National Film and Video Foundation/Netherlands Film Fund: Thuthuka Co-Development Fund call

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) and the Netherlands Film Fund (NFF) have established a co-development scheme called THUTHUKA. This scheme supports projects with high cinematographic quality and interest to cinema audiences in both countries, as well as to international cinema audiences.

Details:

The annual budget of the Fund amounts as a rule up to 80.000 EUR. The NFVF will match the equivalent of 40.000 EUR in ZAR, considering currency fluctuations.

No more than four (4) projects will be supported each year, two (2) from South Africa and two (2) from the Netherlands. Each project will receive 40.000 (or the equivalent in ZAR). This amount includes a maximum of 6.000 for the producer's fee plus overhead.

Grants are available for script development.

Individual script coaching and/or coaching in the context of workshops is an integral part of this grant.

The goal is to write a full script and create a pitch book, and to be able to apply for production support. Receiving a THUTHUKA grant does not guarantee selection for future funding.

Detailed regulations per Fund can be found via links at the end of this call.

Active participation in the workshops organized by NFVF and NFF is mandatory.

Eligibility Criteria:

Applications are open to:

Established co-production teams based in the Netherlands and South Africa.

Applicants who are citizens of the Netherlands and South Africa.

Established producers with a scriptwriter/director and a co-producer from the other

country attached for a feature-length (> 60 min) documentary film.

No applications without a co-producer and director from the other country will be considered.

There are no limitations regarding style.

Both attached producers, directors and writers must be eligible according to the criteria of the respective funds. Ineligible applicants will be informed of their disqualification after the compliance verification process.

Projects must be feasible within the criteria of both Funds.

Applications should be submitted in English and signed by all partners involved.

Ineligible are:

Live recordings, TV games, talk shows, reality shows or teaching and how-to' programs to be shown directly in schools.

Documentaries promoting tourism, making-of , reports, news and current affairs programs and docu-soaps .

Projects including pornographic or racist material or advocating violence.

Works of a promotional nature.

Institutional productions to promote a specific organisation or its activities.

Projects previously funded by Thuthuka and received development funding from both the NFF and the NFVF main funding stream.

Companies, producers, writers or directors involved with a project currently in Thuthuka development.

Applications with a South African writer/director in South Africa

Applications must include the following information:

CVs of South African and Dutch producers, Dutch director(s) and, if already selected, the director.

Motivation and vision of the team concerning the project (including needs for the project)

Co-production agreement or Letter of commitment from the co-producers and director

Brief project summary (maximum 5 pages).

Treatment (maximum 15 pages).

Outline, if available

A Schedule for the development phase (e.g., timeline for writing, editing, research) (max 600 words).

Development budget

A brief synopsis not to exceed five pages*

Recently Certified ID copy of an applicant (dated certification stamp not older than six months)*

Company's Registration document.

Track record of both production companies.

Company's Valid Tax Clearance Certificate or Tax Clearance Status PIN Document (must be valid for one year)*

BBBEE certificate or signed BBBEE Affidavit with a dated stamp (not older than one year).

The Parties reserve the right to require other documentation from applicants for the completion of the assessment of the project.

Project Evaluation

Projects will be evaluated by representatives of the NFF and NFVF.

This scheme aims to increase and encourage the development of high-quality and diverse feature-length documentaries.

Therefore, the evaluation will focus on the creative value of the project, viability of the project,and the proposed target audience.

Timeline:

Call Open: 2 September 2026

Closing Date: 5 October 2025 at 17h00

Project Announcement and first workshops: Rotterdam, January 2027

Regulations

A complete overview of applicable regulations and conditions can be found here

For NFVF: https://www.nfvf.co.za/home/

For NFF: https://www.filmfonds.nl

Contact Information:

For Netherlands Film Fund

Ilse Ronteltap

I.Ronteltap@filmfonds.nl

Ezra Droog

E.Droog@filmfonds.nl

For National Film and Video Foundation

Terrence Khumalo

terrencek@nfvf.co.za

LINK:	https://www.nfvf.co.za/home/index.php?ipkMenuID=&ipkArticleID=789...
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