Black Arts and Film Festival is now in it's 6th year is excited to bring 4 days of festivities surrounding the independent arts and culture community.

The City of St. Petersburg is the oasis and home of this unique festival. Beautiful, year-round warm weather, pristine waterfronts that canvas its downtown scenery, real beaches that look just like the postcards, Restaurants, and shops that make it the perfect to host this festival experience. Attendees will be enthralled with what this festival has to offer from our Virtual and Socially Distant Networking Mixers at some of the premier downtown hotspots, To our (DIY) Do it Yourself Workshops and Panel Discussions that are designed to help enhance the creative works of Black and African-American filmmakers both near and far, conducted by top professionals in the Bay Area just to name of few things happening over the course of this magical week/weekend.

Films submitted are screened by our panel of expert judges and carefully selected to be presented on the big screen at Highly respected historic screening venues in the city.

Visit our website to see more specific event information on what this exciting festival has to offer that celebrates the dreamers, visionaries, and creative storytellers from around the Tampa Bay Area and Beyond.

Awards & Prizes

BAFF Categories for Prizes:
Best Documentary
Best Indie Short
Best Student
Best Feature
Best Web Series
Best Horror
Best Music Video
Best Female Actor
Best Male Actor
Best Director
Audience Choice:

The BAFF Committee looks forward to seeing the wide array of Black indie films submitted to this years festival.

Rules & Terms

Rules & Terms:
Feature Length Films: Minimum 40 - 90Mins
Student Shorts: 2- 15mins
Independent Short Films: 6 - 30Mins
Animation: 2 - 10mins
Documentaries: 5 - 35mins
Web Series: Up to 3 Episodes 6 - 30Mins each Episode
Music Videos: No longer than 5Mins
Music Singles/Instrumentals: No longer than 4:45Mins

We accept films and music in the above stated categories in any genre. We do not have a premiere restriction, but do let us know if this is a national, regional, or international premiere. All films must be in English or subtitled in English. All films must be original work and clear of hindrances that would interfere with showing at our festival. We welcome foreign films of any genre. We reserve the right to adjust or amend award categories dependent upon submissions. Cash or in-kind awards may be added. Except where specifically offered, travel, lodging, and expenses will be incurred by the filmmaker. If your film is accepted, you grant BAFF permission to use the film for marketing purposes. You also may be required to have your film, if selected, converted into a DCP format if selected to screen inside of the AMC movie theater. You will receive a direct message from us if this is the case. Waivers may be granted on a special needs basis. Please contact us for more info on waiver codes for late submissions beyond Dec 25, 2024.

With your submission please make sure it includes:
-The director’s name
-The film title
-A short (50-words or less) description of the film
-Cover Art for your movie for display on our website, and marketing materials if selected.
-With your Music Submission please make sure it includes: Artist Name, Producers Name, Writers Name, and Where it was recorded. Please submit in MP3 File Format.
16 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Valentino Dors

    i appreciate BAFF for having me in there category, this one was special to me because it was my first ever acceptance by a film festival. i know i gotta work harder and keep this going. THANK YOU GUYS MUCH LOVE

    March 2025
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  • isaiah francis

    Amazing. I will attend every year. Cranston and his team are building a stellar presence in Tampa/St. Pete with homegrown world class filmmakers.

    March 2025
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  • Polita Glynn

    Wonderful opportunity to see a range of films and engage with local and national filmmakers.

    March 2025
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  • Dr. Christopher C. Odom, MFA, PhD

    This is a truly special and unique film festival. Festival director, Cranstan Cumberbatch, opens the festival with a tour of "Deuces Corner" which educates the group about the Black History of the area and enlightens everyone that we are on hallowed ground. From Martin Luther King, Jr. to Sam Cooke, back in the day, if you were Black and speaking or performing in St. Petersberg, FL, you were at Deuces Corner. The tour also includes a visit to the Woodson African American History Museum which is also in the heart of Deuces Corner. Cranston and his staff have a love of African American film and art and have created a unique space, place, and experience to give artists of color a voice. This is the festival to submit if you are ready to enter a transformational state of mind and being. It was truly a joyful and wonderful experience for which I offer endless thanks.

    April 2024
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  • Safiya Songhai

    This festival cares about immersing Black filmmakers into their history and celebrating the arts. Lovely and warm atmosphere. I would not hesitate to submit again. My film won something here.

    March 2024
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