Overview
The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), also known as the Festival of the Dhow Countries, is East Africa's largest film festival. The 29th edition runs June 24 to 28, 2026, on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania. The festival screens films from the Dhow Countries region (East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and the Indian Ocean Islands) alongside international films.
ZIFF draws over 100,000 attendees across its five-day run. Screenings take place in Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including open-air venues in the Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe). The 2026 festival theme is "AI and the Art of Storytelling." Films reflecting themes of global cultural interaction or sociocultural commentary are given priority in selection.
The main competition (Golden Dhow and Silver Dhow) is restricted to filmmakers from the Dhow Countries region and all African countries. The festival also accepts films from outside this region for non-competitive screening sections.
Submission Details
Submissions are handled through FilmFreeway. Key details for the 2026 edition:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Submission Platform | FilmFreeway |
| Festival Dates | June 24 to 28, 2026 (29th edition) |
| Submissions Open | February 11, 2026 |
| Submission Deadline | March 31, 2026 |
| Eligibility Window | Films produced after 2025 |
| Completion Deadline | Films must be completed no later than May 5, 2026 |
| Entry Fee | Free for East African filmmakers (request waiver code). $10 for films from outside East Africa |
| Genres Accepted | Feature fiction, documentary, short films, animation, TV drama series |
| Theme Priority | "AI and the Art of Storytelling" and films on cultural interaction or sociocultural commentary |
| Works in Progress | Accepted only after agreement with ZIFF management |
| Screening Format | Contact festival for details |
Films from outside the Dhow Countries region and Africa may be accepted if they have specific interest to the festival.
TV Drama Series Category
The People's Choice Award section is reserved for TV Drama Series from East African countries. Episodes must be 25 to 60 minutes in length.
Programming and Selection
ZIFF programs films across the following categories:
- Feature Fiction Competition - films from the Dhow Countries and Africa competing for the Golden Dhow
- Documentary Competition - nonfiction films from the region
- Short Film Competition - short films from East Africa and the Indian Ocean
- Animation Competition - animated films from the region
- TV Drama Series - East African drama series competing for the People's Choice Award
- Films Out of Competition - open to all films including festival screening partnerships
The 2026 festival program is structured across five themed days: Opening Day (June 24), Creative Documentary Day (June 25), Commercial and Industry Innovation Day (June 26), The Premiere Day (June 27), and Shorts and Drama Marathon Day (June 28).
Awards
Main Competition (Dhow Countries and African Films Only)
- Golden Dhow - Best Feature Film
- Silver Dhow
- Best Documentary
- Emerson Award - Best Zanzibar Film
- Best Short Film
- Best Animation
- Best East African Film
- Best Actor (East Africa)
- Best Actress (East Africa)
- Best Actor (Tanzania)
- Best Actress (Tanzania)
Additional Awards
- Chairperson's Award - selected by the ZIFF Board
- Lifetime Achievement / Honorary Award - selected by the ZIFF Board
- People's Choice Award - for TV Drama Series from East African countries
Festival History
ZIFF was founded in 1998 as the Festival of the Dhow Countries. The name references the dhow, a traditional sailing vessel used for centuries across the Indian Ocean, connecting the cultures and economies of East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South Asia, and the Indian Ocean Islands.
The festival has run annually since 1998, with the 29th edition in 2026. Stone Town's UNESCO World Heritage status and the Old Fort give ZIFF a screening environment no other African festival can match.
ZIFF's focus on the Dhow Countries region gives it a unique geographic scope bridging African, Arab, South Asian, and Indian Ocean cinema. The Maisha Film Lab provides hands-on filmmaking training for emerging East African directors.
What Filmmakers Should Know
For East African filmmakers: ZIFF is the most significant regional festival for East African cinema. Free submission via waiver code on FilmFreeway. Awards for Best East African Film, Best Actor (East Africa), Best Actress (East Africa), and the Emerson Award for Best Zanzibar Film provide regional competitive recognition.
For Dhow Countries filmmakers: The main competition is restricted to filmmakers from the Dhow Countries region and all African countries. This includes Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, the Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean Islands, and all African nations.
For international filmmakers (non-Dhow Countries): Films from outside the region can be submitted but are generally programmed in the non-competitive section. The $10 submission fee is minimal. An international film without a connection to the region or the festival theme is unlikely to be competitive.
For TV drama series creators: The People's Choice Award is restricted to East African productions. Episodes must be 25 to 60 minutes. This is one of the few festival competitions dedicated to African TV drama.
