Netflix Creates R5,5 Million Fund for South Africans
Entertainment streaming service Netflix has announced a commitment of $400 000 USD (approx. R5.5 million) in the form of a grant and creation of scholarships to extend the support for Black representation in the Film & TV industry in South Africa. The Netflix Black Creatives Empowerment Fund will be implemented in a two-pronged approach: $100,000 […]
Entertainment streaming service Netflix has announced a commitment of $400 000 USD (approx. R5.5 million) in the form of a grant and creation of scholarships to extend the support for Black representation in the Film & TV industry in South Africa.
The Netflix Black Creatives Empowerment Fund will be implemented in a two-pronged approach:
- $100,000 (approx. R1.4 million) grant to The Independent Black Filmmakers Collective NPC (IBFC),
- $300,000 (approx. R4.4 million) towards funding full scholarships at higher education institutions in South Africa to support the formal qualification and training of aspiring Black creatives in the film and TV disciplines.
“We recognise that being part of the local creative community in South Africa also comes with responsibilities, in particular the need to develop the talent pipeline and give new voices the chance to be heard. Talent development is extremely important to us and we will continue to work with the industry in South Africa to support and develop new opportunities to grow the creative community,” said Ben Amadasun, Director of Content for Netflix in Africa.
The Goal of the fund is to:
- Create and promote more opportunities and training for people from underrepresented Black communities in South Africa to enter and succeed in the film and TV industry.
- Provide Black filmmakers with access to scarce funding required to create screen productions in South Africa.
- Support organizations that are involved in bespoke programmes geared towards identifying, training and/or providing creative opportunities for members of the Black community in South Africa’s film and TV industry.
IBFC co-chairperson Ananias Muendane said: “We are delighted to have been offered this opportunity and established such a strong partnership with Netflix who share our intention to build capacity in the black filmmaker and practitioner value chain… We thank Netflix for walking this road with us.”
Institutions where qualifying students will be able to apply for scholarships and where debt relief opportunities will be available include: University of Cape Town; University of the Witwatersrand; University of Johannesburg; University of Pretoria; University of KwaZulu-Natal; Cape Peninsula University of Technology; Durban University of Technology; Tshwane University of Technology; AFDA; Boston Media House; AACA Film and Acting School; and CityVarsity.
Netflix will again be working in partnership with social investment fund management and advisory firm Tshikululu Social Investments, as the implementing partner/fund administrator. The two collaborated last year in the Covid-19 film and TV Relief Fund to help hard hit workers in SA’s creative community.
How to apply for a Netflix scholarship
From the 17th of September 2021, students interested in applying for the fully-funded scholarships will be able to find additional information, application criteria and will be able to apply online on Tshikululu’s website (tshikululu.org.za).