Johannesburg — 3 November 2026: National Geographic today unveiled the trailer and premiere date for EXPEDITION: SAVING OUR SEAS, a one-hour special showcasing the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions — a multi-year trailblazing scientific research and storytelling transect covering all five Ocean basins to document the impact of rapid environmental change. The documentary follows teams of National Geographic Explorers as they investigate our global Ocean, from seashore to seafloor and pole to pole. Combining cutting-edge technology with the knowledge of coastal communities, they chase the discoveries and solutions needed to protect our Oceans at a critical moment. The special will premiere on Monday, 16 November at 18:50 on National Geographic (DStv 181, StarTimes 220) across Africa and will also be available on Disney+ in South Africa.

Observing the Ocean’s depths nearly 13,000 feet below the surface through the remotely operated vehicle SuBastian aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too), a cohort of Explorers in the Southern Ocean, including oceanographer Dr. Andrew Thurber, biological oceanographer Dr. Kim Bernard and microbial oceanographer Dr. Allison Fong, surveys the basin’s depths and its icy surface. The team surfaces three first-time discoveries: the most southerly deep-sea hydrothermal vent known on the planet, swarms of egg-carrying Antarctic krill at a depth of 3,000 feet, and the first-known live sighting of a giant Antarctic gonate squid.

Tracking blue whales and their krill prey, Dr. Bernard returns alongside Explorer and marine ecologist Dr. Leigh Torres and the local Māori community to canvas New Zealand’s South Taranaki Bight, while fellow Explorer Dr. Anya Brown stress-tests coral for heat tolerance in the Cook Islands. Both teams are racing to understand how rising temperatures are reshaping Pacific Ocean ecosystems. “If we lose them, we’re going to care a lot,” says Brown. “So, we need to care now.”

More than 10,000 feet below the Indian Ocean’s surface, the first deep-sea scientist from the Seychelles, Explorer Sheena Talma, and her Seychellois team train on deep-ocean camera lander systems off the coast of South Africa. They will deploy similar landers in the Seychelles to gather data to support fisheries and marine protected area management and strengthen Seychellois capacity to monitor the country’s deep-ocean habitats.

Nearly half a million people live along a stretch of the Gambian coastline threatened by the rising seas of the Atlantic Ocean. Leading coastal researcher, marine ecologist, and Explorer Maiyai Taal Hocheimy trains local students to measure Ocean depth and currents and works with Explorer Dr. Angelo Bernardino to map and assess the mangrove forests standing between the capital, Banjul, and the encroaching water.

In the Arctic Ocean, warming at four times the rate as the rest of the planet, marine biogeochemist Dr. Kristina Brown is invited by the Inuit community of Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, to conduct the first-known scientific study of a secluded marine bay called the Sherman Basin, working in partnership with Inuk elder Saul Aksalook Qirqniq (ᐊᒃᓴᓗᒃ) and community members to chart a seafloor no one has ever seen.

Tying the expeditions together, deep-ocean scientist Dr. Katy Croff Bell, founder of the Ocean Discovery League, is developing a Deep Ocean Research and Imaging System (DORIS), a lightweight, low-cost device designed to open up deep-sea exploration to communities that have not previously had access to their deep-ocean waters. “We’ve only seen about 0.001% of the deep Ocean, which covers about two-thirds of our planet,” says Bell. “Just imagine what we’re going to find in the other 99.999%.”

National Geographic magazine’s single-topic November issue explores Earth’s one connected Ocean. Anchored by a pull-out poster map of the planet’s five Ocean basins, the issue takes readers inside the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions, following Explorers and scientists around the globe, chronicling their discoveries and revealing what those findings mean for our understanding of how deeply humanity depends on the Ocean, and how profoundly we shape its future. An immersive companion experience on natgeo.com will bring the Ocean to life through stunning 3D cartographic visualizations, letting users navigate currents, the Ocean floor, human impact, and protected waters worldwide, uncovering countless stories within one single throughline: one Ocean.

EXPEDITION: SAVING OUR SEAS is presented by the National Geographic Society in partnership with Rolex and produced by Offspring Films for National Geographic. The special is part of the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Ocean Expeditions, a multiyear initiative focused on Ocean exploration and research. Directed by Katharine Arthy. Executive produced by Sam Hodgson for Offspring Films, Vanessa Serrao and Kaitlin Yarnall for National Geographic Society, and Tracy Rudolph Jackson for National Geographic. It is narrated by ocean conservationist Auliʻi Cravalho (“Moana”).

