Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF)
Nigeria's most important international film festival and one of Africa's most significant, held annually in November in Lagos, celebrating African and international cinema alongside the global Nollywood industry.
Overview
The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) is Nigeria's most important international film festival and one of Africa's most significant. Founded in 2010 and held annually in November in Lagos, Africa's largest city, the festival celebrates African and international cinema alongside the global Nollywood industry -- Nigeria's extraordinarily prolific film production system that produces more titles annually than Hollywood.
Nollywood is the world's second-largest film industry by volume, producing thousands of films per year and generating enormous cultural and economic impact across Africa and among the African diaspora worldwide. AFRIFF occupies a unique position at the intersection of this commercial powerhouse and the art cinema tradition, programming both independently produced art films and commercially oriented Nollywood productions.
Lagos's extraordinary energy -- a city of 20+ million people with one of the world's most dynamic entrepreneurial cultures -- gives the festival an intensity and ambition that reflects its host city.
Key Sections
- International Competition -- films from around the world competing for jury prizes
- African Film Competition -- films from across the continent
- Nigerian Film Competition -- new Nigerian features and shorts
- Nollywood Industry Program -- professional activities for the Nigerian film industry
- Documentary Competition -- nonfiction features
- Short Film Competition -- African and international short programs
What Filmmakers Should Know
AFRIFF accepts open submissions. For Nigerian filmmakers, the festival provides the most important domestic international platform. For African filmmakers, AFRIFF's Lagos location provides access to the continent's largest film market. International filmmakers will find that AFRIFF provides access to one of the world's most dynamic and rapidly growing film industries.
Major Awards
- Best Film -- jury prize
- Best African Film
- Best Nigerian Film
- Best Documentary
- Audience Award
Festival History
AFRIFF was founded in 2010 and has grown rapidly alongside Nollywood's global expansion.
See Also
For Nollywood and African cinema, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.
