Reel Balance Africa Launches Pan-African Pledge As South Africa Film Festivals Lead Push For Gender Equality Film Parity

A fresh push for women in film just landed in South Africa — and e don already get 19 festivals on board.

The new project na Reel Balance Africa (Reel Balance), launched October 10 at the 17th Durban FilmMart, which is Africa’s biggest film finance and co-production market, according to https://www.timeslive.co.za and https://newsghana.com.gh.

Who dey behind am? Na Ladima Foundation — pan-African non-profit wey dey support women for film and TV — together with Durban FilmMart Institute. Dem say dem dey work with more than 50 festivals across continent, but 19 don sign first.

What the pledge dey ask festivals to do?

Simple, but serious.

Imagine festival programme as class photo. Before, na mostly boys dey for front. Reel Balance say make e be 50/50 balance.

Festivals wey sign agree to:

• Films: Work towards 50% of selected films directed or produced by women.
• Leadership & Governance: Make management teams and jury panels get equal women and men.
• Industry talk: Make panelists, speakers, workshop facilitators for festival no be only men.

And dem go no just talk — dem go collect and share data every year: how many women submit film, how many get selected. That data go be compiled and benchmarked, so progress fit be measured.

As Durban FilmMart director Magdalene Reddy talk: “We are using our platform to open the pipeline for African women filmmakers, and to ensure that the commitment is measured, not merely stated.”

Ladima executive director Lara Utian add say dem go support festivals to find solutions when imbalance dey.

Why e matter for African film workers

Research by Ladima across 12 African festivals for early 2026 show say gender data hard to even find. And films by African women — especially as director or producer — still too few.

If festival na gatekeeper, then who dey gate matters. If na only men dey select films, talk panels na only men, young girls for Lagos, Kigali, Cairo no go see role model.

The 19 festivals wey don sign include:

South Africa film festivals: Durban International Film Festival, Joburg Film Festival, Encounters Documentary Festival, AVIJOZI, Fak’ugesi, FAME Week Africa

Others: Zanzibar International Film Festival, Luxor African Film Festival (Egypt), FESPACO (Burkina Faso), Ethiopian International Film Festival, Kilifi Creek, Ju!ced, Kitale Film Week (Kenya), Mashariki (Rwanda), Bantu (Botswana), LIFANIMA Nigeria, Animatex (Egypt), Cameroon Animation Festival, Festival of Indian Ocean (Reunion)

For AFRIFF for Lagos this November, founder Chioma Ude also say 85% of 2026 selection na about women or by women — showing same wind dey blow.

If Reel Balance work, next few years we go see more African women on screen and behind camera.