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Some of The Real Housewives franchise’s most outgoing and entertaining personalities, including Shannon Storms Beador (The Real Housewives of Orange County), Gizelle Bryant (The Real Housewives of Potomac), Ashley Darby (The Real Housewives of Potomac) and Luann de Lesseps (The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy) come together for the ultimate lavish getaway in the hopes of finding true love.

Beador, fresh off a very public and tumultuous breakup, is looking forward to playing the field and having fun, yet also keeping an open heart and mind. Bryant, having just sent her daughters off to college, is now an empty nester and ready to make romance her new priority. Preparing for her divorce, Darby is diving back into the dating pool and looking to get over her self-described daddy issues. After two divorces during her time on The Real Housewives of New York City, de Lesseps is primed to meet her next great love, hoping the third time is the charm.

Actor, writer, and comedian Joel Kim Booster will lead the ladies on their quest for love as the Love Concierge.

The Grand Velas Boutique Hotel in Los Cabos, Mexico, will be the luxurious backdrop for the eight-episode reality dating show where the ladies mix and mingle with a pool of successful suitors ready to sweep them off their feet. The women will decide who will check in and who will check out, and that is done with the coveted key to the Love Hotel. At the end of their time in paradise, the women must decide if they want to check out of the Love Hotel coupled up or check out solo, the way they arrived.

Bravo’s Love Hotel is produced by Shed Media, with Lisa Shannon, Dan Peirson, Trifari Williams, and Tom Ciaccio serving as executive producers.

Bravo’s Love Hotel Season 1 premieres on Bravo Africa (DStv 124) on 7 November at 19:00, with new episodes every Saturday until the season finale on 26 December 2026.

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The premier film industry event in Africa, the Durban FilmMart (DFM) 2026, took place from 9 to 12 October in Durban, under the theme “Shifting Worlds: Turning Towards Ourselves,” successfully bringing together 1131 film professionals and filmmakers from 56 countries across the world.

“We are delighted to have hosted such a dynamic array of filmmakers and industry leaders in Durban. Delegates entrusted us with their projects and ideas, and had honest, uncompromising conversations about alternative funding pathways, equitable co-production and authentic partnerships,” says Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute (DFMI). “The talent showcased in this year’s programme and film projects exemplifies the strength of African cinema; networks expanded, and partnerships forged will extend DFM’s legacy and impact. We extend our gratitude to our partners for their support in celebrating and elevating African storytellers, producers and content creators.”

“The quality of the projects presented in this year was exceptional, with filmmakers bringing bold, original and well-developed work to the table,” adds Reddy. “That calibre was matched by the generosity of the organisations, funders and festivals who came to Durban to recognise it. Every prize, whether it is a cash grant, a place in a lab or market, or a mentorship, opens a door for these filmmakers, and we are deeply grateful to our partners for their continued belief in African storytelling.”

The event ended on a high with the presentation of 39 awards from 30 partners, valued at over R2 million (over $120 938,00).

Category – Cash Awards

The JustFilms Documentary Award (Ford Foundation) – Award of 10,000 USD

• THE THREAD AND THE WALL – LE FIL ET LE MUR (Algeria)
  • Producer/Director: Mouni Bouallam

Al Jazeera Co-production Award of 10,000 USD

• ON THE SEA ROAD (Palestine)
  • Director: Fitnat Waked, with participation of Nour Obaid

Climate Story Labs Award of 10,000 USD

The award is on behalf of Climate Story Labs Africa and Doc Society, in collaboration with UMI Fund.

• THE BIRTH OF DERNA (Libya)
  • Director: Hussein Eddeb

National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF)

Best Fiction – Grant of R100,000

• THE BOY WHO SPOKE STATIC (Nigeria)
  • Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa

Best Non-fiction – Grant of R100,000

• THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS (Kenya)
  • Producer: Ivy Kiru
  • Director: Neema Ngelime

Best Animation – Grant of R100,000

• SUNDAY MORNING (Ethiopia)
  • Producer: Nahom Abiy
  • Director: Minasie Terefe

Inkaba Award (Stained Glass TV) – Award of R30,000

• DADDIES (South Africa)
  • Producer: Catharina Weinek
  • Director: Sean Mongie

NEWF Natural World Storytelling Grant of 5,000 USD

• A TOUCH OF PARADISE (Tunisia)
  • Producer: Sarra Ben Hassen
  • Director: Houcem Slouli

Red Sea Film Fund Award – Fiction of 5,000 USD

• HEIRS OF NO REGRET (Kenya)
  • Producer: Mumo Liku
  • Director: Saitabao Kaiyare
• THE BOY WHO SPOKE STATIC (Nigeria)
  • Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa

