Overview
SOTAMBE Zambia International Film Festival (ZAMIFF) is Zambia's largest film festival, held annually in Lusaka. The 13th edition runs September 22 to 26, 2026. The festival accepts features, short films, documentaries, and animation through FilmFreeway, with a competitive program focused on Southern African filmmaking. Global submissions are welcome, but films set in or about the Southern African region receive priority consideration.
ZAMIFF positions itself as the primary platform for Southern African cinema. Zambia's landlocked location at the geographic center of southern Africa - bordering eight countries including Tanzania, DRC, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Mozambique - gives the festival natural reach across multiple African film traditions. For filmmakers working in the region, ZAMIFF offers the most direct route to a Southern African audience and industry network.
The 2026 edition marks a strategic shift under CEO Martina Mwanza, moving beyond traditional screenings toward industry development, partnerships, and market access. The festival now connects filmmakers to distribution opportunities and cross-border collaborations rather than functioning solely as an exhibition event.
Submission Details
ZAMIFF accepts open submissions through FilmFreeway. The festival accepts features, short films, documentaries, and animation across multiple competition categories.
Submission deadlines for ZAMIFF 2026:
- Early Bird Deadline: April 26, 2026
- Regular Deadline: June 1, 2026
- Late Deadline: July 1, 2026
Submission fees are tiered across these three deadlines. Exact fee amounts are listed on the ZAMIFF FilmFreeway page. Films completed in or after 2023 are eligible. Non-English films must include English subtitles. The festival accepts all genres.
Global submissions are welcome, with a special focus on Southern African filmmakers. If your film is set in or about the Southern African region, ZAMIFF should be a priority submission. The networking opportunities are reported to be strong, as Zambia's creative sector is growing rapidly and the festival attracts filmmakers from across Africa.
Key Sections
- Feature Film Competition - features from Southern Africa and beyond, competing for Best Feature Film (Southern Africa)
- Short Film Competition - short films across all genres
- Documentary Program - nonfiction features and shorts
- Animation Program - animated films from African and international filmmakers
- Industry Program - market access, partnerships, and business development sessions (new focus for 2026)
- Regional Showcase - films from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, DRC, and neighboring nations
What Filmmakers Should Know
For Southern African Filmmakers
ZAMIFF is the most targeted competitive platform for Southern African cinema. The festival's regional focus means your film screens before an audience that understands the cultural context and can connect you to local distribution networks. The 2026 edition's industry program adds a market dimension that previous editions lacked.
Filmmaker Owas Ray Mwape, a ZAMIFF participant, noted that the festival attracts filmmakers from across Africa, enabling an exchange of ideas and skills that improves the quality of local film production.
For International Filmmakers
International films are accepted and welcome, but the competitive categories prioritize Southern African work. If your film has African themes or Southern African connections, it will receive stronger consideration. The festival is not Academy Award qualifying.
Practical Considerations
Lusaka has limited cinema infrastructure compared to festivals in Cape Town or Durban, but this creates a more intimate festival experience with direct access to local filmmakers and audiences. Travel to Lusaka is straightforward via Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, with connections from Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Addis Ababa.
Festival History
ZAMIFF was founded in 2013 as the SOTAMBE Documentary Film and Arts Festival. The festival was elevated and renamed to SOTAMBE Zambia International Film Festival on its 10th anniversary in 2022, reflecting a broadened scope from documentary-only programming to include all film genres. The festival has grown from small-scale screenings into an internationally recognized platform, positioning itself as a driver of industry growth and cross-border collaboration in Africa's film sector.
The festival experienced a gap year in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but returned in 2022 with its expanded format. The 2026 edition represents the 13th iteration and its most significant strategic pivot, moving from a screening-focused event to an industry development platform.
Past Winners
ZAMIFF presents juried awards across feature, short, documentary, and animation categories. The top prize is Best Feature Film (Southern Africa). The festival also awards Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Zambian Feature Film.
2024 Best Feature Film (Southern Africa): A Queen's Lobola (director Vivek Mehta, South Africa). This comedy also won Best Director at SOTAMBE 2024. The film won 6 awards at the Simon Sibela Awards (KZN Film and TV Awards) and Best Use of Cinematography at the Pretoria Film Festival. e.tv acquired the film for broadcast in South Africa.
2024 Best Documentary (Southern Africa): The Friendship Bench (director Reabetswe Moeti-Vogt, Zimbabwe-USA). This 75-minute documentary follows psychiatrist Dr. Dixon Chibanda, who trained 14 grandmothers in cognitive therapy to treat depression on public benches. The film won the Best Edited Film Award at the 2024 Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival. GOOD DOCS handles educational distribution in North America.
