Benin City Film Festival 2025
Theme: Stronger Together – The Power of Collective Filmmaking

The Benin City Film Festival (BCFF) 2025 is dedicated to fostering unity, collaboration, and Co-productions within the global film industry. Under the theme "Stronger Together: The Power of Collective Filmmaking," this edition highlights the significance of teamwork, industry solidarity, and the transformative power of storytelling when filmmakers join forces.

As one of Nigeria’s leading film festivals, BCFF serves as a platform for emerging and established filmmakers to connect, share ideas, and build meaningful partnerships. Through screenings, workshops, industry panels, and networking events, the festival aims to bridge gaps between filmmakers, producers, distributors, and other key players in the industry.

Whether you're an independent filmmaker looking for collaborations, a producer seeking co-production opportunities, or a storyteller passionate about uniting voices through cinema, BCFF 2025 is the space to connect and create.

Join us in Benin City from 27th - 29th November 2025 as we celebrate the power of collective filmmaking and shape the future of cinema—together!
Benin City, Nigeria
Submit your films now on FilmFreeway!

Awards & Prizes

- Film of the Festival
- Best Director
- Best Screenplay
- Best Cinematography
- Best Performance
- Best Feature
- Best Documentary Feature
- Discovery Award
- Best Short of the Festival
- Best Asia Films
- Best Asia American Film
- Best European Film
- Best Documentary Short
- Best Animation Short
- Best Music Video

Rules & Terms

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
1. Films in languages other than English must have English Subtitles, otherwise they shall not be considered for selection.
2. The Festival accepts only films without watermarks. Only Trailers or promos cannot be submitted for the selection process.
3. Films that have no online presence can be submitted by sending two full HD DVDs by courier to the Festival office along with a hard copy of this form duly filled. Kindly label the DVDs with title, director name, duration, phone number, and email id on it.
4. For submissions coming from outside Nigeria, the packages must be marked, “For Festival & Cultural Purpose only, No Commercial Value”.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:
1. BCFF reserves the right to showcase the film so submitted perpetually anywhere.
2. BCFF reserves the right to include the film or video and related material in its promotional activities.
3. All Decisions made by the Appointed “Selection Committee” regarding Selections, screenings, awards at the Festival in their entirety will be final. In the case of dispute, the decision of the President is final.
4. The filmmakers and their representatives undertake to use the official logo and the status of their Selection or Award strictly in conformation with DIFF 2019 designs and they further undertake to use such festival logo in all their promotions, posters, and marketing publications with the consent of the festival.
5. A film selected for the festival does not run in the competition automatically. A Jury will select the films that feature in Competition.
6. The Festival shall not bear/reimburse any freight or other charges in foreign or Nigerian currency.
7. Once selected for screening, the film shall not be withdrawn.
8. Entries under all categories shall be of films certified by the National Film and Video Censors Board of Nigeria.
9. The last date of submissions of ENTRIES IS 30.08.2022 and the Date of the Intimation of Selection will be 01.10.2022.

30 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Artan Maku

    We thank the staff and jury of the "Benin City Film Festival". This news makes me happy. The production staff thanks you for the welcome and understanding of the film "Cursed ".
    Communication with you was smooth, polite and a festival that promises a lot, it was great.
    With a postmodernist discourse, the film is simply treated, it has a post-dictatorial context, and many of the discourses are addressing our present-day relationship with yesterday.
    Where the rights of the characters are not unlimited, freedom over the right to do good, but not to destroy it through selfishness and jealousy.!
    This is conceived by simply treating a historical event.

    December 2024
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your kind words

  • Elad Mukades

    Thank you very much for choosing my film 'Let's Talk' for the festival!
    Bless you!

    December 2023
    Helpful
  • Natasha C Smith

    I'm deeply grateful to the Benin City Film Festival for the opportunity to screen my film, 'Something I Can Teach.' This festival has been a remarkable platform for my work, allowing it to reach a broader audience.

    December 2023
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you for your kinds words please, follow this link to see the 2023 brochure https://drive.google.com/file/d/179CpMZaalEqu7w4WnpFRYiC7mXQAIUbe/view?usp=sharing

  • Peter Noel

    Can we at least find out the list of winners? For example, who won the screenwriting competition? Nowhere do you post the results. You could at least post the winners here, if you have already accepted our money. It's not so difficult. Thank you! :)

    January 2023
    Helpful
  • Alec Morgan

    I had a documentary selected for the 2022 Benin City Festival that appears not to have taken place due to many difficulties. Despite this I believe the organisers were honestly trying their best to make it work and the idea of the online red carpet is a great one. I hope they recover again and are able to proceed in 2023. Important film festival. Best wishes to you.

    January 2023
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you Alec, for your understanding we promise to keep working on our short comings, 2023 will be great for every one, thank once again.