Madagascourt Film Festival (Rencontres du Film Court de Madagascar)

Overview

The Madagascourt Film Festival, also known as Rencontres du Film Court de Madagascar (RFC), is Madagascar's only film festival and the sole festival dedicated to short films on the island. The 20th edition runs February 20-25, 2026, in Antananarivo. Originally scheduled for November 2025, the edition was postponed to February 2026. The festival is organized by the Association RFC Madagasikara in partnership with Rozifilms, the Institut Francais de Madagascar (IFM), and the Pan-African Alliance of Screenwriters and Directors (APASER).

The 20th anniversary edition received a record 758 film submissions from 35 African countries. The festival program includes five competitive categories: National Competition, Pan-African Fiction, Pan-African Animation, Pan-African Documentary, and "A chacun son cinema" (To Each Their Own Cinema). The national competition features 15 Malagasy short films.

The 20th edition theme is "Toujours a l'agonie, mais jamais mort" (Still dying, but never dead), a phrase that reflects the persistence of African cinema despite economic, logistical, and structural challenges. The festival includes workshops, masterclasses, professional panels, and discussions on copyright and intellectual property, with participation from international IP specialists and delegates from SADC member countries.

The festival was created in 2006 by Malagasy director and producer Laza Razanajatovo. It has operated continuously for 20 years, serving as both the only cinema event in Madagascar and an incubator for emerging African filmmaking talent.

Submission Details

The Madagascourt Film Festival accepts submissions from African filmmakers and co-directors. Submissions are made through the festival website.

Eligibility:

• Short films by African directors or co-directors
• Categories: National Competition (Malagasy films), Pan-African Fiction, Pan-African Animation, Pan-African Documentary, International Competition
• Films must be short films (court-metrage)

Submission categories:

• National Competition - Malagasy short films only
• Pan-African Fiction - African short fiction films
• Pan-African Animation - African animated short films
• Pan-African Documentary - African short documentaries
• International Competition - open to international short films

The 20th edition received 758 submissions from 35 countries. Some Malagasy films appear in multiple categories, such as Silence by Anjarasoa Medalys, Alika by Dolph Hasner, The Anjoro by Hary Joel, and Le Bus by Kuro Mi, which are in both the national competition and the Pan-African animation competition.

For submission details and deadlines, check the RFC website.

Key Sections and Awards

Competitive categories:

• National Competition - 15 Malagasy short films competing for Best Malagasy Short Film
• Pan-African Fiction Competition - African short fiction films
• Pan-African Animation Competition - African animated short films
• Pan-African Documentary Competition - African short documentaries
• International Competition - international short films

Non-competitive sections:

• A chacun son cinema - curated screenings
• Cine Ankalamanjana - outdoor community screenings
• Workshops and Masterclasses - training for Malagasy and African filmmakers
• Professional Panels - industry discussions including copyright and IP

Awards:

• Best Malagasy Short Film - jury prize for the national competition
• Best Pan-African Fiction Short
• Best Pan-African Animation Short
• Best Pan-African Documentary Short
• Audience Award

The jury is composed of film professionals from multiple countries.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For Malagasy filmmakers: This is the only film festival in Madagascar and the most important domestic platform for your work. The National Competition is restricted to Malagasy productions, giving you a dedicated category without competing against larger African production bases. The festival also provides training through workshops and masterclasses, making it a professional development opportunity as well as a screening platform.

For African short filmmakers: The pan-African categories give you access to a festival that actively programs African cinema across fiction, animation, and documentary. With 758 submissions from 35 countries, the festival has established itself as one of the principal short film festivals on the continent. The partnership with APASER (Pan-African Alliance of Screenwriters and Directors) connects the festival to a broader African industry network.

For filmmakers from Indian Ocean islands: The festival's location in Madagascar creates connections with neighboring Indian Ocean nations including Comoros, Reunion, and Mauritius. Filmmakers from these islands can submit to the international or pan-African categories depending on their production country.

On copyright and IP: The 20th edition places copyright and intellectual property at the center of its professional program, with international IP specialists and SADC country delegates discussing protection of audiovisual and cinematographic works. This is relevant for African filmmakers navigating IP frameworks that are still developing in many countries.

Festival History

The Madagascourt Film Festival was founded in 2006 by Malagasy director and producer Laza Razanajatovo through the Association RFC and Rozifilms, in partnership with the Institut Francais de Madagascar. The festival was originally known as Rencontres du Film Court de Madagasikara (RFC) and later adopted the name Madagascourt Film Festival (MFF).

The festival has operated continuously for 20 years, maintaining its focus on short films even as feature filmmaking in Madagascar remains limited due to resource constraints. The festival's focus on shorts reflects the practical realities of filmmaking on the island, where production infrastructure is minimal but creative ambition among emerging filmmakers is strong.

Over two decades, the festival has grown from a small domestic event into one of the principal short film festivals in Africa. The 20th anniversary edition in 2026 received 758 submissions from 35 African countries, a record participation level. The festival has partnered with APASER to strengthen its pan-African reach and has expanded its program to include more workshops, masterclasses, and professional discussions alongside screenings.

Practical Information

• 2026 dates: February 20-25, 2026
• Venues: Institut Francais de Madagascar (IFM) for opening and main screenings; Havoria Anosy for closing ceremony
• Program: Competitions, screenings, workshops, masterclasses, panels on copyright and IP
• Partners: Association RFC Madagasikara, Rozifilms, Institut Francais de Madagascar, APASER
• Website: rencontresdufilmcourt.mg

See Also

For African cinema markets and distribution, see International Film Markets. For short film festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. Use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator to evaluate the cost-benefit of submitting to Madagascourt.