The Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) is an annual film festival that takes place during November in Lagos, Nigeria. It is the country's largest film festival. Founded in 2010 by Chioma Ude, the week-long event promotes African and diasporic cinema through screenings, awards, professional development and the AFRIFF Film and Content Market, which facilitates the buying and selling of film and television content.
History In 2010, Chioma Ude, a Nigerian marketing professional, founded AFRIFF. While serving as project manager for the ION International Film festival—a global touring festival that she brought to Nigeria—she identified a gap for a local film festival that showcased African and Diasporan cinema. The inaugural festival of AFRIFF was held in Port Harcourt with Peace Anyam-Osigwe as its creative director. Thirteen films, including two from Nigeria, made the official selection. In 2011 the festival took place in Lagos. That year 180 films were submitted, out of which 63 were selected. The first two editions presented five awards, known as the Globe Awards: Best Feature Film, People’s Choice Award, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, and Best Animation.
In 2013 AFFRIF's 3d edition was held in Calabar, Cross River State with Keith Shiri assuming the role of creative director. 70 films were screened from a total of 200 submissions. Starting with this edition, the number of awards and prizes started to expand progressively, reaching a total of eighteen by 2025, including categories for directing, acting, screenwriting, as well as awards recognizing international and student talent.
Following another edition hosted in Calabar in 2014, the festival relocated permanently to Lagos for its 2015 edition, where it has since been held annually, except in 2020, when it was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
For its 10th edition in 2021 AFRIFF received a record-breaking 4,000 film submissions from more than 100 countries, of which 150 were screened. The following year, AFRIFF partnered with the Red Sea International Film Festival to introduce the Saudi based festival and its Red Sea Fund to African and Diasporan filmmakers. The 2022 edition received 500 film submissions from the Middle East.
In 2023, 2000 films were submitted from over 100 countries for AFRIFF's 12th edition. That year AFRIFF partnered with the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) through its Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) in developing "Script to Screen", a year-long capacity-building intervention aimed at African filmmakers.
In 2025, AFRIFF showcased 90 films, with 47 of them in competition. During the 14th edition AFRIFF debuted the ARIFF Film and Content Market (AFCM) in partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy (FMACCE). AFCM is Nigeria’s first official marketplace for African film and creative content, providing a platform where filmmakers, distributors, investors, and buyers can connect to facilitate content licensing, co-productions, and distribution agreements. Dennis Ruh, a former European Film Market director served as the lead consultant. In addition to FMACCE, other partners supporting AFCM in its inaugural edition included MTN, Goldfinch, SOOP, SPCINE, and the Lagos State Government.
In 2026, Cannes' Marché du Film selected AFFRIF as one of seven international festivals invited to curate their own pitch sessions for films in post-production to sales agents, distributors, and festival programmers. On May 16, AFRIFF presented five African titles from Nigeria, South Africa and Rwanda in the Marché du Film's "Goes to Cannes" program.
Editions
2010 Africa International Film Festival The 2010 Africa International Film Festival was held in Port Harcourt from 1 December 2010 to 5 December 2010. The festival followed after its first official announcement at the 6th Africa Movie Academy Awards. The five-day event featured several activities that included workshop, screenings, film premiere, awards night and a fashion show. The event featured performances from P-Square and Duncan Mighty. The theme for the year was "Africa Unites". Eligible submissions must have been produced after 1 January 2009 and submitted before 31 August 2010.
Award winners Award Winner Best People's Choice Award Working Girl by Nigel Trellis (Antigua and Barbuda) Best Animation URS by Montz Mayerhofer (Germany) Best Short Film Pumzi by Wanuri Kahiu (Kenya) Best Documentary Stolen by Daniel FallShaw (Australia) Best Feature Film Soul Boy by Hawa Essuman (Kenya/Germany)
2011 Africa International Film Festival The 2011 Africa International Film Festival took place from 30 November 2011 to 3 December 2011 in Lagos. The event was sponsored by Arik Air and submissions were open from March 30 to July 30, 2011. Leila Djansi's Ties That Bind opened the ceremony with its premiere at Genesis Deluxe Cinemas. The event was anchored by Rita Dominic and IK Osakioduwa. Lynn Whitfield was the ambassador of the festival. P-Square performed at the Oriental Hotel on the final day of the event.
