National Film and Video Foundation
NFVF Funding
At a glance
Who qualifies
- South African citizen or SA-registered production company
- Project meets the Local Content criteria (SA writers, directors, or majority-SA crew)
- Clear treatment, script, budget, and financing plan
- Track record for production grants; students eligible for bursaries
- Willing to acknowledge NFVF in credits and meet reporting requirements
Who does not qualify
- Non-South African individuals or companies
- Projects with no SA creative or ownership content
- Applicants with outstanding NFVF reports from previous funding
- Purely commercial ventures without an SA cultural or industry-development case
Documents you bring
- Full script or treatment (as required by the category)
- Detailed production budget
- Financing plan (own funds + co-financiers)
- Company registration and shareholder details
- Producer / director track record and CVs
- Distribution or festival strategy (where applicable)
- Local Content declaration
Feature-film production is highly competitive. Development funding (lower amount, less risk) is often the smarter first step to secure a strong package for later production application.
How to apply
- Register on the NFVF Praxis system and study the current funding calls at nfvf.co.za.
- Identify the correct category: Development, Production, Marketing, Bursary, Slate, or Festival.
- Complete the online application with the script or treatment, budget, and financing plan.
- Submit before the category closing date.
- NFVF screens for compliance, then subject-matter panels adjudicate.
- Successful applicants sign the funding agreement, meet conditions precedent, and receive tranches against milestones.
- Submit interim and final reports; acknowledge NFVF in the released work.
Multiple category calls run through the year. Bookmark the NFVF news feed and Praxis portal to catch openings for your specific need.
Development funding is the smarter first application
First-time filmmakers routinely go straight for production funding and are rejected because the package is not investable. The smarter path is Development funding first (script polish, packaging, a named director, letters of interest from festivals or distributors), then Production funding once the package is bankable. Development is less competitive and materially lifts your production hit-rate.