The pan-African submission calendar.
From FESPACO to Showmax Originals — every track that pays you to ship work, in one living calendar. Filter by category, region, deadline.
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Netflix African Stories — Open Call
Pan-Africa - 10d left
JCC — Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage
Tunis · TN - 10d left
AFRIFF — Africa International Film Festival
Lagos · NG - 10d left
Festival Écrans Noirs
Yaoundé · CM - 10d left
Nairobi Film Festival (NBO Film Fest)
Nairobi · KE
All active tracks (22)
Netflix African Stories — Open Call— 2026
Pan-AfricaEmerging talentSubmissions open · 10d leftNetflix African Studios annual emerging-creator open call across 6 hubs (Lagos, Nairobi, Cape Town, Cairo, Dakar, Algiers).
Submission window5/1/2026 → 8/31/2026Event dates10/15/2026 → 4/15/2027Format: Script (10-15 pp) + director treatment (5 pp) + sizzle reel ≤ 3 min.
Prize: Greenlight + production budget up to $750,000.
Languages:ENFRARSWYOHAFESPACO — Pan African Film & Television Festival— 2027
Ouagadougou · BFFeatureSubmissions open · 116d leftThe largest pan-African film festival, founded 1969. Étalon de Yennenga grand prize and 9 official competition tracks.
Submission window9/1/2026 → 12/15/2026Event dates2/27/2027 → 3/6/2027Format: DCP 24fps, FR or EN subtitles, max 180 min feature / 30 min short.
Prize: Étalon de Yennenga: 20,000,000 XOF + statue.
Languages:FRENARJCC — Journées Cinématographiques de Carthage— 2026
Tunis · TNFeatureSubmissions open · 10d leftThe oldest pan-Arab and pan-African film festival, founded 1966. Tanit dOr grand prize. Strong Maghreb + sub-Saharan dialogue.
Submission window4/1/2026 → 8/31/2026Event dates10/28/2026 → 11/4/2026Format: DCP 24fps, AR/FR subtitled, feature ≥ 60 min OR short ≤ 30 min.
Prize: Tanit dOr feature: 30,000 TND. Tanit dOr short: 15,000 TND.
Languages:ARFRENShowmax Originals — Q1 Pitch Window— 2027
Pan-AfricaTV / SeriesSubmissions open · 132d leftQuarterly originals pitch window for episodic series, romance, telenovela, and documentary tracks. Anglophone + Lusophone Africa focus.
Submission window10/1/2026 → 12/31/2026Event dates3/1/2027 → 9/30/2027Format: Bible + pilot script + 5-page treatment + lookbook.
Prize: Greenlight + 6-12 episode production order.
Languages:ENSWPTZUXHSNRWCairo International Film Festival— 2026
Cairo · EGFeatureSubmissions open · 40d leftFIAPF A-list festival, b. 1976. Golden Pyramid grand prize. Anchor for MENA premieres.
Submission window6/1/2026 → 9/30/2026Event dates11/15/2026 → 11/24/2026Format: DCP, AR or EN subtitled, world / international / Arab premieres.
Prize: Golden Pyramid: $40,000 + statue.
Languages:ARENFRMarrakech International Film Festival— 2026
Marrakech · MAFeatureEvent in 97dHosted under royal patronage. Star-anchored, with strong international distribution pickups.
Submission window4/1/2026 → 8/15/2026Event dates11/27/2026 → 12/5/2026Format: DCP, FR/EN/AR subtitled, world premieres preferred.
Prize: Golden Star: €50,000.
Languages:FRARENAFRIFF — Africa International Film Festival— 2026
Lagos · NGFeatureSubmissions open · 10d leftNollywood-anchored festival with strong cross-continent and diaspora reach.
Submission window4/1/2026 → 8/31/2026Event dates11/4/2026 → 11/9/2026Format: DCP / ProRes, EN subtitled where source ≠ EN.
Prize: Globe Award: $10,000 + global distribution package.
Languages:ENYOHAIGFRSWDurban International Film Festival— 2026
Durban · ZAFeatureSouth Africas oldest film festival (b. 1979), pivotal in southern African industry distribution.
Submission window2/1/2026 → 4/30/2026Event dates7/23/2026 → 8/2/2026Format: DCP, EN subtitled, premiered after 2025-08-01.
Prize: Multiple awards — Best SA feature, Best African feature, Best documentary.
Languages:ENZUXHSNSWEl Gouna Film Festival— 2026
El Gouna · EGFeatureEvent in 54dEgypt's largest film festival, biennial International program in the Red Sea resort town of El Gouna. Runs the CineGouna Platform funding/co-production market alongside screenings.
Submission window4/15/2026 → 6/30/2026Event dates10/15/2026 → 10/23/2026Format: DCP or standard digital formats, EN subtitles preferred.
Prize: Golden Star award + cash prizes; CineGouna Platform film financing.
Languages:ARENFRDEESPan African Film Festival (PAFF)— 2027
Los Angeles · USFeatureSubmissions open · 86d leftThe largest US festival for African and African-diaspora cinema. Open to filmmakers from across the continent.
Submission window6/1/2026 → 11/15/2026Event dates2/9/2027 → 2/20/2027Format: DCP / H.264, EN subtitled where source ≠ EN.
Prize: Audience and jury awards across 9 tracks.
Languages:ENFRARSWYOHAAMLuxor African Film Festival— 2026
Luxor · EGFeature15th edition (2026) honors Youssef Chahine's centennial. Pan-African festival focused on African and diasporic feature and documentary cinema.
Submission window1/15/2026 → 2/15/2026Event dates3/30/2026 → 4/5/2026Format: DCP 2K/4K, Blu-ray, or H.264 MOV with embedded subtitles.
