Durban International Film Festival announces new Festival Manager

The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sakhile Gumede as the Festival Manager for the 47th edition of the Durban International Film Festival (DIFF) in 2026.

Gumede is no stranger to the CCA and has been working in various roles since 2006.  Since 2018 Gumede has led DIFF’s Isiphethu Programme, the festival’s training and development arm with core components that include Student Films, the IsiZulu Scriptwriting Workshop, and an Industry Programme of workshops and masterclasses. He previously served for many years as coordinator and programmer of the DIFF Shorts section, and in 2007 completed a course in Event Organising and Film Festival Management at DW Akademie (Germany).

Currently, Sakhile curates the Science Film Festival (in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Johannesburg) and the Poetry Africa Film Festival, which forms part of the renowned Poetry Africa Festival. He has built strong relationships with art centres and communities across KwaZulu-Natal, as well as with Durban-based film schools.

Gumede has represented DIFF globally at prestigious events such as the Berlinale in Germany, in Switzerland  and in Brazil at Mostra de Cinemas Africanos. He recently visited to Fuzhou, China as part of the South African film delegation and will serve as a jury member at Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt during March 2026.

“My vision is to continue to position DIFF as a leading festival for African and South African films,” says Gumede. “We will strengthen DIFF’s role as a bridge between filmmakers on the continent and those abroad, deepen our relationship with South African audiences, and uphold integrity and promote excellence in filmmaking through diverse perspectives in our programming and through robust engagement with an advisory committee. Guided by the values of our Constitution, we will celebrate human resilience, freedom of speech, and democracy, while building strong partnerships with festivals across Africa through skill-sharing, collaboration and exchanges. I look forward to this new role and  engaging with the industry to find innovative and collaborative ways to grow this iconic festival.”

“We are delighted to welcome Sakhile into this role,” says Ismail Mahomed, Director of the Centre for Creative Arts, “His track record in development and community engagement, alongside his African outlook in the context of South Africa’s role on the global stage, positions DIFF for a dynamic new chapter.”