Docubox Award of 5,000 USD

• WHERE DO I BELONG? (Sudan)
  • Producer: Talal AfifI
  • Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad

TRT Award of 5,000 USD

• ON THE SEA ROAD (Palestine)
  • Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

RRImpact Pitch Prize (DocA) of 5,000 USD

• MY DJOMÉLÉ NIGHT (Burkina Faso)
  • Producer: Cinema Salama
  • Director: Barkima Nafissatou Laguempedo

Sundance Institute Documentary Fund New Voices Award of 5,000 USD grant

• WHERE DO I BELONG? (Sudan)
  • Producer: Talal Afifi
  • Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad

The Whickers Bursary Award of 3,000 GB POUNDS

• GREEN ISLAND GIRLS (Egypt)
  • Producer: Amrosh Badr
  • Director: Rogena Tarek

Sunshine Cinema UCT Impact Development Award

The award comprises a bursary to the University of Cape Town Sunshine Cinema Film Impact Online Course of 2027 to the value of R18000 and a R7500 grant towards a first impact screening of the film.

Includes optional inclusion in the Sunshine Cinema distribution catalogue.

• PÜLÖ: BLOODSTREAM OF THE KIRIKE (Nigeria)
  • Producer/Director: Christina Ifubaraboye
• ON THE SEA ROAD (Palestine)
  • Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

Category – Market/Event Participation Award

DFMI Talents Durban Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the DFM Pitch and Finance Forum 2027

• THE BASEMENT (Democratic Republic of Congo)
  • Director: Mélanie K. ZAWADI

Sørfond Award

Flights, accommodation and accreditation to participate in the Sørfond Pitching Forum and a pitch course

• THE BOY WHO SPOKE STATIC (Nigeria)
  • Agbajowo Collective: Temitope Ogungbamila, Samuel Okechukwu, Mat Cerf (Lead Producer) and Bisola Akinmuyiwa
• WHERE DO I BELONG? (Sudan)
  • Producer: Talal Afifi
  • Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad

Rotterdam Lab Award

5 nights’ accommodation and accreditation to participate in the Rotterdam Lab

• FOUR MONTHS AND TEN DAYS (Sudan)
  • Producer: Samo Hussein
  • Co-producer: Anna Stylińska
  • Director: Alyaa Musa

The DOK Leipzig Award

3 nights’ accommodation and 2 accreditations to participate in DOK Leipzig 2027 as the selected project in the DOK Co-Pro Market

• THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS (Kenya)
  • Producer: Ivy Kiru
  • Director: Neema Ngelime

The FIDADOC Award

Flights, accommodation, and accreditation to participate in the FIDADOC Pan-African Writing Residency 2027

• THE BIRTH OF DERNA (Libya)
  • Director: Hussein Eddeb
• FITAMPOHA, THE RETURN OF THE KING OF MENABE (Madagascar)
  • Director: Ramaroson Anatole

Movies that Matter Award

Accommodation and accreditation to attend Movies That Matter 2027

• THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS (Kenya)
  • Producer: Ivy Kiru
  • Director: Neema Ngelime

Animation Production Days (APD) Award

3 nights’ Accommodation and Industry badge (producer accreditation) to participate in Animation Production Days 2027

• SUNDAY MORNING (Ethiopia)
  • Producer: Nahom Abiy
  • Director: Minasie Terefe

DOK.fest München Award

4 nights’ accommodation and 2 accreditations for the project team to attend DOK.fest München 2027 and participate in the DOK.forum marketplace

• WHERE DO I BELONG? (Sudan)
  • Producer: Talal AfifI
  • Director: Ibrahim “Snoopy” Ahmad

Sheffield Doc Fest Award

4 nights’ accommodation to attend the Sheffield DocFest 2027 with an Industry pass and a full waiver to submit to the MeetMarket

• THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS (Kenya)
  • Producer: Ivy Kiru
  • Director: Neema Ngelime

NEWF Post-Production Residency Award

A post-production residency at eKhaya, NEWF’s Storytelling, Research and Dive Centre (maximum 3 team members)

• THE BIRTH OF DERNA (Libya)
  • Director: Hussein Eddeb

NEWF Summit Attendance Award

NEWF Summit attendance, including flights and accommodation (maximum 2 team members)

• SECOND BLOOM (Zimbabwe)
  • Director: Tendaiishe Chitima

El Gouna Emerge Award

7 nights’ shared accommodation, ground transport and accreditation for El Gouna Film Festival 2026

