The 40th Durban International Film Festival announced its winner at its awards ceremony with Les Misérables directed by Ladj Ly, winning Best Feature Film, and Back of the Moon directed by Angus Gibson winning for Best South African Feature Film.

The award for Best Documentary went to For Sama directed Edward Watts and Waad al-Kateab; and the prize for Best South African Documentary went to Buddha in Africa directed by Nicole Schafer. For Sama also won the Best Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award. DIFF is included as a Documentary Feature Qualifying Festival by the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences. This means that both the winners of the Best Documentary For Sama and Best SA Documentary Buddha in Africa, automatically qualify for consideration for an Oscar nomination.

A total of 19 awards were given out at the ceremony.

Winners of 40th Durban International Film Festival

Best Amnesty International Durban Human Rights Award at DIFF 2019: For Sama directed Edward Watts and Waad al-Kateab

Artistic Bravery: Letters Of Hope directed by Vusi Africa

Best Cinematography: Divine Love directed by Gabriel Mascaro

Best Editing: Cronofobia directed by Francesco Rizzi

Best Screenplay: Les Misérables directed by Ladj Ly

Best Short Film: Acid directed by Just Philippot

Best African Short Film: Brotherhood directed by Meryam Joobeur.

Best South African Short Film: Miracle directed by Bongi Ndaba.

Best Actor: Bongile Mantsai for Knuckle City directed by Jahmil X T Qubeka

Best Actress: Nisrin Erradi for Adam directed by Maryam Touzani

Best Documentary: For Sama directed Edward Watts and Waad al-Kateab.

Best South African Documentary: Buddha in Africa directed by Nicole Schafer.

Best Direction: Divine Love directed by Gabriel Mascaro

Best South African Feature Film: Back of the Moon directed by Angus Gibson.

Best Feature Film: Les Misérables directed by Ladj Ly.

DIFF Legacy Award: Peter Rorvik

DIFF Legacy Award: Roz Sarkin and Moosa Moosa

DIFF Legacy Award: Julie Frederikse and Madoda Ncayiyana

The features jury were Emrah Kilic (Turkey), Diarah N’Daw-Spech (USA), Laurence Boyce (UK), Diana Keam (South Africa) and Mohammed Siam (Egypt). In the documentary jury were Patricia Van Heerden (SA), Florian Weghorn (Germany), Tracy Clayton (UK/SA), Rehad Desai (SA) and Ziyanda Macingwane (SA). The short film jurors were Jaime E. Manrique (Colombia), Silas Miami, (Kenya), Jacintha De-Nobrega (SA), CJ Obasi (Nigeria) and Mpho Ramathuthu (SA).