Programs at AFFIF are designed to provide premium visibility and promotions for films by impact filmmakers and social change stakeholders, as well as provide professional capacity building, networking, distribution, collaboration and funding opportunities for both emerging and practicing filmmakers. The festival programs include:
FILM SCREENINGS
AFFIF 2025 will screen 50 films (short & feature narrative, documentary and animation films) across the 3 day film festival.
All films will be screened at the host venue for the festival, Silverbird Cinema Abuja, and a Q & A session held for a few select films. AFFIF will also provide virtual access to some of the films for audiences across the world joining the festival virtually.
Submit Your Film HERE
FILM FELLOWSHIP – (Master Classes & Workshops)
Films For Impact Fellowship will train, and mentor 15 emerging filmmakers on Impact storytelling, from development to distribution. This multi-phase project will empower the filmmakers on how to leverage the creative arts to spur critical thinking on human right and social justice issues, foster civic engagement, influence policies, and cultivate behavioral change. It will convene emerging storytellers from across Africa and the diaspora, to develop stories that shed light on the cultural, traditional, societal, and historical narratives that drive human right violations and social injustices in the region(s), and how to successfully combat them, to advance development.
Register for Film Fellowship: HERE
PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Panel discussions at AFFIF explores film industry themes, as well as human right and social justice themes including Human Rights, Democracy, Accountability, Human Trafficking, Gender Equity, Sexual & Gender Based Violence, Climate Change, Drug Abuse & Drug Trafficking, Health, Peace-Security and Counter Terrorism, Digital Rights, and Technology as a tool for social change, among others.
SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight is a feature at AFFIF that gives special attention to 3-4 films showing at the festival each year. These films, which are carefully selected by the festival committee as a result of their in-depth approach to addressing human right and social justice issues, will be exposed to multiple showcases, panel session, media coverages, and other side events at the festival, in other to amplify awareness of the films, as well as foster distribution opportunities.
Have you made a highly impactful film that deserves more visibility through the AFFIF Spotlight? Register for Spotlight: HERE
(NOTE: Your film must have been already submitted to the festival through FILMFREEWAY)
THE PITCH
The PITCH is a segment of the festival where pre-selected filmmakers are given the opportunity to Pitch their great human right and social justice screenplays to prospective Funders, and stakeholders, with a view to securing collaborations, grants, impact financing, or other forms of partnership.
Only filmmakers who have been selected to be part of the Film Fellowship, can access this opportunity.
Register to Pitch: Click Here
ACTORS WORKSHOP & SHOWCASE
Actors workshop provides opportunity for professional training and career mentorship for both emerging actors seeking to make their way into the film industry, as well as practicing actors seeking to amplify their visibility and showcase their talents to film and television professionals.
It also provides a platform for Actors to showcase their showreels, to film producers and directors, with a view to promoting their talent, and securing acting roles in great movies.
At the end of the workshop, the top 20 actors will have an opportunity to showcase their showreels and pitch their talent to premium film producers and directors, through a live monologue presentation at the grand finale of the festival, with a view to promoting their talent, and securing acting roles in their productions. The best Monologue wins an Award Prize.
Register Here for Acting Workshop: HERE
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
Social activities at AFFIF 2025 will include daily networking sessions, cocktails, and a grand Award Ceremony
IMPACT AWARDS & PRIZES
The 2025 Africa Films for Impact Festival will climax with an Impact Award Ceremony, which will premiere the closing film for the festival, and also host other performances including Music, Poetry/Spoken Word, and the Impact Awards.
The Award category for the 2025 edition of the festival includes:
Best film on DEMOCRACY, ACCOUNTABILITY & ANTI-CORRUPTION
Best film on CLIMATE CHANGE
Best film on WOMEN EMPOWERMENT & GENDER EQUITY
Best film on SEXUAL & GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
Best film on HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Best film on MIGRATION
Best film on HUMAN RIGHT
Best film on PEACE, SECURITY & COUNTER-TERRORISM
Best Short Film
Best Narrative Film
Best Documentary Film
Best Animation
Best Actor in a Film
Best Social Impact Film (Jury Choice Award)
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS
— Register to attend the festival <HERE>