Logistics: Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania. International flights connect through Dar es Salaam or directly to Zanzibar's airport. Accommodation in Stone Town ranges from $30 to $200+ per night. The festival does not appear to cover travel or accommodation for selected filmmakers.
Past Winners
The 28th edition (June 25 to 29, 2025) awarded the following prizes:
- Golden Dhow (Best Feature Film) - Janani: The Last Stand (Matt Bish, Uganda). A biopic about Archbishop Janani Luwum's resistance against Idi Amin's regime. Peter Odeke also won Best Actor (East Africa) for his portrayal of Luwum.
- Best Feature Film - East Africa - Kileo (Bill Jones Afwani, Kenya). A drama about a teacher reassigned to a rural high school who struggles with alcohol temptation. Supported by the Kenya Film Commission's Film Empowerment Fund.
- Best Documentary - Memories of Love (Uganda). Cited for its poetic exploration of life, love, and cultural memory.
- Special Mention - Hanan (UK). Received a special mention for cinematic brilliance.
The 27th edition (August 1 to 4, 2024) awarded the Golden Dhow to Goodbye Julia (Mohamed Kordofani, Sudan). The film was Sudan's submission for Best International Feature at the 2024 Academy Awards and premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard in 2023, where it won the Freedom Prize. Goodbye Julia was the opening film at ZIFF 2024.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
ZIFF has served as a platform for African and Dhow Countries films that traveled to wider audiences:
- Goodbye Julia (Mohamed Kordofani, 2024) - Won the Golden Dhow at ZIFF 2024. Premiered at Cannes Un Certain Regard 2023 (Freedom Prize winner). Sudan's Oscar submission. The first Sudanese feature to screen at Cannes.
- Janani: The Last Stand (Matt Bish, 2025) - Won Best Feature Film and Best Actor (East Africa) at ZIFF 2025. Supported by the Uganda Communications Commission's Content Development Support Program.
- Kileo (Bill Jones Afwani, 2025) - Won Best Feature Film - East Africa at ZIFF 2025. Also selected for FCAT Lab 2024 in Spain.
- Pumzi (Wanuri Kahiu, 2009) - Won the Golden Dhow for Best East African Picture. Kahiu later directed Rafiki, which premiered at Cannes in 2018.
- Mvera (Daudi Anguka, 2024) - Screened at ZIFF 2024 as an opening film. A Kenyan thriller about organ trafficking, later picked up by Netflix.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
ZIFF's curatorial focus is the Dhow Countries region and African cinema. The main competition is restricted to filmmakers from the Dhow Countries and all African countries. Films from outside this region are accepted for non-competitive screening sections only.
The 2026 theme is "AI and the Art of Storytelling." Films engaging with AI, technology, and storytelling innovation receive priority in selection. East African filmmakers should request a waiver code on FilmFreeway for free submission. Films must be produced after 2025 and completed no later than May 5, 2026. Works in progress are accepted only with prior agreement from ZIFF management.
The TV Drama Series category is restricted to East African countries. Episodes must be 25 to 60 minutes. This is one of the few festival competitions dedicated to African TV drama. Films from outside the Dhow Countries region may be accepted if they have specific interest to the festival.
Industry Reputation Notes
ZIFF is East Africa's largest film festival, drawing over 100,000 attendees. It compares to FESPACO in Burkina Faso and the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa. Unlike FESPACO (which focuses on African cinema broadly), ZIFF's Dhow Countries scope gives it a unique geographic position bridging African, Arab, South Asian, and Indian Ocean cinema.
The festival's venue in Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, gives it a screening environment no other African festival can match. Open-air screenings in the Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) courtyards are the festival's signature venue.
ZIFF does not operate a formal film market. The festival's industry value comes from its audience reach, its role as a regional showcase for East African cinema, and its connections to broadcasters and cultural institutions across the Dhow Countries region. The Maisha Film Lab provides hands-on filmmaking training for emerging East African directors.
The festival has faced organizational challenges, including schedule changes across recent editions. Despite these changes, ZIFF maintains its position as the most significant regional festival for East African cinema.
Watch
See Also
Calculate your total festival submission costs and projected return using the Festival ROI Calculator. For East African cinema, see International Film Markets. For festival strategy guidance, see Film Festival Strategy. Submit through the ZIFF FilmFreeway page or visit the official festival website. View the 2026 festival program for screening schedules and venue details.