• THE BIRTH OF DERNA (Libya)
  • Director: Hussein Eddeb
• CAUSE, EFFECT & MAYBE CONSEQUENCES (Nigeria)
  • Director: Cheyi Okoaye

Talents Press Award presented by CIFF and FIPRESCI

Flights, 5 nights’ accommodation, and accreditation for Cairo International Film Festival 2026 for the selected Talents Press participant

• NEYA Harouna (Burkina Faso)

TFL x IEFTF Next Award (TorinoFilmLab)

A place in the TorinoFilmLab programme, with the stage of development to be determined with the Lab

• FOUR MONTHS AND TEN DAYS (Sudan)
  • Producer: Samo Hussein
  • Director: Alyaa Musa

Visions du Reel Award

Accommodation and accreditation to participate in the Visions du Reel Market 2027 THE ONES WITH THE TEMPERED FLOWERS

• • Producer: Ivy Kiru
  • Director: Neema Ngelime

Category – Mentorship, Distribution and Membership

Women Make Movies Award

Best Pitch by a Woman Filmmaker. Acceptance into the Production Assistance Program, which includes fiscal sponsorship allowing filmmakers to raise grants in the U.S.; individualised fundraising, distribution and ongoing project consultations, including feedback on rough cuts; a project page on WMM’s website to facilitate online donations; access to WMM’s catalogue of more than 700 films; social media support for crowdfunding campaigns, screenings and events; promotion of the completed film; one year of free WMM webinars on the business side of the business and case studies; and scheduled use of WMM’s NYC office, including the conference room for meetings or rough-cut screenings.

• ON THE SEA ROAD (Palestine)
  • Director: Fitnat Waked with participation of Nour Obaid

Impronta Films Consultancy Award

Distribution consultancy

• WAITING FOR EVOLUTION (South Africa)
  • Producer/Director: Karin Slater
• DESIGNING DIVIDE (South Africa)
  • Producer/ Director: Jessie Ayles

The Wrapped App Award: Wrapped premium subscription of 3 months worth R31500

• SECOND BLOOM (Zimbabwe)
  • Director: Tendaiishe Chitima

Durban FilmMart Partners

The 17th Durban FilmMart, held in association with MultiChoice, with principal funding from the National Lotteries Commission and the National Film and Video Foundation, and the support of the Ford Foundation, Netflix, MTN Group and the Industrial Development Corporation, among others.

The success of the annual Durban FilmMart is made possible through the generous support of funders and partners:

• eThekwini Municipality
• Durban Film Office
• Ford Foundation
• National Film and Video Foundation
• Splashout
• MTN Group
• KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority
• Expertise France and GIZ
• The International Emerging Film Talent Fund
• NEFTI
• Industrial Development Corporation
• Netflix
• CNC
• Department of Trade, Industry and Competition
• Arab Culture Fund
• Avalon Group
• French Institute of South Africa
• Animation SA
• African Producers Accelerator
• Berlinale Talents
• Canada High Commission of South Africa
• Caribbeantales and the Cross Continental Forum
• Chiriseri Studios
• Climate Story Labs Africa
• Cape Town International Animation Festival
• Dante Languages
• Department of Communication and Digital Technology
• Disabled Audio-Visual Worker’s Network
• Documentary Filmmakers Association
• Durban International Film Festival
• Doc Society
• Docubox
• Documentary Africa
• Durban University of Technology
• Eastern Cape Development Corporation
• Embassy of Cote d’Ivoire
• European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs
• FIVA
• FIPRESCI
• Gauteng Film Commission
• Independent Black Filmmakers Collective
• IMPACT (Canada)
• Independent Producers Organisation
• Habesha Creative
• Ladima Foundation
• Nature Environment Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF)
• South African Audio Visual Cluster
• South African Guild of Actors
• South Africa Guild of Editors
• Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
• Storyboard Collective
• Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT)
• SASFED
• Palestine Film Institute
• Tunga Media Afrika
• WGSA
• WiC

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Romance scams are now one of the fastest-growing and most devastating forms of financial crime. The rise of generative AI, which is capable of convincingly imitating celebrities and public figures, is only making these scams more sophisticated and harder to spot. An estimated one in seven adults has lost money to this form of deception, and in 2025 alone, romance scammers stole more than $1 billion from American victims.

After years of reporting on the scam industry, Mariana enters one of her most immersive investigations to date in SUPER SCAM ME. In a real-life social experiment, she builds a new online dating persona and goes undercover as the target of a romance scam to understand and expose the tactics, technologies, and psychological manipulations these criminals utilize to deceive their victims.

