The Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) will celebrate its 35th edition from 17th to 27th July 2014 with over 250 screenings of cutting-edge cinema from around the world with a special focus on films from South Africa and Africa. The largest of Southern Africa’s film festivals, and the most important film festival in Africa, DIFF has a film competition component and also presents screenings in township areas where cinemas are non-existent. The festival will consider films completed in 2013 and 2014, and there is no charge for entry. All submissions must be entered via the Eventival online system at http://vp.eventival.eu/cca/diff2014. In order to submit a film you will need to create a free visitor account (if you have not already done so in previous years), then follow the online process. Finally, send us your DVD screener before the deadline. We are accepting submissions of both short and feature length fiction and documentary films. The deadline for all entries is 28th March 2014.

"We look forward to once again receiving a wealth of top quality films from around the globe,” says festival manager Peter Machen. “We also welcome input from and engagement with current and potential partners who support the development of the film industry on the continent. It is through collaboration that we can offer film-makers and the public a festival of brilliant film and a worthwhile industry development programme.”

Specific streams of programming for 2014 will include a focus on 20 years of democracy in South Africa, as well as films that explore architecture in various ways. This latter stream of programming acknowledges the World Congress of Architects, which will take place in Durban in 2014 the week after DIFF.

DIFF 2014 will also offer extensive seminar and workshop programmes, which will feature local and international filmmakers and industry professionals. These include the 7th Berlinale Talents Durban (18^th to 22^nd July), in cooperation with Berlinale Talents, and the 5^th Durban FilmMart (18^th to 21^st July), in partnership with Durban Film Office.

For more information visit: www.durbanfilmfest.co.za or email diff@ukzn.ac.za. Follow the festival on twitter: @DIFFest.

The festival is organised by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and is supported by the National Film and Video Foundation, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development and Tourism, the City of Durban and other valued funders and partners. The CCA is a special project of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cheryl Potgieter, in the College of Humanities at UKZN.