FILMAID KENYA FILM FESTIVAL 2023
August 29- September 7th 2023.

Now on its 16th year, FilmAid Kenya Film Festival is held annually and strives to fulfill FilmAid’s vision to Inform.Engage. Inspire. refugees and their host communities in Kenya.
From stories that Inform about the impact of climate change to personal stories that Engage in addressing those barriers that hold us back, to stories that Inspire action in the resilience of the human spirit in the adversities we face, the narratives from the film festival will be a celebration of stories, voices, and cultures from the communities we serve, from refugees in Kakuma Refugee Camp & the Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement, to Dadaab Refugee Camp.

The key aim(s) of the FilmAid Kenya 16th Film Festival is to;

Share Refugee stories. This year's festival will continue to showcase stories that Inform, Engage, and Inspire communities, to tell their own stories in their own voice. The stories, through their eyes, will bring a greater understanding on the impact of those social conditions through the uplifting voices of their storytelling and creative works.

These stories will de-mystify and shape narratives about refugees. As stories are the catalyst for change as any one person's story can change the way we think — and in changing the way enough people think, it can change our world! The students will share with you stories on inclusion: refugees enrich the cultural fabric of communities that host them in order to build greater social-economic inclusion and peaceful co-existence

Submissions from independent filmmakers worldwide will be screened in the festival, from Kenyan and global films that speak to the theme and that are related to refugees and migration, providing an opportunity to share stories with refugees in the Kenyan camps, allowing for shared artistic communication.

The festival also provides much needed linkages between the students of the program to national and global artists, enhancing their skills, exposure, and opportunities of future collaboration.

Provide platform for dialogue on refugee rights and other matters on refugee protection with Kenyan and International communities promoting understanding and creating and enhancing protection space in Kenya. The dialogues will build and enhance awareness on causation of migration: ‘push’ factors that lead to migration e.g. climate and the environment (nexus of climate, environment, drought and famine) and socio-economic reasons (nexus of poverty and work; socio-cultural barriers) and conflict.

FESTIVAL DATES AND DEADLINES:

Call for Submissions: July 20th, 2023
Submission Deadline: Aug 15th, 2023.
Notification Date: August 25th, 2023.
Festival/Event Date: Aug 29th, 2023.

Awards will be offered to participants in FilmAid Kenya's Media Entrepreneurship Training (separate, closed category) and to Emerging Filmmakers. The jury will determine the awards based on the submissions received. Likely categories include Best Non-Fiction Short Film, Best Fiction Short Film, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Actor, and Best Emerging Filmmaker.

Entries Submission

The regulations for submission for entries by global filmmakers into this year's film festival are as follows;
1. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, 15th August 2023
2. Applicants MUST be at least 18 years old or have expressed permission to enter this festival from their parents/guardians.
3. Submitted films MUST be under 15 min in duration.
4. Submitted films MUST address the Festival's 2023 theme of stories that Inform, Engage, and Inspire. But the festival welcomes broad interpretations of that theme.
5. Films will be evaluated in relation to the overall festival theme, and weight will be given to filmmakers who have direct personal relationships with the subjects, or subject matter, portrayed in their films.
6. Early entry is encouraged but will not guarantee acceptance.
7. Multiple entries are allowed from a filmmaker, and each entry may be entered in multiple categories. For more information on available categories, visit https://filmfreeway.com/filmaidkenyafilmfestival
8. Year of Production: We ONLY accept films produced between 2020 - 2023.
9. Submissions other than English MUST be subtitled.
10. All subtitles MUST be embedded into the film.
11. We accept only secure links to online entries, e.g., Youtube or Vimeo. Entries can also be submitted directly through FilmFreeway at https://filmfreeway.com/filmaidkenyafilmfestival
12. Films MUST be sent as links from 3rd party servers such as Vimeo, YouTube, or other secure websites. We do not accept downloaded data or Dropbox submissions. Please provide a password if protected.
13. Entrants agree that any still images from the film submitted may be used for promotional purposes. Entrants may choose the still image used for promotional purposes by attaching it to the application.
14. Submitted films will be entered into those categories chosen by the entrant.
15. The winners and runners-up will be announced at the Awards Gala ceremony on the 7th of September 2023
16. A panel of judges will identify the winning films. The judges' decision is final.
17. After judging is completed, only nominees in each category will be notified.
18. FilmAid Kenya Film Festival does not pay screening fees.
19. If the film includes synchronized music, it MUST be accompanied by evidence of worldwide copyright clearance within the term that includes at least 17th August 2023, preferably in perpetuity.
20. If the film includes original music, the entrants MUST include a copy of the agreement in their application.
21. FilmAid Kenya reserves the right to film Behind-The-Scenes footage from the festival and use footage from submitted films as promotional material.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Acharya Gopal

    very fruitful for me, i am happy to sharing my organic film .

    September 2023
  • Reyegide Bulambo

    I'm delighted that our untold stories can now reach a global audience through the FilmAidkenya Film Festival. Initially, I thought only their students were prioritized, but we all have a place from qualification to our film projects.

    September 2023
  • Thanks to give me the chance to present my shortfilm and share the story.

    December 2022
  • Masoud Ghodsieh

    The FilmAidFilmFestival on of the best film festival

    June 2020
  • Thanks for the opportunite to show my work.

    September 2019