Overview
The YARHA International First Film Week (Semaine Internationale du Premier Film) is Cameroon's leading film festival. Created in 2013 by the YARA association, the festival is held annually in Yaounde and presents first and second feature films from directors around the world to Cameroonian audiences. The 12th edition ran January 25 to February 1, 2026, screening films across multiple venues in the capital with approximately 3,000 participants including professionals, students, and the general public.
The festival is a professional platform where directors, actors, producers, and filmmakers present their debut or sophomore works. It is supported by Cameroon's Ministry of Arts and Culture (MINAC) and has welcomed guests including Aissa Maiga, Marie Philomene Nga, and Rahmatou Keita. The 11th edition screened 41 films (features, shorts, and documentaries) from 11 countries and awarded approximately 15 prizes. The 12th edition in 2026 expanded its scope with two separate juries for features and shorts, awarding 13 prizes plus 3 special mentions.
Cameroon's dual official languages (French and English) and its history as both a French and British colonial territory give the festival a unique bicultural Anglophone-Francophone character. The country's extraordinary ecological and cultural diversity, with over 270 languages spoken across diverse ethnic groups, creates rich material for documentary and narrative filmmaking. Yaounde, as the capital and administrative center, provides a central location accessible to filmmakers from across Central Africa.
History
YARHA was created in 2013 by the YARA association as a platform for first and second films. The festival has run annually since its founding, reaching its 12th edition in January 2026.
The 10th edition (January 14 to 21, 2024) focused on women in cinema, examining how film contributes to women's emancipation and the fight against discrimination. The roles of women as actresses, directors, screenwriters, producers, and critics were explored through screenings and debates.
The 11th edition (January 19 to 26, 2025) shifted its theme to "The Future of Cinema in Africa in the AI Era," addressing the impact of artificial intelligence on African film production and distribution. The 12th edition (January 25 to February 1, 2026) continued the festival's growth with two juries and an expanded program of projections, colloques, ateliers, and professional encounters.
Submission Details
The festival accepts submissions of first and second feature films, short films, and documentaries. Submission details are typically announced through the festival's network and the Cameroon Ministry of Arts and Culture.
Eligibility:
- First and second feature films only (debut or sophomore works)
- Short films and documentaries also accepted
- Open to Cameroonian, African, and international filmmakers
- Films should be recent productions
Submission timeline:
- The festival typically runs in January each year
- Submissions open several months prior to the festival
- No public entry fee structure has been documented
Contact information:
- Organized by the YARA association (NGO)
- President Deleguee Generale: Sylvie Nwet
- Supported by: Ministry of Arts and Culture (MINAC), Government of Cameroon
Filmmakers interested in submitting should contact the YARA association directly or monitor Cameroonian cultural media for the annual call for entries.
Key Sections
- International Competition - first and second feature films competing for jury prizes
- Cameroonian Film Program - debut works by Cameroonian filmmakers
- Short Film Competition - competitive short film program with its own jury (added in 2026)
- Colloque (Conference) - academic and professional discussions on cinema themes (2025: cinema and AI)
- Yarha Decouverte Talent - talent discovery program for emerging filmmakers
- Professional Conferences - industry panels with visiting filmmakers and producers
- Film Screenings - public screenings at multiple venues across Yaounde
Past Winners
12th Edition (2026) - Long Metrage (Feature Film) Section:
- Grand Prix du Meilleur 1er Film International - "EMNA" by Bouslama Chamakh (Tunisia/Switzerland). A tuniso-swiss first film selected by the international jury as the top debut feature of 2026.
- Grand Prix de la Meilleure Production d'Afrique Centrale - "Nganu" by Kang Quintus (Cameroon). A drama about domestic violence and trauma, distributed on Netflix.
- Grand Prix de la Meilleure Realisation Afrique Centrale - "Malgre Tout" by Enah Johnscott (Cameroon)
- Prix Special du Jury - "Ani Gui Tirani" by Orphee Zaza (Central African Republic). A film exploring division, vengeance, and reconciliation in a small village.
12th Edition (2026) - Court Metrage (Short Film) Section:
- Yarha d'Or du Meilleur Court Metrage - "Rise, out of surveillance" by Osama Rezg (Libya)
- Prix du Meilleur Documentaire - "I Boyoro" by Abraham Kamara (Mali)
- Mention Speciale du Jury - "The Chamber" by Fidae Sbaai (Morocco)
11th Edition (2025) Winners:
- Grand Prix du Meilleur 1er Film International - "Ni chaines ni maitres" by Simon Moutairou (Benin/France). Distributed by StudioCanal, released in French cinemas September 2024, later broadcast on Canal+.
- Meilleure Production Camerounaise - "The Dead Man's Wish" by Tebo Njei (Cameroon). Won four prizes total: Best Professional, Best Cameroonian Production, Best Feature Film, and Best Male Performance.