Award winners Award Winner Best Animation Le Parrain by lazare sie Pale (Burkina Faso) People's Choice Award The Education of Auma Obama by Branwen Okpako (Kenya) Best Short Film Blissi N'Diaye by Nicolas Sawaco (France) Best Documentary The Unbroken Spirit by Monica Wangu Wamwere (Kenya) Best Feature Film Aramotu by Niji Akanni (Nigeria)
2013 Africa International Film Festival The 2013 Africa International Film Festival was held from 10 November to 17 November 2013 at Tinapa, Cross River. The event was hosted by Darey Art Alade and TV personality, Michelle Dede. The event was sponsored by UBA. South African film Of Good Report won the Best Feature Film.
Award winners
Award Winner Best Feature Film Of Good Report (South Africa) President's Best Authentic Nigerian Film The Meeting by Mildred Okwo Best Director Roberta Durrant for Felix Best Film Screenplay iNumber Number Best Actor Desmond Elliot (Lies Men Tell) Best Actress Uche Jombo (Lies Men Tell) Special Jury Mention Rita Dominic and Omoni Oboli Best Student Film Sodiq by Adeyemi Michael Best Short Film Adamt by Zalem Worldmariam (Ethiopia) Special Jury Mention Beleh by Eka Christa Assam (Cameroun) Special Mention Africa Shafted Best Documentary The Virgin, the Copts and Me by Namir Abdel Messeeh Jury Special Prize Virgin Margarida by Licinio Azevedo
2014 Africa International Film Festival The 2014 Africa International Film Festival was held from 9 November 2014 to 16 November 2014 at Tinapa, Cross River.
Award winners Award Winner Best Feature Film October 1 (Kunle Afolayan) – Nigeria Best Nigerian Film Ojuju (C.J. Obasi) – Nigeria Best Director Andrew Dosunmu (Mother of George) – Nigeria Best Screenplay October 1 (Tunde Babalola) – Nigeria Best Actor Sadiq Daba (October 1) – Nigeria Best Actress Thishiwe Ziqubu (Hard to – South Africa Best Short Film Stiff (Samantha Nell) Best Documentary The Supreme Price (Joana Lipper) Best Student Short Aissa's Story (Iquo Essien) Audience Choice Gone Too Far! (Destiny Ekaragha) Outstanding Jury Award Om Amira (Naji Ismail)
2015 Africa International Film Festival Awards winners
Award Winner Outstanding Jury Award Hex by Clarence Peters Best Student Short Film Joy by Solomon Onita Best Animation Legacy of Rubies by Ebele Okoye Best Short Film on the Continent Alma by Christa Eka Amaka Audience Choice Awards Silent Tears by Ishaya Bako Best Actor Charlie Vundla Best Actress Fulu Mugovhani (Ayanda) Best Screenplay The Price of Love Best Documentary Eighteam Oronto Douglas Award for Best Nigerian Film Reflections (Desmond Elliot) Best Director Raja Amari Best Feature Film Fevers by Hicham Ayouch
2016 Africa International Film Festival The 2016 AFRIFF Globe Awards held on Saturday, 19 November 2016, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Awards winners Award Winner: Special Jury Prize Vaya by Akin Omotoso Best Short Film Lodgers by Keni Ogunlola Audience Choice Award Slow Country Best Actor Ramsey Nouah ('76) Best Actress Bimbo Akintola (93 Days) Best Screenplay '76 by Emmanuel Okomanyi Best Documentary Nowhere to Run by Dan McCain Oronto Douglas Award for Best Nigerian Film Green White Green by Abba Makama Best Director Izu Ojukwu ('76) Best Feature Film '76 by Izu Ojukwu Special Jury Mentions Somkele Idhalama (93 Days)Ifeanyi Dike (Green White Green)
2017 Africa International Film Festival AFRIFF 2017 featured the following; Panel sessions, screenings, school children segment and various trainings.
