THE FUTURE OF AFRICAN STORYTELLING TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT #NEWF2025
30 March - 04 April 2025 | Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
NEWF Fellows and crew at #NEWF2024. Photo by Cahali Joao for NEWF.
Africa Refocused is built on a bold theory of change:
When talented and diverse African storytellers receive the training, mentorship, connections, and access they need to advance their skills and careers, they become leaders in wildlife and natural history storytelling. Their voices add vital perspectives to the global conservation narrative, helping to protect Africa’s wildlife for generations to come.
This vision drives the NEWF Fellows Summit & Congress, the signature annual event from the Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) movement. Now in its eighth year, #NEWF2025 expands its platform for African storytellers, conservationists, scientists, and media professionals to connect, collaborate, and lead the future of nature and wildlife storytelling on the continent and beyond.
Taking place in Durban, South Africa, from 30 March to 4 April, #NEWF2025 welcomes a dynamic community of African filmmakers, photographers, divers, scientists, conservationists, and media leaders—alongside international partners—for a five-day experience focused on learning, innovation, and belonging.
A SPACE FOR BELONGING AND INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP
NEWF’s Fellows Summit and Congress is more than an event; it is a gathering of purpose-driven creators shaping a new narrative for African natural history storytelling. #NEWF2025 builds on NEWF’s commitment to equitable access to skills, networks, and industry opportunities for African visual storytellers.
At its core, it’s about meeting the moment—and each other—at a time when global media and conservation urgently need new perspectives. NEWF believes that African storytellers have always had the capacity to lead in telling Africa’s stories. The Summit and Congress create the space to empower them to do so.
Guided by the wisdom of NEWF’s elders, this year’s event once again opens with a moment of blessing and reflection, grounding participants in a shared commitment to ethical, inclusive, and transformative storytelling. For many, this serves as a powerful reminder of their role in carrying forward the responsibility of creating opportunities for the next generation of storytellers.
Photograph by Anthony Ochieng Onyango for the National Geographic Society.
What excites us most about the 8th edition of Congress is how beautifully it reflects our journey as an organisation—honouring our roots while embracing our evolution. This year, we’re bringing back the live pitch that started it all, a nod to where we began and a celebration of how far we’ve come.
Over the past year, we’ve been intentional about diversifying the narrative perspectives within our programmes. In turn, our Fellows have stepped up as custodians of emerging talent, shaping a new season of bold, unique storytelling. We can’t wait for attendees to experience the spirit of peer-to-peer exchange—across Africa and through our deepening connections with the diaspora.
// Noel kok and Pragna Parsotam-kok, CO-founders and executive directors of NEWF
THEORY OF CHANGE IN ACTION
// NETWORK & COLLABORATE
Engage with the #NEWFCommunity—a richly diverse network that transforms contacts into collaborators. From impromptu coffee chats to structured networking sessions, every connection made at NEWF strengthens the industry and builds lifelong partnerships.
NEWF will introduce its Producers’ Lab finalists - talented filmmakers from across Africa who will be live pitching their projects: Antony Njoroge (Kenya), Damilola Sobowale (Nigeria), Fabian Senga (Tanzania), Feisal Malik (Kenya), Ibrahim Kamara (Sierra Leone), Katie Biggar (South African), Matamba Kombila (Gabon), Nondumiso Masache (South Africa), Policarpo Mapengo (Mozambique), Robert Boyd (Sierra Leone, and the United States), Shameelah Khan (South Africa), and Zahra Moloo (Kenya and Canada).
This year’s programme welcomes more than 130 fellows representing over 23 nations, 50 guests from over 15 countries, and 22 esteemed guest speakers and mentors from more than 11 countries, including Christian Cooper, Erin Ranney, Rehab Eldalil, and Kamau Sadiki. Additionally, 10 Fellows are National Geographic Society Explorers. Five global fellows join this year's edition—Anumi Oriana (Costa Rica), Gunjan Menon (India), Ozair Bakht (India), Yarminiah Rosa (USA, Puerto Rico, and Honduras), and Hassan Bayyan (USA)—bringing diverse international perspectives and strengthening ties to the diaspora.
// SPOTLIGHTS & PANELS
Participate in thought-provoking discussions with industry leaders on topics ranging from the ethics of wildlife storytelling to the future of environmental conservation in Africa. These dynamic conversations challenge norms, spark new ideas, and inspire innovative solutions.
// WORKSHOPS & CASE STUDIES
Deepen your skills with workshops on story development, cinematography, editing, grant writing, and science communication. Case studies break down successful African-led projects, providing a roadmap from concept to completion.
// LIVE PITCH & PITCH DECKS
Watch emerging creatives pitch their projects to funders, commissioners, and industry professionals. Gain valuable insights into developing compelling pitches and creating impactful pitch decks that lead to funding and production opportunities.
// IMMERSE & INNOVATE
Push creative boundaries with hands-on experiences in virtual reality, drone storytelling, and inclusive science communication. #NEWF2025 is designed to encourage experimentation, fresh perspectives, and personal growth.
// DOCUMENTARY & FILM SCREENINGS
Celebrate Africa’s most compelling nature, environment, and wildlife films. Evening screenings showcase emerging and established African voices in documentary filmmaking, from short films to feature-length explorations of critical conservation issues. The South x South Cohort presents their rough cuts from their recent multicultural ocean exchange, while attendees can also look forward to the premiere of Wild Hope Rhino Ops. The Battle of Laikipia will be screened alongside productions from the wider community.
WE’RE CHANGING THE STORYTELLER – JOIN US FOR #NEWF2025
#NEWF2025 is a call to action for the next generation of leaders in nature, environment, and wildlife storytelling. Whether you are an emerging filmmaker, a seasoned scientist, or an industry decision-maker, #NEWF2025 is where you will find your community, your purpose, and your path forward.
Register now to join us at the NEWF Fellows Summit & Congress in Durban and become part of a vibrant movement reshaping the future of African storytelling—one story at a time.
Please note that not all speakers are pictured in this release or on our social media.
Event programming is subject to change.
For media enquiries or more information, contact us at connect@newf.co.za
ABOUT NATURE, ENVIRONMENT & WILDLIFE FILMMAKERS (NEWF)
NEWF is a platform for African filmmakers, conservationists, and scientists to engage, network, and contribute to a shared vision of protecting the continent’s natural assets for future generations. Established in 2017 as an annual Congress, NEWF has evolved into a year-round capacity-building, impact, and outreach organisation. It fosters a connected network of African storytellers advocating for conservation through visual storytelling.
NEWF’s vision is to ensure that Africa’s natural history stories are told by a network of indigenous African voices, driving conservation through authentic storytelling. Its mission is to remove barriers to entry, build capacity, and create equitable access for African nature, environment, and wildlife visual storytellers.
NEWF is an Afro-centric, multicultural, Pan-African organisation, committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, embracing individuals from every culture, identity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and ability.
