will screen alongside South African shorts PERCEPTION directed by Miselwa Ngamlana and VIMBA 2 directed by Monde Gumede.
All the shorts in this package will be in the official competition for Best Short Film (Oscar-Qualifying Award) and Best South African Short Film.
Screenings will take place at Suncoast CineCentre on 26 July at 13:00, as well as the Isiphethu On Tour Screening at K-CAP on 28 July at 12:00 (free screening).
Helene Naicker, Programme Co-ordinator at the Durban International Film Festival and co-curator of the project, said:
“This partnership continues to highlight the importance of international collaboration and exchange through cinema. It has been incredibly rewarding to see South African films that screened at DIFF continue their journey internationally to Wales through WOW earlier this year, while also welcoming the selection of Welsh films to Durban as part of our 2026 programme. These exchanges create meaningful opportunities for filmmakers, strengthen relationships between festivals, and allow audiences to engage with stories and perspectives from different parts of the world.”
Director of the Wales One World Film Festival, and co-curator of the project, Annita Nitsaidou, said:
“Welsh short films aren’t often seen on the big screen beyond Wales, so it’s a real honour to have them travel to Durban as part of DIFF, a festival known for championing powerful filmmaking and new voices. It was genuinely moving to see WOW audiences in Wales engage so deeply with the South African shorts earlier this year, and we hope to see that same curiosity and connection in Durban this summer as audiences encounter the Welsh films. This exchange shows how cinema can bridge distance and help emerging filmmakers reach audiences far beyond home.”
The Durban International Film Festival will take place from 23 July to 2 August 2026 in Durban, South Africa.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About the Durban International Film Festival
Founded in 1979, the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) is the oldest and largest film festival in Southern Africa, hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Celebrating over 70 films annually, it champions African cinema alongside international films. DIFF is an Oscar-Qualifying Film Festival, with Best Documentary, Best South African Documentary and Best Short Film Awards being eligible to enter into the Academy Awards.
Media Contact:
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