What begins as an online investigation becomes an extraordinary real-world pursuit, as Mariana begins to focus on one scammer, posing as a four-star general, who is growing increasingly persistent and manipulative. She teams up with a white-hat cyber hacker to try to uncover her scammer’s true identity and location and sets out to confront him face-to-face.

Mariana also meets victims whose lives have been upended by romance scams, including a woman who was duped into believing she was in a relationship with Jon Bon Jovi. What she thought was a genuine connection left her facing foreclosure on her home, exposing the devastating real-world consequences of these crimes.

“I’ve spent years reporting on scams, and the reaction I hear most is ‘How could anyone be so stupid? That would never happen to me.’ But it can, and it does happen to anyone,” said van Zeller. “So this time, I made myself the target.”

In an innovative collaboration between National Geographic and Muck Media, Mariana’s podcast, “The Hidden Third,” will feature special episodes dedicated to SUPER SCAM ME, airing the week of 12 October. The episodes will include exclusive interviews with the white-hat cyber hacker and victim featured in the special.

As the host and executive producer of National Geographic’s Emmy-winning series “Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller,” Mariana has spent years investigating the world’s most dangerous underground economies, earning a record-setting 88 Emmy nominations and 16 wins.

SUPER SCAM ME is produced by Muck Media for National Geographic and executive produced by Jeff Plunkett and Mariana van Zeller. Plunkett also directs. Bengt Anderson serves as executive producer for National Geographic.

The post Inside the Billion-Dollar Business of Romance Scams appeared first on Stage and Screen.

This programme reflects where the African film industry is currently: expanding audiences, growing co-production pathways and new capital arriving in new forms, but also asks real questions about advocacy, technology and who gets to shape the future of the sector,” says Magdalene Reddy, Director of the Durban FilmMart Institute.

Sessions dealing with finance and film include Talking Cents: Where’s The Change: Co-production Beyond Financial Collaboration, which brings together filmmakers and organisations to reflect on collaborative methods grounded in collective responsibility and interconnectedness, while interrogating the future of collaboration. Then Talking Cents: More Than Making Cents: A New View on Financing Film explores non-traditional financing approaches, including cooperative ecologies that lead to greater creative control, narrative sovereignty, and the retention of intellectual property.

African film industries are growing, but growth without protection is fragile. Who Is Fighting Our Corner? Film Advocacy and Lobbying on the African Continent is a panel featuring representatives involved in active advocacy and lobbying work across the continent, from guilds and professional associations to filmmaker collectives and civil society bodies. Here they will examine what advocacy looks like in practice, where it has succeeded and failed, and how audiences fit into the advocacy picture.

One of DFM Alumni success stories features in an inspiring case study: From the DFM to the Croisette: Samantha Biffot on Producing “Ben’Imana”. Producer Samantha Biffot traces the years-long journey of Ben’Imana, Marie Clémentine Dusabejambo’s Rwandan-Gabonese drama, from its early development as a work-in-progress project at the DFM to its celebrated premiere in Un Certain Regard at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it went on to win the FIPRESCI Prize and the Caméra d’Or. Biffot will discuss the realities of financing and packaging an international co-production across Rwanda, Gabon, France, Norway, and Ivory Coast, and what it takes to carry a story about memory and survival after genocide from a market pitch to the world stage.

Artificial intelligence continues to be a hot topic across the film landscape, and animation filmmaking may be the most affected, given how integral the intersection of art and technology already is to the creative process.  In AI and Animation, panellists interrogate what AI means for the world of animation filmmaking, the opportunities, the risks, and the long-term effect on a developing sector such as African animation

Vertical dramas have exploded onto the international scene, reshaping how stories are consumed on mobile-first platforms and unlocking new revenue models for creators. In Short Form, Big Impact: The Rise of Vertical Dramas panellists examine the format’s rapid global rise and its emerging footprint on the African continent, and whether it could become a viable new pathway for content and commerce.

These sessions feature as just a small part of the Durban FilmMart’s extensive four-day industry programme. This year’s Industry Programme is built around a single conviction: that the African film industry’s future depends on the strength and honesty of its relationships — with capital, with audiences, with partners abroad, and with itself.

The Co-production Focus stream interrogates what genuine partnership looks like in practice, from sessions like Fruits of Labour: Service as a Form of Coproduction, which asks whether South African service companies deserve recognition as true collaborators, to South Africa as Coproducing Partner, which confronts the administrative turbulence currently testing the country’s long-standing treaty network, through to Brazil-Africa: Building Bridges Through Coproduction, which looks outward to new South-South alliances.