Prize: Golden Tanit award; international recognition for emerging African filmmakers.
Languages:ARENFRSWZanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF)— 2026
Stone Town · TZDocumentaryEast Africas largest cultural festival, mixing film + music + open-call talks. Strong on Swahili-cinema visibility.
Submission window1/1/2026 → 4/30/2026Event dates7/4/2026 → 7/12/2026Format: H.264 or DCP, EN/SW subtitles.
Prize: ZIFF Dhow Awards across 6 tracks.
Languages:SWENAREncounters South African International Documentary Festival— 2026
Cape Town & Johannesburg · ZADocumentaryAfrica's longest-running documentary festival — 28th edition (2026), 50+ films from 33 countries across dual Cape Town/Johannesburg venues. Oscar-qualifying.
Submission window9/1/2025 → 12/15/2025Event dates6/4/2026 → 6/14/2026Format: DCP or MOV H.264, EN subtitled, documentary feature or short.
Prize: Oscar-qualifying Best Documentary Feature/Short — cash prizes + distribution.
Languages:ENAFZUXHFRARFestival Écrans Noirs— 2026
Yaoundé · CMFeatureSubmissions open · 10d leftCentral Africa's largest cinema event, founded 1997. 30th edition (2026) themed "narrative sovereignty" — fiction, documentary, animation, and series tracks.
Submission window6/1/2026 → 8/31/2026Event dates11/21/2026 → 11/28/2026Format: DCP 2K/4K, MOV H.264, or broadcast-quality; FR/EN subtitles.
Prize: Golden Tanit award; distribution deals and film-market access for winners.
Languages:FRENJoburg Film Festival— 2026
Johannesburg · ZAFeature8th edition — South Africa's festival for South African and diaspora filmmaking. 9th edition already confirmed for March 2027.
Submission window8/29/2025 → 10/31/2025Event dates3/3/2026 → 3/8/2026Format: DCP or H.264 MOV, Rec.709 color space; subtitled.
Prize: Best Film Award + South African filmmaker spotlight prizes.
Languages:ENZUXHAFFRARKalasha TV & Film Awards— 2026
Nairobi · KETV / SeriesEvent in 24dKenya Film Commission–run national awards spanning TV drama, comedy, documentary, web series. Strong on Swahili + Sheng craft.
Submission window3/1/2026 → 6/30/2026Event dates9/15/2026 → 9/15/2026Format: H.264, 1080p, KFC submission portal.
Prize: Kalasha award across 38 tracks; KES 200,000 top prizes.
Languages:SWENAlexandria Mediterranean Countries Film Festival— 2026
Alexandria · EGFeatureEvent in 54dFounded 1979 — celebrates Mediterranean cinema and cultural exchange between filmmakers across the Mediterranean basin.
Submission window5/15/2026 → 7/30/2026Event dates10/15/2026 → 10/25/2026Format: Feature (fiction/documentary) and short films; DCP or MOV, EN subtitles.
Prize: Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor/Actress — cash prizes.
Languages:ARENFRESITELNairobi Film Festival (NBO Film Fest)— 2026
Nairobi · KEFeatureSubmissions open · 10d leftEast Africa's leading festival, founded 2016 — features, documentaries, shorts, masterclasses. 2026 debuts the NBO Project Showcase financing market.
Submission window4/1/2026 → 8/31/2026Event dates10/15/2026 → 10/25/2026Format: DCP 2K/4K, MOV, or MP4; EN subtitles.
Prize: Best Film awards + NBO Project Showcase financing/development support.
Languages:ENSWFRFestival International du Film Arabe d'Oran— 2026
Oran · DZFeatureEvent in 43dAlgeria's premier Arab-cinema festival, founded 1976, resumed 2024 after a 6-year funding hiatus. Feature, documentary, and short competition tracks for Arab filmmakers.
Submission window4/1/2026 → 7/31/2026Event dates10/4/2026 → 10/10/2026Format: DCP, Blu-ray, or 35mm; AR/FR/EN subtitles.
Prize: Grand Prize + category awards for Arab cinema.
Languages:ARFRENRwanda Film Festival (Hillywood)— 2026
Kigali · RWShortEvent in 57dHilly-Hillywood — a mobile festival that tours Rwanda by inflatable screen. Strong support for Rwandan, Burundian, eastern DRC filmmakers.
Submission window4/1/2026 → 8/15/2026Event dates10/18/2026 → 10/26/2026Format: H.264, EN or KIN subtitles, ≤ 90 min.
Prize: Hillywood Award + tour distribution.
Languages:RWENSWFRInternational Images Film Festival for Women (IIFF)— 2026
Harare · ZWEmerging talentEvent in 5dZimbabwe's premier women-centered festival — features, documentaries, shorts with strong female leads or male gender champions. Run by ICAPA Trust.
Submission window3/1/2026 → 6/30/2026Event dates8/27/2026 → 8/29/2026Format: DCP, Blu-ray, or H.264 MOV; EN/Shona or other subtitles, any genre.
Prize: Best Film award; platform for women filmmakers and gender-focused storytelling.
Languages:ENSNZUXHSWFRWestern Sahara International Film Festival (FiSahara)— 2026
Ausserd Refugee Camp · Western SaharaFeature19th edition — Africa's only refugee-camp festival, held in Sahrawi camps in Algeria. 2026 theme "Walking to Our Land," centered on indigenous rights and displacement.
Submission window1/15/2026 → 3/31/2026Event dates4/27/2026 → 5/3/2026Format: DCP, Blu-ray, or MOV; AR/EN/FR subtitles, any genre welcome.
Prize: Festival recognition + international platform for solidarity-focused African/diaspora voices.
Languages:ARENFRBER