Chance to get your film screened at ZIFF

The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) – the largest event of its kind in East Africa – returns in August and its new director, Hatibu Madudu, is inviting filmmakers across Africa and the Dhow Countries to submit their work for consideration.

The annual Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) returns in its 27th year this August for a four-day showcase of contemporary global cinema that has established itself as one of the highlights of main island Unguja’s cultural calendar. The festival turns iconic locations such as Stone Town’s Old Fort and The House of Wonders into cinemas screening an eclectic mix of the latest films from Africa and beyond. There are also pop-up cinemas set up in some of Unguja’s most remote and rural areas to encourage the whole island to get involved.

The festival will be the first under the direction of Hatibu Madudu. The film producer and social worker was appointed after longstanding director Prof Martin Mahando stepped down last year. In the new role, Madudu has just opened the invitation to filmmakers to submit their work for consideration. The festival is accepting applications for all African films (including African Diaspora) and films from the Dhow Countries’ region, which covers South East Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, The Gulf, Iran, Pakistan, India and the Indian Ocean islands. Submitted films must have been produced after January 1, 2022, although the festival reserves the right to accept any films with a specific interest to the festival. This year ZIFF is also extending invitations to TV drama series from East African countries.

The deadline for submissions is May 5. Ideally, each submission should address this year’s festival’s theme of Rejuvenation. Films reflecting the theme of global cultural interaction, cultural encounters or sociocultural commentary will be given priority.

Awards

There are series of awards on offer for the best films. With the exception of Lifetime Achievement Award, all films are judged by independent jury panels. The top prize is the Golden Dhow with past winners including Vuta N’Kuvete (Tug of War), based on the novel by Tanzanian Swahili writer Adama Shafi, and Kenyan film Watatu that went on to win a series of awards across Africa.

Island-wide celebrations

Zanzibar – always an exciting place – reaches new levels of vibrancy during the festivals with an influx of fans of world cinema arriving for a stay of sun, sea, sand and screenings. Those in the film industry will also benefit from the opportunities the festival brings with many filmmakers attending in support of their work, prestigious awards for new films (short and long features, and documentaries) as well as workshops, talks and discussions.

ZIFF is also very much for Zanzibaris with the festival offering many islanders their only chance to see films on the big screen. Local schoolchildren are given free access to screenings in the capital while pop-up events across the island are also free for locals.

In recent years the festival has broadened with other art forms now represented as part of the concurrent Festival of the Dhow Countries which includes theatre, performances of traditional and contemporary music and dance, plus exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, craftwork and photography.

Find out more at:

Instagram: @zanzibarinternationalfilmfest

Youtube: @zanzibarinternationalfilmf8234

Website: www.ziffestival.org

How to submit your film

Submission is free for films from East African countries. Films from elsewhere must pay US$10 to enter. Complete submissions should include following information: A press kit including technical and artistic data, a synopsis of the film in English along with photographs, posters and articles. You should also supply a brief biography of the film’s director.