That same spirit of scrutiny runs through The Power of Programming stream, where sessions on industry programming itself and the pressures facing the international festival circuit ask what infrastructure the sector still lacks and who is being left out of it, while two closed-door think tanks on distribution and audience design push past diagnosis into practical strategy for reaching African audiences on their own terms.

Sector-specific strands deepen the picture with CTIAF’s Animation Day, which tackles the business of building a sustainable animation industry; Doc Society and its partners’ Doc Day: Impact Edition reframes impact producing as a discipline as rigorous as directing or financing; and NEWF’s Beyond the Wild sessions push natural world storytelling toward questions of spirituality, authorship and ownership.

Threaded through all of it is a set of international partnerships — most visibly the Canadian delegation and the Cross Continental Forum’s 25th-anniversary panel — that embody DFM’s core mandate to be the meeting space where shared interest across continents becomes something built together.

To find more information on the sessions above, the rest of the Durban FilmMart Industry Programme and so much more, go to durbanfilmmart.co.za

The 17th edition of Durban FilmMart, in association with MultiChoice and principal funding from the National Lotteries Commission, is supported by the following funders and partners:

eThekwini Municipality, Durban Film Office, Ford Foundation, National Film and Video Foundation, Hollywood Foundation, MTN Group, KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film Authority, Expertise France and GIZ, The International Emerging Film Talent Fund, NEFTI, Industrial Development Corporation, Netflix, CNC, Arab Culture Fund, Avalon Group, French Institute of South Africa, Animation SA, African Producers Accelerator, Berlinale Talents, Canada High Commission of South Africa, Caribbeantales and the Cross Continental Forum, Chiriseri Studios, Climate Story Labs Africa, Cape Town International Animation Festival, Department of Communication and Digital Technology, Disabled Audio-Visual Worker’s Network, Documentary Filmmakers Association, Durban International Film Festival, Doc Society, Documentary Africa, Durban University of Technology, Eastern Cape Development Corporation, Embassy of Cote d’Ivoire, European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs, FIVA, FIPRESCI, Gauteng Film Commission, Independent Black Filmmakers Collective, IMPACT (Canada), Independent Producers Organisation, Habesha Creative, Ladima Foundation, Nature Environment Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF), South African Audio Visual Cluster, South African Guild of Actors, South Africa Guild of Editors, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Storyboard Collective, Sisters Working in Film and Television (SWIFT), Palestine Film Institute, Tunga Media Afrika, WGSA, WiC.  Media Partners include Arena Holdings and Variety.

The post Durban FilmMart Industry Programme Goes Live for 2026 Edition appeared first on Stage and Screen.

Upon arriving in paradise, the contestants were immediately thrown into the deep end with three intense, high-energy rounds of speed dating. Far from a casual meet-and-greet, the opening challenge put both physical endurance and mental sharpness to the test, allowing celebrities and consumer contestants to gauge each other’s resilience, strategic thinking, and athletic capability under pressure before locking in their final partnerships.

After a series of gruelling micro-challenges and strategic chemistry checks, the eight official celebrity-consumer pairings competing this season have been revealed:

•  Amanda du-Pont and Shaun Farrell
• Caster Semenya and Thando Zwane
• Francois Hougaard and Iana Strydom
• Lalela Mswane and Sesi Mbatha
• Leandie du Randt and Anke Coetzer
• Nadia Nakai and Andile Khuluse
• Sandile Mhlango and Jodell Tantij
• Wiseman Mncube and Ashay Sewlall

While the spectacular Réunion Island setting may look like paradise, the contestants will quickly discover that Tropika Island Of Treasure is anything but a holiday. This season’s challenges are designed to test strength, stamina and endurance, while the puzzles will demand strategy, quick thinking, teamwork and determination, and with unexpected twists along the way, contestants will need to stay adaptable if they want to make it to the end.

For Sveti Kovatcheva, Brand Manager: Dairy Fruit Mix at Clover, the reaction to the season’s opening episode has already shown just how excited audiences are to see the franchise return. “We have been so excited to finally share Season 12 with our viewers, and the reaction to the first episode has been incredible. Seeing the celebrities and smoooth fans come together and watching those first partnerships take shape is just the beginning of what promises to be an unforgettable adventure,” she says. “There is so much more still to come this season, and viewers can expect plenty of twists, turns, surprises and challenges that will push our teams to their limits. The competition is officially on, and we can’t wait for audiences to join us for the journey.”

