/// A lifetime spent dreaming of your story. Years dedicated to research and securing funds. Months immersed in texts and proposals, navigating rejections and triumphs. Eventually, production starts - and stops. The lives of protagonists evolve, shifting the narrative in unexpected ways. But that’s okay though, it’s part of the errant wandering of lives. Budgets increase, funding tightens; yet somehow, you push forward. Finally, you believe you’re ready for the edit, or at least you think you are. You start stitching material together - only to realise that’s when the real challenge begins. Rough Cut Lab Africa is a virtual programme that supports independent African documentary films in the rough cut stage. The Lab pairs directors and editors with expert African and Pan-African story consultants from all fields of the filmmaking world. Your film will need to have a working and viewable rough cut. While a coherent assembly may be considered, we cannot accept rushes without an edit. If an applicant’s project was selected in 2024, they are not eligible to submit a new project for this edition. We encourage producers, assistants and junior team members to apply and attend. Head over to www.roughcutlabafrica.org to submit. Contact us at info@roughcutlabafrica for any queries. /// RCLA is supported by The National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa, The South African Guild of Editors and the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival.