The 46th edition of the Durban International Film Festival drew films that showed the world through a variety of perspectives, including children, and were filmed in deserts, remote villages deep in the mountains in Africa, and bustling metropolises in Asia.

Here are the award winners as announced on Saturday 26 July 2025.

Nine feature films competed for the festival’s prestigious accolades: Aïcha, Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight, Dreams, Lurker, My Friend An Delie, On Falling, Promised Sky, The Courageous, and The Things You Kill. 

The jury panel faced with the tough decisions Melissa Parry, a freelance editor nominated for the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative; Rethabile Ramaphakela, a South African producer, writer, director, showrunner, and creative director of Burnt Onion Productions; Themba Sibeko, a former CEO of the Gauteng Film Commission; and Ikenna Ezenyirioha, Artistic Director of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF).

The jury commended Aïcha, directed by Mehdi Barsaouithe, as the winner of the Best International Feature by commenting, “We were moved by the powerful story of Aya, a woman from a traditionally conservative country trying to reclaim her power. However, she soon finds that her choices have unintended consequences, keeping her embroiled in a crisis that has a seismic effect not only on her life but also on the lives of those around her. This film reminded us that life isn’t fair, but hope is never out of reach.”

As Embeth Davidtz’s directorial debut opens at venues around the country following its South African Premiere at DIFF, Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight was announced as the Best South African Feature. The adaptation of Alexandra Fuller’s memoir to screen has already received rave reviews at the 2024 Telluride, Toronto, and Zurich Film Festivals, and the jury commended her as follows: “For a first-time director who also wrote the screenplay and featured in an autobiographical narrative, Embeth Davidtz took a risk that pays off in telling the story through the eyes of a child that gave such depth in a powerful performance whose voice painted such an emotive picture of a time and place in the throes of a historical transition.”

Lurker, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, was announced as the Best Edited film, presented by the South African Guild of Editors. The citation acknowledged the skill required once the cameras are packed away. “An edgy and well-paced thriller that keeps you engaged through exceptional editing. The central character, Matthew’s unhinged and menacing performance keeps the audience on edge; through his voyeuristic and uncomfortable discomfort, this powerful performance draws you in, where less is said and more is shown in Lurker.”

Several short films impressed the jury of Thabang Moleya, Gabe Gabriels, and Tanya Rossouw. Still, it was Vox Humana from the Philippines, directed by Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan, which was acknowledged as the Best Short Film. “This international short film was selected for its breathtaking cinematic prowess and global thematic resonance. Using immersive sound design, expansive cinematography, transfixing physical performances, lyrical editing, and directorial restraint, it delivers an urgent call from the near future for connection across cultures – and across species – in the face of climate collapse.

B(L)Ind The Sacrifice, directed by Nakhane, was selected as the Best South African Short Film, with the jury saying, “This South African short film was selected for its bold vision, technical mastery, and thematic audacity. Through striking desert cinematography, smouldering colour grade, and haunting score, it builds an atmosphere of oppressive family ritual before erupting in moral reckoning. The commanding performance at its centre anchors the film’s probing scrutiny of patriarchal authority, obedience, and the violence of conditional faith.”

The Best Documentary Award went to Of Mud And Blood, directed by Jean-Gabriel Leynaud. “The film explores the lives of miners in Numbi, a village in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who extract coltan under extreme conditions – a mineral used in all our mobile phones. With culturally sensitive directing and beautiful cinematography, this poetic documentary explores the harsh reality on the ground, delivering a sucker punch. The deep and dark layers are complemented by the gentle love story. This is a poignant, urgent African story.” The documentary jury members, Ayanda Halimana, Diana Keam, and Fibby Kiora, were immersed in a variety of documentaries from Asia, Europe, and the United States of America.

The student jury of Ibee Ndaw, Lauren Fletcher, and Sharon Gumede also watched films from every corner of the globe including South America and the Middle East, which showcased the talents of the next generation of filmmakers. The Best Student Film, A Taste Of Pork Belly from Taiwan, directed by Sophie Shui, was selected for its nuanced and poetic storytelling, capturing the quiet and steady resilience of a mother doing what she must to save her family during a dark and tumultuous time. Culturally poignant while remaining accessible and stunningly shot, it’s hard to believe that this film was created by someone at the start of the film journey,” said the jury.

The Best South African Student Film, Leapt Niches, directed by Dominique Spies from The Animation School, drew praise from the jury, who said, “Captured through a child’s lens, the animation pivots seamlessly from loneliness, fear, and tension to awe, wonder, and belonging. Through its sweet storyline and beautiful, bright style, the animation radiates a sense of magic.”