Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF)

Overview

The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) is Nigeria's premier film festival and one of the most significant cinema events on the African continent. Founded by Chioma Ude in 2011, AFRIFF takes place annually in November in Lagos, the global center of Nollywood and Africa's most populous city. The 14th edition was held from November 2 to 8, 2025, with the Globe Awards ceremony concluding the festival on November 8 at the Oriental Hotel in Lekki, Lagos.

AFRIFF has evolved from a purely screening-based festival into a commercial hub for African cinema. The 2025 edition introduced the AFRIFF Film and Content Market (AFCM), running from November 3 to 6, designed to facilitate buying, selling, co-productions, and distribution of content. The festival operates in partnership with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, reinforcing Nigeria's role in the global creative economy.

The 2025 theme was "Indigenous to Global: Cultural Wealth to Global Prosperity." The festival screened features, shorts, documentaries, and animation from across Africa and the diaspora, with industry sessions running as 60- to 90-minute panels covering financing, co-production, distribution, animation, television, and continental collaboration. AFRIFF also partners with Afreximbank through its Creative Africa Nexus program.

Key Sections

• Feature Film Competition - African and diaspora narrative features competing for Globe Awards
• International Feature Competition - international features outside the African focus
• Documentary Competition - African and international nonfiction features
• Short Film Competition - African and international short fiction films
• International Short Film Competition - international shorts
• Documentary Short Competition - nonfiction shorts
• Student Short Competition - films by emerging student filmmakers
• Animation Competition - animated films from African and international creators
• AFRIFF Film and Content Market (AFCM) - industry market for buying, selling, co-productions, and distribution (launched 2025)
• Industry Sessions - panels and fireside chats on financing, co-production, distribution, and creative industry business
• Masterclasses - educational programming with visiting filmmakers and industry professionals
• Pitch Session Awards - project development and pitching competitions
• Herbert Wigwe Award for Excellence - honors individuals contributing to film, governance, and community development

What Filmmakers Should Know

AFRIFF accepts submissions via FilmFreeway. Key details for the 2026 edition (based on published guidelines):

• Submissions open: May 6, 2026
• Regular deadline: August 6, 2026
• Late deadline: August 26, 2026
• Notifications: October 3, 2026
• Festival dates: November 1 to 7, 2026

Submission fees:

• Feature and Documentary: $20 (regular deadline), $25 (late deadline)
• Shorts, Animation, and Student categories: Lower fees (discounted rates available)
• FilmFreeway Gold members: Discounted rates available

Eligibility requirements:

• Films must be produced within the previous calendar year
• Non-English films must include English subtitles
• A concise and complete press kit is required with each submission
• All entries are reviewed by AFRIFF's selection committee and programming team
• The festival does not pay rental or screening fees for submitted works in competition
• The festival does not make cuts or changes to submitted works

Selections are announced in October, with all entrants notified by email. Selected films are also posted on the AFRIFF website.

AFRIFF is particularly valuable for African and diaspora filmmakers seeking global distribution partnerships, co-production deals, and exposure to international buyers. The 2025 edition's Film and Content Market (AFCM) created a dedicated commercial space alongside the screenings, connecting filmmakers with distributors, investors, and sales agents. The festival's partnership with Afreximbank's Creative Africa Nexus program provides additional financing and co-production pathways for African filmmakers.

For international filmmakers, AFRIFF offers access to Nollywood's distribution infrastructure and one of the world's most dynamic entertainment markets. Nigeria produces thousands of films per year, reaching audiences across Africa and the African diaspora. The festival bridges the commercial vitality of mainstream Nollywood with the more artistically ambitious independent filmmaking that has gained international festival recognition.

Enquiries can be directed to programmes@afriff.com.

Major Awards

AFRIFF presents the Globe Awards annually at a ceremony concluding the festival. The 2025 edition presented 18 awards across the following categories:

• Best Feature Film
• Best International Feature Film
• Best Director
• Best Actor in a Feature Film
• Best Actress in a Feature Film
• Best Screenplay
• Best Documentary Film
• Best International Documentary
• Best Documentary Short Film
• Best Short Film
• Best International Short Film
• Best Student Short
• Best Animation Film
• Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Film
• Audience Choice Award
• Pitch Session Awards
• Herbert Wigwe Trail Blazer Award
• AFRIFF Loyalty Awards (for sponsors)

AFRIFF 2025 Globe Awards Winners

• Best Feature Film: To Adaego With Love directed by Nwamaka Chikezie (Nigeria)
• Best International Feature Film: Pasa Faho directed by Kalu Oji (Australia)
• Best Director: Zoey Martinson for The Fisherman (Ghana)
• Best Actor: Richard Bamgbaye for Aljana (Nigeria)
• Best Actress: Michelle Lemuya Ikeny for Nawi (Kenya)
• Best Screenplay: Brenda Garuba for To Adaego With Love
• Best Documentary: The Eyes of Ghana directed by Ben Proudfoot (Ghana/USA)
• Best International Documentary: TUKKI: From Roots to Bayou by Vincent Le Gal and Alune Wade (France/Ghana/Senegal/USA)
• Best Documentary Short: Beyond The Screen by Peter Fada Osiughwu (Nigeria/UK)
• Best Short Film: The Day The Heart Died by Russell Oru (Nigeria)
• Best International Short Film: Majini by Joshua Neubert and Victor Muhagachi (Tanzania/UK)
• Best Student Short: The Labyrinth by Toluwalope Okunade Ebiseni (France)
• Best Animation: The Travails of Ajadi by Adeoye Adetunji (Nigeria)
• Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Film: The Eyes of Ghana by Ben Proudfoot
• Audience Choice Award: Son of the Soil directed by Chee Keong Cheung (UK/Nigeria)

The Herbert Wigwe Award for Excellence was presented to actor David Oyelowo, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, and musician Flavour for their contributions to African arts and culture.

Festival History

AFRIFF was founded in 2011 by Chioma Ude, a Nigerian film and fashion entrepreneur, as a platform to showcase African and diaspora cinema. The festival has grown over 14 editions into one of Africa's most influential film festival platforms, attracting filmmakers, distributors, and industry professionals from across the continent and beyond.

The festival's evolution from a screening event to a commercial hub reflects the broader transformation of African cinema. Nollywood, Nigeria's domestic film industry, produces thousands of films per year and is the world's second-largest film industry by volume, reaching audiences across Africa and the African diaspora. AFRIFF bridges the commercial vitality of mainstream Nollywood with the more artistically ambitious independent Nigerian and pan-African filmmaking that has gained increasing international recognition.

The 2025 edition marked a significant expansion with the launch of the AFRIFF Film and Content Market (AFCM), positioning the festival as not just a cultural event but a business platform for the African creative economy. The festival's partnerships with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy and Afreximbank's Creative Africa Nexus program reflect its growing role in shaping continental film industry policy and financing.

The Globe Awards ceremony, held at the Oriental Hotel in Lekki, Lagos, has become one of the most significant awards events for African cinema, recognizing excellence across features, documentaries, shorts, animation, and student work from both African and international filmmakers.

See Also

For Nollywood and West African cinema resources, see International Film Markets. For festival circuit planning, see Film Festival Strategy. Use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator to evaluate your festival submission strategy.