DURBAN, South Africa – The 47th Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, has officially unveiled its highly anticipated selection of feature documentaries for the upcoming edition, running from the 23 July to 2 August 2026.
This year’s official line-up brings together 15 extraordinary works to compete for the Best Documentary (Oscar-Qualifying Award) and the Best South African Documentary Award. These long-form films mirror complex global realities, capturing intimate human triumphs, environmental transitions, and historical struggles with deep respect and cinematic brilliance.
A major highlight of the 2026 programme is the notable surge in international co-productions anchored in South Africa. This reflects the country’s rapidly expanding footprint and collaborative influence in global cinema, allowing local stories to resonate on a worldwide scale while bringing international lenses to local realities.
“Documentaries are an important part of cinema because they tell real stories and show the world as it is. They help us understand people, events, and issues by sharing truth and real-life experiences ,” says DIFF Festival Manager Sakhile Gumede.
Official DIFF 2026 Feature Documentaries in Competition:
South African Films & Co-Productions
- After Oil – Boima Tucker (Algeria, Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Africa)
- Fosta – Eldon Van Aswegen (South Africa)
- From Dust We Spin – Julia Jansch (South Africa)
- Who is Still Alive – Nicolas Wadimoff (France, Palestine, South Africa, Switzerland)
Pan-African & International Perspectives
- A Fox Under the Pink Moon – Mehrdad Oskouei, Soraya Akhlaghi (Iran, France, United Kingdom, United States, Denmark)
- A Russian Winter – Patric Chiha (France)
- Chronicles of the Forgotten Genocide – Ramesh Sharma (India)
- Dear Ancestor – Nantenaina Lova (Madagascar)
- Hair, Paper, Water… – Nicolas Graux, Trương Minh Quý (Belgium, France, Vietnam)
- Hope Is a Word – Maria Galliani Dyrvik (Norway, Italy, Nigeria)
- Lady Lifers: Women Behind Bars – Jake J. Smith (USA, United Kingdom)
- Paikar – Dawood Hilmandi (Netherlands)
- The Other Side of the Sun – Tawfik Sabouni (Belgium, France, Saudi Arabia)
- The Soul of the Giant – Aser Álvarez (Spain)
- True North – Michele Stephenson (Canada, USA)
A Pathway to Global Prominence
DIFF is an Academy Award® qualifying film festival in the Best Documentary category. Selection into the Official Documentary Competition places filmmakers’ work among an exceptional global line-up, while winning the DIFF Best Documentary Award, and Best South African Documentary Award provides eligibility to submit the film for Oscar® consideration, offering a valuable pathway to international recognition, distribution, and prestige.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About the Durban International Film Festival
Founded in 1979, the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) is Southern Africa’s oldest and largest film festival, hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Screening over 70 films annually, DIFF provides an essential platform for contemporary African and international cinema.
Media Contact:
Email: diff@ukzn.ac.za
Phone: +27 31 260 2506
Website: https://ccadiff.ukzn.ac.za/