Overview
The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF), also known as the Festival of the Dhow Countries, is an annual film festival held in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania. Founded in 1997 by Tanzanian filmmaker Martin Mhando, it is the largest multidisciplinary art and cultural festival in East Africa. The 29th edition runs June 24 to 28, 2026.
ZIFF screens films from the Dhow Countries region, which includes East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf, Iran, Pakistan, India, and the Indian Ocean Islands. The festival also accepts films from outside this region. The 2026 edition received over 400 film submissions from more than 100 countries, with 65 films officially selected for competition. East Africa delivered the strongest regional showing: Uganda submitted 50 films, Tanzania 45, and Kenya 23. Additional submissions came from Somalia, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, South Africa, the United States, Nigeria, and countries across Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
The festival estimates a total audience of over 100,000, with approximately 7,000 western tourists traveling to Zanzibar specifically for the event. Screenings take place in Stone Town's historic Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) and other venues, with open-air screenings in the dhow harbor area.
For filmmakers submitting to ZIFF, the festival offers free submission for East African Community filmmakers (using a waiver code) and a $10 USD fee for filmmakers from outside East Africa. Submissions are via FilmFreeway.
Key Sections
- Golden Dhow Competition - the top competitive section for African and Dhow Countries films
- Silver Dhow - second-tier competition prize
- Creative Documentary Day - dedicated nonfiction program
- Commercial and Industry Innovation Day - industry-focused program with workshops on AI in filmmaking, financial literacy for creatives, digital content production, and film distribution
- Shorts and Drama Series Marathon - short films and television drama series
- Premiere Day - headline gala screenings
- Open Air Screenings - films screened in Stone Town's historic spaces
Submission Details
- Submission platform: FilmFreeway
- Submission fee: Free for East African Community filmmakers (request waiver code from ZIFF); $10 USD for films from outside East Africa
- 2026 submission window: February 11 to March 31, 2026
- Eligibility: Open to all African films (including African Diaspora) and films from the Dhow Countries region (South East Asia, Arabian Peninsula, Persian Gulf, Iran, Pakistan, India, Indian Ocean Islands). ZIFF reserves the right to accept any film of specific interest to the festival.
- Completion date: Films must have been produced after 2025 and completed no later than May 5, 2026
- Works in progress: Accepted only after agreement with ZIFF management
- 2026 theme: "AI and the art of storytelling" (films reflecting this theme or global cultural interaction, cultural encounters, or sociocultural commentary receive priority)
- Required materials: Press kit with technical and artistic data, synopsis in English, photographs, posters, press articles, and bio-data of the director
- Full regulations: Available at ziff.or.tz
Major Awards
ZIFF presents 12 international awards, judged by 5 international juries:
- Golden Dhow - best film in the main competition
- Silver Dhow - second prize
- Best Documentary
- Best Short Film / Animation
- East Africa Talent Award
- ZIFF Jury Award
- UNICEF Award
- ZIFF Lifetime Achievement Award
- ZIFF Chairman Award
- Sembene Ousmane Award
- Signis Award
- Verona Award
Additional categories include Best Feature Film, Best Animation, Best Feature from Dhow Countries, Best Short from Dhow Countries, Best International Film, Best TV Programme, Best Web Series, Best East African Film, and Best TV Series.
What Filmmakers Should Know
ZIFF is the most important festival platform for East African filmmakers. The free submission for East African Community filmmakers (using a waiver code available from ZIFF management) removes the financial barrier that limits access to international festivals for regional filmmakers. For non-East African filmmakers, the $10 USD submission fee is among the lowest of any internationally recognized festival.
The festival's Dhow Countries focus creates a unique cultural context. If your film is from or about the Indian Ocean basin, East Africa, South Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, or the Persian Gulf, ZIFF provides a culturally specific audience and programming context that no other major festival offers. Films dealing with cross-cultural encounters, sociocultural commentary, or the 2026 theme of "AI and the art of storytelling" receive priority in selection.
The 2026 edition expanded its industry program to include workshops on AI in filmmaking, financial literacy for creatives, digital content production, and film distribution. The festival does not have an attached film market. It is not an Academy Award-qualifying festival. However, the audience size (100,000-plus) and the growing international submission pool make it a strong visibility platform for African and Global South cinema.
Stone Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The outdoor screenings in the Old Fort and historic dhow harbor create a screening environment visually distinctive from any other festival venue worldwide.
Festival History
ZIFF was founded in 1997 by Martin Mhando, a Tanzanian filmmaker, as a nongovernmental organization to develop and promote film and other cultural industries as a catalyst for regional social and economic growth. The first edition was held in 1998. The festival was conceived to honor the cinematic history of Africa and the Indian Ocean region, starting with a small number of films in its early editions.
