The Black International Film Festival is a Film Festival with a difference, incorporating music, live arts and education while providing platforms for filmmakers and art creatives to exhibit their talents.

The festival, is a one week infusion of industry parties, showcases, networking events, educational seminars and screenings as well as the star studded 'MViSAs' Movie Video and Screen Awards. This Festival is the only event of its kind in the UK.

Over the last 11 years the festival has grown into a well know established event in the city’s social calendar which continues to attract celebrities and individuals from across the UK and the world. Headquartered in Birmingham, the Black International Film Festival makes use of stunning venues around the city.

Thanks to indie festivals all over the world and the 2016 #OscarsSoWhite brouhaha, diversity remains at the top of the agenda in the film industry, for now at least. As we enter another Festival year, our biggest fear is that the rise in protectionism, coupled with the bigotry which has been bundled up and legitimised as the voice of 'ordinary, working people' who have been silenced by political correctness, will lead to backward steps and greater division, and greater exclusion of those in the minority - women, people of colour, LGBT and those with disabilities.

It's as if the world's superpowers, who are so hard-done by, have suddenly decided to do away with globalism and getting along with one another. Instead each country, creed and colour has retreated to their respective corner. We hate corners. We champion the representation of people of colour in film in order to encourage more diversity in mainstream film, rather than to build a black film empire. No corners.

Best Feature
Best Short
Best Documentary

Shortlisted submissions will be screened online and in cinemas across the city during the Festival. All selected films for inclusion in the festival will also be entered into our awards program for the chance to win an MViSA Award. Winners which will be honoured at the Movie, Video & Screen Awards, (MViSAs) taking place at the prestigious ICC Birmingham on Saturday 28th October 2017.

Submissions are not exclusive to people of colour but must either feature people of colour, address minority issues, be produced by people of colour or involve people of colour who have had a significant role in the film's production.

By submitting a film, you grant us the right to screen your film at one or more Film Festival event. We may also use your submission and any other promotional material/photo’s and/or information submitted by you to communicate it to the public in all media, including via our website and publicity materials, or to advertise and promote Film Festival events, its products and services and to showcase your film.

Submissions will only be accepted online via FilmFreeway. All entries will be considered, however preference will be given to films that have not had a public screening in the West Midlands.

All submissions must be in English, or with English subtitles.

All submission fees are non-refundable.

In order to be selected for BIFF, the film, director and/or producer must have a presence on social media - both Facebook and Twitter. Selected films will be responsible for publicising their film on social media and other means and are encouraged to provide a press release to the festival.

In order to be selected for the live screening programme, a film representative or key cast member must be available to attend Directors' Q&A in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Short film submissions can be selected for either live or online screening (BIFF Digital).

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Fanshen Cox DiGiovanni

    Excellent festival. Sheryl Miller and the entire team made us feel like family from our first email exchange. The other films were all of high quality and the venues were top notch. Highly recommended.

    November 2017
  • BIFF has got to be one of the most well organized, high quality festivals I've attended as a filmmaker and sets a precedence for Black Film Festivals globally in my experience. I travelled from Canada to the UK to screen my short "C'est Moi" that was a finalist and nominated for MVSA awards for best short film. The reception I received, the hospitality, the communication and the festival coordinators attention to personal details showed that the facilitators cared about all involved. Sheryl Miller and the team deserve serious congratulations. I will definitely be recommending this festival to any who are thinking of submitting.

    The MVSA's were also a delight to attend. A contending award ceremony that rivals the largest in the world it was an honour to be recognized and nominated amongst extremely talented individuals.

    I will be trying my utmost to attend this festival again and again in the future.

    November 2017
  • The first film festival that I was accepted in to. A great experience, run by a dedicated team who cared about the filmmakers. I will enter again.

    February 2017
  • Constance Ejuma

    Glad to have had to opportunity to participate in this festival being run by some wonderful folks. My film was also nominated for an award which gave it tons of exposure to festival followers.

    November 2016
  • Nnegest Likke

    Can't stop raving about this wonderful and unique film festival. Boy do they know how to put on an event! They treat filmmakers special and offer their films maximum exposure. I attended the festival as a filmmaker from America and from the moment I landed in England, till I got back on the plane to go home, I really had an awesome time. The Q&A and panel they facilitated after my film was also very rewarding and allowed me to really engage with the viewers. Great great great festival. Worth submitting to!!

    November 2016