All African Independent Film Festival (AAIFF Africa)

Sectors :

Audiovisual

Cinema

Countries :

Algeria

Benin

The All African Independent Film Festival (AAIFF Africa), based in Kigali, Rwanda, is a vibrant celebration of independent cinema from across Africa’s 54 nations. Independent filmmaking on the continent is thriving, serving as a powerful platform for diverse voices and stories. As African cinema gains global acclaim, AAIFF Africa 2026 highlights this creative momentum, offering 16 awards in 10 categories, including Africa’s Best Independent Film and Director. The festival reflects the continent’s rich storytelling tradition and its growing influence on the world stage.

Help type: Visibility, Collaboration and networking (Event)

Application and attachment submission language(s): English

Opening date for applications : October 29, 2025

Closing date for applications : July 31, 2026

This call for application is open

Informations

Eligibility criteria

Stages

Issuer(s) and managers

Details

AAIFF Africa 2026 presents 16 awards across 10 categories, recognizing achievements such as Africa’s Best Independent Film and Best Independent Film Director. As the sister festival of ÉCU—the European Independent Film Festival, established in Paris for two decades—AAIFF Africa benefits from the ÉCU Film Festival Group’s renowned reputation as a leading global platform for independent cinema. This affiliation helps amplify the visibility of Africa’s independent filmmakers on the international stage. The festival aims to create outstanding opportunities for African filmmakers to showcase their work, network with industry professionals, and engage with audiences, while delivering a memorable festival experience. Prizes range from year to year. The awards for the 2026 edition are: Africa’s Best Independent Film 2026 Africa’s Best Independent Film Director 2026 Best Cinematography 2026 Best Editing 2026 Best Actress 2026 Best Actor 2026 Africa’s Best Independent Dramatic Feature Film 2026 Africa’s Best Independent Dramatic Short Film 2026 Africa’s Best Independent Documentary 2026 Africa’s Best Independent Music Video 2026 Africa’s Best Independent Animated Film 2026 Africa’s Best Independent Student Film 2026 Africa’s Best Independent Experimental Film 2026 Best Independent Feature Script 2026 Best Independent Short Script 2026 Rwandan Students Special Award 2026 You can find more information on the website : https://filmfreeway.com/AAIFFAfrica-AllAfricanIndependentFilmFestival

Eligibility criteria

Criteria

Films should be independent in spirit and original in perspective. Open to all films made with less than 50% participation by a major studio or television broadcaster. Films may be submitted in any language, however every film must have English subtitles, including the films in English. Appropriate subtitles are required to ensure the best screening for our audience. A synopsis of no more than 180 characters in English, a screenshot from the film and a short director's biography also in English are requested upon submission. The films must be completed since 1st of January 2025.

Stages

May 8, 2026

Earlybird Deadline

June 5, 2026

Regular Deadline

July 3, 2026

Late Deadline

July 31, 2026

Extended Deadline

August 21, 2026

Special Extended Script Deadline

Feature Script Competition Short Script Competition

August 28, 2026

Notification Date

October 9, 2026

Event date

10/29/2025

Opening of applications

Official announcement of the call for projects and online application form. Participants can access the criteria, participation conditions and resources to prepare their application.