2024 Best Zambian Feature Film: Mwizukanji (director Cosmas Ng'andwe, Zambia). The film won Best Indigenous Language (Southern Africa) at the 11th Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards on May 10, 2025 in Lagos. It sold out two cinema screenings in Lusaka and streams on the Zambian platform INWIT.
2023 Best Feature Film (Southern Africa): Can You See Us? (director Kenny Mumba, Zambia). The film swept 4 SOTAMBE awards: Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Actress (Thabo Kaamba), and Best Screenplay (Lawrence Thompson). Netflix acquired the film, making it the first Zambian feature on the platform. It reached the Netflix Top 10 in Nigeria and South Africa in its first week.
2022 Best Feature Film (Southern Africa): Hairareb (director Oshoveli Shipoh, Namibia). The film also won Best Director at SOTAMBE 2022 and Best Movie (Southern Africa) at the 2022 AMVCAs. It screened at the Durban International Film Festival and the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.
2021 Best Director (Southern Africa): Gift Sukez Sukali for Fatsani: A Tale of Survival (Malawi). The film was selected as the Malawian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards. Showmax acquired the film for streaming in over 60 countries. It reached the top 10 most streamed movies on Showmax.
Notable Alumni Films
Films that screened or won at ZAMIFF and their downstream trajectory:
- *Can You See Us?* (2022, director Kenny Mumba) - swept 4 awards at SOTAMBE 2023. Netflix released the film on August 27, 2023, making it the first Zambian feature on the platform. It reached the Netflix Top 10 in Nigeria and South Africa. The film is loosely based on the life of John Chiti, a Zambian albinism rights campaigner.
- *The Friendship Bench* (2024, director Reabetswe Moeti-Vogt) - won Best Documentary (Southern Africa) at SOTAMBE 2024. The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Encounters South African International Documentary Film Festival. GOOD DOCS distributes the film for educational screenings in North America.
- *Hairareb* (2019, director Oshoveli Shipoh) - won Best Feature Film and Best Director at SOTAMBE 2022. The film won Best Movie (Southern Africa) at the 2022 AMVCAs and screened at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Submission Tips
- Submit through FilmFreeway by the deadlines. Early Bird closes April 26, Regular closes June 1, and Late closes July 1, 2026. Fees are tiered across these deadlines. Films completed in or after 2023 qualify for submission.
- Southern African films receive priority consideration. Films set in or about the Southern African region get stronger programming placement. If your film has Southern African themes, cast, or locations, ZAMIFF is a priority submission target.
- Include English subtitles for all non-English films. The festival accepts all genres but requires English subtitles for non-English submissions. Films in local languages like Chichewa, Nyanja, or Shona should ensure subtitle quality before submitting.
- Use SOTAMBE to connect with streaming distributors. Fatsani secured its Showmax deal through connections made at SOTAMBE. The 2026 industry program formalizes this networking. Prepare a pitch and distribution strategy before attending.
- Target the Regional Showcase for neighboring country films. Films from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and DRC fit this section. The showcase provides exposure to Zambian audiences and cross-border networking with Southern African filmmakers.
- Budget for travel to Lusaka in September. Accommodation costs are lower than at major European or North American festivals. Kenneth Kaunda International Airport connects through Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Addis Ababa. Plan early bookings for the September 22 to 26 festival dates.
Industry Reputation Notes
The industry treats ZAMIFF as the primary competitive platform for Southern African cinema, not as a market or acquisitions destination. The 2026 edition's industry program adds a market dimension, but the festival remains focused on regional networking and cultural exchange. ZAMIFF is not Academy Award qualifying and has no attached film market in the traditional sense.
Compared to FESPACO in Burkina Faso, which is the largest pan-African film festival and attracts over 500,000 spectators, ZAMIFF is much smaller. FESPACO operates as a biennial pan-African event with decades of prestige. ZAMIFF operates as an annual regional event focused on Southern Africa.
Compared to the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa, which runs an industry market (the Durban FilmMart) and attracts international sales agents, ZAMIFF lacks a formal market component. Durban functions as the primary industry market in Southern Africa. ZAMIFF offers more direct access to Zambian and landlocked Southern African filmmakers.
Several ZAMIFF winners, including Can You See Us? and Mwizukanji, went on to win AMVCAs, demonstrating the festival's role as a launchpad. For Southern African filmmakers, ZAMIFF is the most targeted competitive platform. The 2026 strategic shift toward industry development signals an evolution from exhibition event to industry hub.
See Also
Use the Festival ROI Calculator to weigh submission fees against potential returns from attending. For festival strategy and selecting the right African festivals for your film, read Film Festival Strategy. For understanding the Southern African distribution landscape, see International Film Markets.