With the teams now chosen, the stakes are higher, the partnerships are being tested and the race for the treasure is officially underway.

Catch Tropika Island Of Treasure every Wednesday at 21:00 on SABC 1, with a repeat every Thursday at 18:00 on S3.

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Knowing that the season would test contestants physically, mentally and strategically, Sandile kicked off a rigorous cardiovascular programme in the lead-up to the competition. It was a decision that ultimately paid off, although he admits that no amount of preparation could have fully prepared him for just how demanding the experience would be.

Ahead of the show’s highly-anticipated premiere next week, Sandile reveals how he got himself ready for the adventure and why he was looking for a challenge that would push him to express himself more authentically.

Tropika Island of Treasure is a pretty serious physical challenge. How did you prepare yourself for the competition?

“I started a rigorous cardiovascular programme in the hope that it would prepare me for what was coming, and thankfully, it did help. But wow, the competition is tough! You can prepare as much as you want, but nothing quite prepares you for the intensity of actually being there and having to push yourself beyond what you thought your limits were”.

What did your training routine look like in the lead-up to Tropika Island Of Treasure?

“There was a lot of running, a lot of weightlifting and intermittent fasting. I really wanted to get my body into the best possible shape before going in. One of my personal goals was to be able to comfortably lift my own body weight by the time I entered the competition. It was about building both strength and endurance and making sure my body could keep up with what I knew would be a demanding experience”.

Did you have to change anything about your diet or lifestyle while preparing for the challenges?

“Absolutely. I had to be much more intentional about what I was putting into my body and how I was living day to day. When you’re preparing for something as physically demanding as Tropika Island Of Treasure, you quickly realise that training is only one part of the equation. Recovery, nutrition and discipline all become just as important”.

The show isn’t just about being fit, there’s also strategy and teamwork involved. How did you prepare yourself mentally for that side of the competition?

“Interestingly, I didn’t feel the need to prepare too much for the mental side. Given my background in Electrical Engineering, problem-solving is something I naturally thrive on. A big part of my studies was about breaking down complex problems and finding solutions, so I felt quite comfortable with that aspect. It was my body that needed the most ‘psychoengineering’ and getting my physical strength and endurance to a level where they could match my mind”.

You’re heading to Réunion Island for the season. What are you most excited about experiencing there?

“The culture, without a doubt. Whenever I travel somewhere new, I make a point of experiencing the local culture and understanding how people live. I love immersing myself in a different way of life rather than simply seeing the tourist attractions, so getting to experience Réunion Island and its people was something I was really looking forward to.”

What are you hoping to get out of the Tropika Island of Treasure experience that you wouldn’t necessarily get from a normal holiday or adventure?

“I wanted a challenge that would allow me to express myself truthfully and wholeheartedly. A normal holiday gives you an opportunity to relax and explore, but something like this show forces you to dig deeper. You’re challenged physically, mentally and emotionally, and I think there’s something really valuable about being put in an environment where you have to show up as your most authentic self.”

Outside of Tropika Island of Treasure, what else do you have in store for the rest of 2026?

“It’s going to be a really exciting few months. I have a film coming to cinemas on September 24, which I’m incredibly excited about, and I’ll also be making my return to ‘Inimba’ later this year. My character went into rehab, which conveniently gave me some time to step away and prepare myself physically and mentally for Tropika Island Of Treasure. So there’s a lot happening, and I’m really looking forward to sharing what’s next with audiences”.

The 12th season of Tropika Island of Treasure, set against the stunning backdrop of Réunion Island, will premiere on Wednesdays from 23 September at 21:00 on SABC 1, with a repeat every Thursday from 24 September at 18:00 on S3.

The post Sandile Mahlangu Pushes His Limits Ahead of His Next Big Adventure appeared first on Stage and Screen.

When Connect 3 loses its opening act ahead of a major reunion tour, the band returns to Camp Rock in search of the next big thing. As the campers compete for the chance to join their favourite band on tour, friendships are tested, tensions rise, and unexpected alliances, revelations and romances begin to unfold.

Familiar Faces Return to Camp Rock

Joe Jonas, Nick Jonas and Kevin Jonas return as Shane Gray, Nate Gray and Jason Gray, with Maria Canals-Barrera reprising her role as Connie. Joining the franchise are Liamani Segura as Sage, Malachi Barton as Fletch, Lumi Pollack as Rosie, Sherry Cola as Lark, Hudson Stone as Desi, Casey Trotter as Cliff, Brooklynn Pitts as Callie, and Ava Jean as Madison.