- Meilleur Court-Metrage - "La sirene se marie" by Achraf Ajraoui (Morocco)
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
- "Ni chaines ni maitres" (2024) by Simon Moutairou - Grand Prix winner at YARHA 2025. The film was distributed by StudioCanal in France, released theatrically on September 18, 2024, and later broadcast on Canal+ in April 2025. It stars Camille Cottin and Benoit Magimel. As a debut feature, it exemplifies the festival's mission of launching first-time directors.
- "Nganu" (2023) by Kang Quintus - Best Central African Production at YARHA 2026. The film was acquired by Netflix for streaming distribution, making it one of the few Cameroonian films to reach a global streaming platform. It stars Hakeem Kae-Kazim and addresses domestic violence through a character-driven drama.
- "The Dead Man's Wish" (2024) by Tebo Njei - Won four prizes at YARHA 2025 including Best Feature Film and Best Cameroonian Production. The film also received official selection at the Festival International du Film Pan Africain in Cannes.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
YARHA's curatorial focus is narrowly defined: first and second feature films only. If your third feature is complete, this festival is not the right target. The programming committee values debut works that demonstrate a director's emerging voice, and the competition is structured around this principle.
The festival has a strong Central African regional component. If your film is from Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Gabon, or Equatorial Guinea, you are eligible for both the international competition and the Central African production prizes, which doubles your award chances. Films in French have a natural advantage given Yaounde's Francophone context, but English-language films are also accepted given Cameroon's bilingual status.
The conference component (Colloque) is tied to an annual theme. Films that engage with the theme - such as AI in 2025 or women in cinema in 2024 - may receive additional programming attention. Check the festival's announced theme before submitting.
Industry Reputation Notes
YARHA is best understood as a cultural and professional networking event rather than a market festival. There is no film market, no sales agents in attendance, and no distribution deals that emerge directly from the festival. The industry value lies in Central African regional networking, MINAC visibility for Cameroonian filmmakers, and the intellectual forum provided by the Colloque.
Compared to FESPACO in Burkina Faso (the continent's largest film festival with a formal market and pan-African industry presence), YARHA is smaller and more focused on debut filmmakers. Compared to CAMIFF (Cameroon International Film Festival in Buea), YARHA has stronger government backing through MINAC and a more defined curatorial niche (first and second films only), while CAMIFF has broader programming and a more industry-oriented format.
For filmmakers seeking distribution, YARHA offers visibility within Central Africa but limited downstream traction. The exception is when a winning film already has distribution in place - as with "Ni chaines ni maitres" (StudioCanal) and "Nganu" (Netflix) - in which case the festival award adds regional credibility to an existing distribution strategy.
Awards / Accreditation
The festival is not FIAPF-accredited and does not qualify films for Academy Award consideration. It is not an Oscar-qualifying festival.
12th Edition (2026) awards structure:
- Grand Prix du Meilleur 1er Film International (top prize)
- Grand Prix de la Meilleure Production d'Afrique Centrale
- Grand Prix de la Meilleure Realisation Afrique Centrale
- Prix Special du Jury
- Yarha d'Or du Meilleur Court Metrage
- Prix du Meilleur Documentaire
- Mentions Speciales (multiple categories)
11th Edition (2025) awarded approximately 15 prizes including Best Male Performance, Best Female Performance, Best Professional, Best Cameroonian Production, Best Feature Film, and Best Short Film.
The festival operates two separate juries as of 2026: one for feature films and one for short films and documentaries.
What Filmmakers Should Know
For Cameroonian filmmakers: YARHA is the most significant domestic platform for debut and sophomore features. The festival's focus on first and second works means it is specifically designed for emerging filmmakers rather than established directors. If your first or second feature is complete, this is the primary festival target in Cameroon.
For African filmmakers: The festival accepts entries from across the continent. The Grand Prix for Best International First Film is the top award, and past winners have come from outside Cameroon. The Central African production prizes provide an additional award pathway for regional filmmakers.
For international filmmakers: The festival is open to international submissions of first and second features. The bicultural Anglophone-Francophone context means both English and French language films are accessible to local audiences. Budget for translation if your film is neither French nor English. The festival is more of a cultural event than a market, so do not expect distribution deals to emerge directly from attendance.
Practical considerations: Yaounde is accessible via Yaounde Nsimalen International Airport (NSI), with connections through Paris, Brussels, Istanbul, and Addis Ababa. French is the more widely spoken official language in Yaounde, though English is also official.
Watch
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Ni Chaines Ni Maitres (2024) by Simon Moutairou - Grand Prix winner at YARHA 2025, distributed by StudioCanal
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Nganu (2023) by Kang Quintus - Best Central African Production at YARHA 2026, available on Netflix
See Also
Use the Festival ROI Calculator to model the total cost of submitting to and attending YARHA, including travel to Yaounde and accommodation. For broader festival strategy, read Film Festival Strategy. For Central African cinema context, see International Film Markets. For FESPACO, the continent's largest film festival, see FESPACO Ouagadougou.