Over its first decade, ZIFF grew into one of East Africa's most prominent arts festivals. The festival's impact on Zanzibar's economy is documented, with thousands of international tourists visiting specifically for the event. The festival's programming expanded from a focus on African and Dhow Countries cinema to include submissions from over 100 countries by 2026.
The 28th edition was held June 25 to 29, 2025. The 29th edition is scheduled for June 24 to 28, 2026.
Past Winners
ZIFF presents 12 international awards judged by 5 international juries. The Golden Dhow is the top prize. Recent and notable winners:
- 2025 (28th edition): Best Feature Film - Janani: The Last Stand by Matt Bish (Uganda), a biographical drama about Archbishop Janani Luwum's stand against Idi Amin. Best Actor (East Africa): Peter Odeke for Janani. Best Feature Film East Africa: Kileo (Kenya). Best Documentary: Memories of Love (Uganda). Best Short Film: Boy No Fear by Jonathan Cates (Uganda).
- 2018: Golden Dhow - Supa Modo by Likarion Wainaina (Kenya/Germany), a drama about a terminally ill girl whose village rallies to make her superhero dream come true. The film also premiered at Berlinale and was selected as Kenya's Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film.
- 2017: Best Feature Film - T-Junction by Amil Shivji (Tanzania), winning 3 awards total including Best Actress for Hawa Ally.
- 2014: Golden Dhow - Half of a Yellow Sun by Biyi Bandele (Nigeria/US), starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton. Premiered at TIFF and based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel.
- 2009: Golden Dhow - Jerusalema by Ralph Ziman (South Africa), South Africa's Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film.
- 1998: Golden Dhow - Maangamizi: The Ancient One by Martin Mhando and Ron Mulvihill (Tanzania/US), the first Tanzanian film ever submitted for an Oscar. Executive produced by Jonathan Demme.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
- *Supa Modo* (2018) by Likarion Wainaina (Kenya) - won the Golden Dhow, then premiered at Berlinale Generations. Selected as Kenya's Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards. Distributed internationally by Juno Films.
- *Half of a Yellow Sun* (2014) by Biyi Bandele (Nigeria) - won the Golden Dhow after premiering at TIFF. Starred Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandie Newton. Based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's bestselling novel. Received theatrical distribution in the UK and US.
- *T-Junction (2017) by Amil Shivji (Tanzania) - won Best Feature Film and 3 awards at ZIFF. Shivji later directed Vuta N'Kuvute (The Revolts*), which won the Golden Tanit at the Carthage Film Festival (JCC) in 2022.
- *Widow Champion* (2025) by Zippy Kimundu (Kenya) - had its African premiere at ZIFF 2025 after screening at Hot Docs, Tribeca, and Munich. Supported by Sundance Institute and Ford Foundation. Over 100 widows attended the ZIFF screening.
- *Maangamizi: The Ancient One* (1998) - the first ZIFF Golden Dhow winner and the first Tanzanian film submitted for an Oscar. Played at over 55 film festivals worldwide.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
ZIFF's Dhow Countries focus creates a unique cultural context. If your film is from or about the Indian Ocean basin, East Africa, South Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, or the Persian Gulf, ZIFF provides a culturally specific audience and programming context that no other major festival offers. Films dealing with cross-cultural encounters, sociocultural commentary, or the 2026 theme of "AI and the art of storytelling" receive priority in selection.
Free submission is available for East African Community filmmakers (request a waiver code from ZIFF management). The $10 USD fee for filmmakers from outside East Africa is among the lowest of any internationally recognized festival. Submit via FilmFreeway with a press kit including synopsis in English, photographs, posters, and bio-data of the director. Films must be produced after 2025 and completed no later than May 5, 2026 for the 2026 edition.
Industry Reputation Notes
ZIFF is the most important festival platform for East African filmmakers. It is not Academy Award-qualifying and does not have an attached film market in the traditional sense. Its industry value lies in audience reach (100,000-plus) and growing international submission pools (400-plus from 100-plus countries in 2026).
Compared to FESPACO (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso), the largest pan-African film festival, ZIFF has a more specific focus on the Indian Ocean basin and East African cinema. FESPACO is larger and more politically connected, but ZIFF offers a culturally specific programming context through its Dhow Countries framework.
Compared to the Durban International Film Festival (South Africa), which has a stronger industry component through the Durban FilmMart, ZIFF is more community-oriented and audience-focused. Its open-air screenings in Stone Town's Old Fort create a screening environment distinct from any other festival venue.
The festival has faced funding challenges, with attendance falling from a peak of 200,000. However, the 2026 edition received over 400 submissions from more than 100 countries, showing continued international relevance. The European Union has been a supporter for the past five years, funding Women Panorama and Children Panorama programs.
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See Also
For festival submission strategy and budgeting, use the Festival Entry Fee ROI Calculator. For understanding East African and Indian Ocean cinema markets, see International Film Markets. For general festival strategy, see Film Festival Strategy.