Behind the Scenes of Camp Rock 3

Directed by Veronica Rodriguez and written by Eydie Faye, Camp Rock 3 is produced by Disney Kids & Family and features choreography by Jamal Sims. Tim Federle executive produces alongside Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas, Demi Lovato, Betsy Sullenger, Spencer Berman and Gary Marsh.

Turn Up the Music

And, of course, it wouldn’t be Camp Rock without the music.

“One Beat Away,” the first single from Camp Rock 3 and performed by Liamani and the cast, is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube Music.

The Camp Rock 3 Original Soundtrack is available to pre-save/pre-add and pre-order on Apple, Spotify and Amazon, while the vinyl edition is also available to pre-order.

With Connect 3 back together and a fresh group of campers chasing their big break, Camp Rock 3 brings the music, friendships and summer-camp drama back for a new generation.

Camp Rock 3 premieres 19 September at 19:30 CAT on Disney Channel, DStv Channel 303.

The post Camp Rock 3 Brings the Music Back to Disney Channel appeared first on Stage and Screen.

CHILEAN MINE RESCUE: RACE AGAINST TIME tells the story of endurance, ingenuity, and improbable unity behind one of history’s most challenging rescues ever attempted. It features never-before-seen cell phone footage filmed in the mine and includes powerful interviews with survivors, families and rescuers – some speaking publicly outside of local Chilean press for the first time – to tell the definitive story of the 69 days rescuers raced to save the trapped miners while the men underground fought to survive. Among those featured is Jeff Kofman, then ABC’s International Correspondent and the first international journalist on the scene, who reported from Chile as the rescue unfolded.

The series follows the miners from the moment of the collapse through the improvised order that took hold in the days underground to the engineering gamble that made the rescue possible and the fame and lasting toll that followed.

On 5 August 2010, a catastrophic collapse at the San José copper-gold mine in Chile sealed 33 miners underground. For 17 days, they were presumed dead. For 52 more, they waited while Chilean engineers and rescue teams, joined by drillers and specialists from around the world, attempted something that had never been done, as families above ground refused to leave. When the rescue capsule first surfaced, an estimated one billion people were watching – one of the largest live audiences in television history and a rare moment of shared hope across the world.

CHILEAN MINE RESCUE: RACE AGAINST TIME is the next installment in National Geographic’s Emmy®-winning “Race Against Time” franchise. Previous series include the winner of the Critics Choice Documentary Award for Best Historical Documentary “Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time” and the winner of the Emmy for Outstanding Historical Documentary “Tsunami: Race Against Time.”

The series is produced by Blast Films for National Geographic. For Blast Films, Tanya Winston, Shona Thompson, and Danny Horan executive produce. Luke Sewell is the series editor. Chloe Campbell and James Parris direct the series. For National Geographic, Tom McDonald is executive vice president of Content, Bengt Anderson is senior vice president of Unscripted Production and Development, and Carolyn Payne serves as executive producer.

The post The 69-Day Race To Bring 33 Trapped Miners Home appeared first on Stage and Screen.

Step aboard luxury superyacht M/Y Valor as Captain Lee Rosbach returns alongside Chief Stewardess Kate Chastain and newly promoted Bosun Ashton Pienaar for a charter season in the exotic waters of Thailand. Joined by a new crop of yachties, the crew must work around the clock to deliver five-star service to demanding charter guests while navigating the pressures of life at sea.

As the season unfolds, tensions rise in both the interior and on deck. High-stakes dinners, challenging charter guests, and the realities of managing a crew test relationships and loyalties, while romances begin to bloom and personalities clash. From the galley to the wheelhouse, every department faces its own set of obstacles as the crew attempts to keep the charter season on course.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Thailand, Season 7 delivers the luxury lifestyles and workplace drama that have made Below Deck a global fan favourite. Between unforgettable guests, crew rivalries, and life aboard one of the world’s most luxurious yachts, keeping the waters calm proves easier said than done.

Will the crew be able to meet the demands of an intense charter season, or will the pressure become too much to handle?

Below Deck is produced by 51 Minds, with Mark Cronin, Courtland Cox, and Lauren Simms serving as executive producers. Daniel Volpe, Cristina Lopez, and Rebecca Henning are co-executive producers.

 Below Deck Season 7 premieres on Bravo Africa (DStv 124) on 20 September at 18:10, with new episodes every Sunday until the season finale on 17 January 2027.

The post New Faces Stir the Waters in Below Deck Season 7 appeared first on Stage and Screen.