Awards winners
Award Winner Best Actor Ibrahim Koma, Wùlu (Mali) Best Actress Lydia Forson, Keteke (Ghana) Special Jury Mention Alter Ego by Moses Inwang (Nigeria) Oronto Douglas Award for Best Nigerian Film Hakkunde by Oluseyi Amuwa (Nigeria) Best Screenplay: Dauda Coulibali, Wulu (Mali) Best Director Alain Gomis, Felicité (Senegal) Audience Choice Award The Lost Café by Kenneth Gyang (Nigeria) Best Student Short Film The Fall (South Africa) Best Short Film 1745 by Gordon Napier (UK) Best Animation Huse Met Lang Ore (South Africa) Best Documentary We Have Never Been Kids by Mahmood Soliman (Egypt) Best Feature Film I Am Not a Witch by Rungano Nyoni (Zambia/UK) Best French Language Film Wulu (Mali)
2018 Africa International Film Festival The 8th annual AFRIFF was held from 11 to 17 November 2018 at Twin Waters Entertainment Center in Lagos, Nigeria.
Awards winners +AwardWinnerBest Feature FilmAzali by Kwabena Gyansah (Ghana)Special Jury for Outstanding FilmNot in My Neighbourhood (South Africa)Best DirectorJahmil X.T. Qubeka, Sew the Winter to My Skin (South Africa)Best ScreenplayAzali (Ghana)Best ShortCoat of Harms (Nigeria)Best AnimationA Kalabanda Ate My Homework (Uganda)Best Student ShortImfura (Rwanda)Documentary - Special MentionCantadoras. Musical Memories of Life and death in Colombia (COLOMBIA)Best DocumentaryRamothopo the Centenarian (South Africa)Best Male PerformanceEzra Mabengeza, Sew the Winter to My Skin (South Africa)Best Female PerformanceAsana Alhassan, Azali (Ghana)Viewers Choice AwardKasala! (Nigeria)
2019 Africa International Film Festival The 9th annual AFRIFF was held from November 10 to 16, 2019 at Filmhouse Cinemas in Landmark, Retail Village, Lagos, Nigeria. It was organized in partnership with the US Consulate, Access Bank and Lagos State. The 2019 AFRIFF was focused on the ''SHEROES" that is the Female Film Makers.
Awards winners +AwardWinnerBest Feature FilmRattlesnakes, Julius Amedume (USA)Best DirectorAkin Omotoso, The Ghost & The House of Truth (Nigeria)Best Screenplay Ramata Sy, Our Lady of The Nile (Rwanda)Best Male PerformanceBongile Mantsai, Knuckle City (South Africa)Best Female PerformanceKate Henshaw, The Ghost & House of Truth (Nigeria)Best ShortMy Tyson (Italy)Best DocumentaryIn Search (Kenya)Best AnimationMalika - Warrior Queen (Nigeria)Best Student ShortLinger (USA)Short - Special MentionAppreciation (UK)Fiction - Special MentionGold Coast Lounge (Ghana)Special Jury for outstanding filmSankara is Not Dead (Burkina Faso)Oronto Douglas Award for Best Nigerian FilmThe Ghost & The House of Truth (Nigeria)Peter Obi Legacy Award for Female ExcellenceLizzy Ovoeme (Nigeria)Viewers Choice AwardRattlesnakes, Julius Amedume (USA)
2021 Africa International Film Festival The 10th annual AFRIFF was held from 7 to 13 November 2021 at Terra Kulture, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. It was the first edition after a one-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Awards winners