African Film Festival Atlanta

Welcome to the submission portal for the 2026 edition of the African Film Festival Atlanta (AFFATL). Please take a moment to review the following guidelines and terms, which outline the conditions for submitting your film for consideration in this year’s Festival.

TERMS & CONDITIONS FOR SUBMISSION VIA FILMFREEWAY

I. ABOUT THESE TERMS
These Terms & Conditions (the “Terms”) apply to all films submitted to AFFATL through FilmFreeway for the 2026 Festival. By submitting a film, you agree to follow these guidelines and confirm that you are authorized to do so on behalf of the film’s creators and rights holders.

These Terms are intended to ensure a fair and transparent process for all applicants. If you have any questions or need clarification, please contact us at info@africanfilmfestatl.com.

II. AGREEMENT TO SUBMIT
1. By submitting a film to AFFATL, you confirm that:
You have read and understood these Terms;
You have secured all necessary permissions from the film’s producers, directors, writers, and other rights holders to submit the work for consideration.

2. Submission fees are required for all entries and are non-refundable. Waivers are available for students who provide valid proof of student ID.

3. AFFATL reserves the right to decline any submission that does not meet the Festival’s eligibility criteria or that may, including but not limited to, contain content or affiliations deemed harmful, discriminatory, or otherwise inconsistent with our mission to celebrate and uplift African and Diaspora voices through film and the arts. Films submitted to AFFATL must be created by and/or about people from Africa and of African descent. The content should have a strong link to stories told about people of African descent on the continent and/or the diaspora.

III. PROCESS FOR SUBMISSION
1. All films submitted to AFFATL must follow the procedures outlined in these Terms. AFFATL reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any submission that does not comply with the stated guidelines.

2. To be considered for the Festival, applicants must:
- Complete the submission process via FilmFreeway;
- Pay the applicable submission fee (see Section V); and
- We only accept online screeners either uploaded directly via the FilmFreeway portal or as password-protected Vimeo/YouTube links within the FilmFreeway submission. Downloads are not acceptable forms of submission.

3. It is the responsibility of the Submitter to ensure that the Submission Screener is fully functional and remains accessible throughout the review period. If the screener is not viewable, AFFATL may attempt to contact the Submitter for a replacement, but is under no obligation to do so.

4. Films not in English must include English subtitles. Submissions requiring virtual or augmented reality technology to view will not be considered.

5. Only one version of a film may be submitted. AFFATL will not review multiple edits or updated versions. Works in progress are not accepted at this time.

6. AFFATL is not obligated to notify applicants of incomplete or non-compliant submissions. Please make sure all requested information is filled out in the submission application in order to avoid delay in being considered. If information is not completed by the deadline, the application can be rejected.

7. Films must be made after January 1st 2023.

IV. SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND FEES
1. To be eligible for consideration, all films must be submitted via FilmFreeway by the published deadlines. A completed submission form and payment must be received before the deadline to qualify.

2. AFFATL offers multiple submission windows as follows:
- Earlybird - August 22, 2025
- Regular - November 14, 2025
- Late - January 9, 2026

3. AFFATL may, at its sole discretion, accept late submissions. Additional fees may apply.

4. Submission deadlines and fee structures are subject to change without prior notice.

5. Entry fees are non-refundable.

V. SELECTION
1. All eligible films submitted by the applicable deadline will be considered for inclusion in the 2026 Festival, taking place from March 26–30, 2026. AFFATL also reserves the right to consider and include films submitted outside of the standard process or timeline.

2. All selection decisions are made by AFFATL’s film selection committee and are final. AFFATL is not obligated to provide feedback, explanations, or updates regarding the selection process or outcome.

3. All notifications will be sent via email by February 27, 2026. AFFATL is not required to inform applicants of their status before the final notification date. If you believe you have submitted your film to the wrong category, contact us immediately at africanfilmfestatl@gmail.com.
While we can typically facilitate a change in category, the entrant will be responsible for any changes in submission fees. We cannot offer partial refunds for categories with a smaller fee. If the new category has a higher fee, the entrant is responsible for paying the difference.

VI. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, LEGAL CLAIMS, AND INDEMNITIES
1. By submitting a film, the Submitter affirms that:
- The film is original that you are the rightful owner/have the appropriate permission of the submitted work and own all rights and releases necessary for public or online screening. All legal clearances and releases, including but not limited to talent, intellectual property, music, and stock footage, are your responsibility.

- The film does not infringe on any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights;

- The film does not violate any laws or the rights of any individual or entity;

- There are no legal disputes or claims pending that would affect the film’s eligibility or exhibition.

- You give AFAF permission to utilize clips or stills from your film for screening and promotional purposes, including but not limited to use on websites, social media, printed materials, and live or recorded presentations.

2. The Submitter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless AFFATL, its affiliates, staff, and partners from any claims, losses, or liabilities arising from the submitted film, including but not limited to copyright infringement, defamation, or breach of these Terms.

3. AFFATL takes reasonable precautions to protect submitted materials. However, by submitting a film, the Submitter acknowledges and accepts that AFFATL is not liable for any unauthorized access, duplication, or loss of materials while in its possession.

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