I WILL TELL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

I Will Tell is an International Film Festival that celebrates powerful, authentic and sometimes hidden or forgotten stories from independent filmmakers around the world.

These are films that show that turning on the light is the best way of fighting the darkness.

These are high quality films, many of which have gone on to be nominated (and sometimes to win) in various categories at the BAFTAs and the OSCARS. Screenings are followed by post- screening talks with filmmakers, other experts and the wider audience to discuss filmmaking, issues raised in the films and the transforming power of Love.

2023 Festival Winners included Celia Imrie (Best Supporting Actress) Catherine Joy White (Best Actress), Sean Patrick Flannery (Best Actor) and Kammy Darweish.(Best Actor)

2022 Festival Winners included: LEDISI (Best Actress), Cathy Tyson (Best Actress). Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story (Ndinadsawapanga Award), Slovo House - Ukraine (Best Narrative Feature).

Our mission is to host, encourage and support the best of the world’s established and emerging filmmaking talent creating story-telling masterpieces. They are stories that empower the people whose voices would not otherwise be heard or whose stories have been hidden in distant memories, ignored or deliberately withheld from us. They are stories that provoke awe and wonder.

Previous venues have included the British Film Institute, the Curzon Mayfair, Birmingham Town Hall and the Odeon. Leicester Square. In 2023 we expanded to Birmingham, Bristol, Stoke on Trent.

The US Festival takes place in late October/early November in Fort Lauderdale.
Full details will be added to our website and communicated to filmmakers in competition.

A small number of films will also be selected for our charitable screenings in Trinidad and Tobago mid-August.

The name of the festival was inspired by a young girl, called Anel, from an impoverished area in Mozambique who wanted the world to know her story in all its simplicity, authenticity, imperfection and power. She taught festival director, Jenny Lee, he word Ndindsawapanga which means I Will Tell.

Today I Will Tell gathers stories from around the world that contribute to a more complete global narrative, challenging perspectives and inspiring and motivating in ways that are truly transformative. Our festivals in the UK, US and the Caribbean premiere high quality narrative features, documentaries, shorts and animation. Each screening is followed by an inspirational post-screening discussion with filmmakers, community leaders, country ambassadors, subject matter experts and an engaged, culturally diverse and socially- conscious public. These discussions create a space for connecting filmmakers, change pioneers and the wider audience. Together we uncover deeper truths, enhance global empathy and catalyze change at an individual and societal level.

Our jury has included Bart Gavigan (Filmmaker and Hollywood script
doctor), Max Oginni (Animator, Mr Bean Series), Lashana Lynch (007, Fast Girls), Prof Robert Beckford (BBC and Channel 4), Dionne Walker
(Producer, THE HARD STOP), Oris Erhuero (Sometimes in April) .
Martin Kiszko (Academic and Storyteller)
Mischa Marcus, Director (I AM STILL HERE).

Our guests have included Lily James (Mama Mia), Raymond Santana (Exonerated Five) and Rev Dr Otis Moss III. We have premiered films by award-winning filmmakers such as Ava DuVernay as well as upcoming talents such as the Oscar nominated Kang Quintus.

2023 will be our 17th year showcasing award-winning films from over 50 countries of a variety of genres from micro animations to epic feature-length dramas followed by thought-provoking and inspirational post-screening discussions.

The date range is unusually wide to accommodate the UK , US and Trinidadian event dates. Full details of dates of each country's festival will be announced on our website www.iwilltell.com.

We love stories that challenge, awe us, shake us to the core of our beings and open up our minds to other possibilities. We love stories that encourage, empower, equip us and inspire us. And we love stories that remind us who we truly are.

The full list of 2022 winners can be found here:https://iwilltell.com/2022-winners/

2021 Festival Winners are here https://iwilltell.com/and-the-winners-are/

2020 Festival Winners included
The Fisherman's Diary (Kang Quintus and JEnah Johnscott)
Dolapo is Fine (Ethosheia Hylton)
The Salt of the Earth, Gunpei Yamamuro) (Ryû Morioka )
The full list of winners is here: https://iwilltell.tv/pages/press-release

2019 festival winners included:
Marzieh Riahi (Driving Lessons)
Alex Blum and Noman Robin (A Modern Genocide)
Tomislav Zaja (Neighbors)
Emiliano Sette (Anacronte)

2018 Winners were:
Tedy Necula - Beside Me
Zara Balfour and Marcus Stephenson - Children of the Snowland
Stephen Gray - Discovering Heaven
Mohammed Bakshi - Are You Volleyball?!

2017 Winners were
Mischa Marcus - I AM STILL HERE (Best Drama)
Jonas Schaul & Oliver Becker - KINGSTON CROSSROADS (Best Documentary)
Samantha Babboni - ORDINARY MAN (Best Short Film)
Ya-Yu Lin - KEEP GOING (Special Mention)

At our 10th anniversary in 2016, Director KEN LOACH was given our DIAMOND AWARD

Special Screenings have included:
WHEN THEY SEE US (Ava DuVernay)
13TH (Ava DuVernay)
BIRTH OF A NATION (Nate Parker)
QUEEN OF KATWE (Mira Nair)
THE HELP (Tate Taylor)
I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS (Fielder Cook)

Other winners/outstanding films through the years have included:
A BOLD PEACE (NDINADSAWAPANGA AWARD)
PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL
BURMA VJ
INNOCENT VOICES
WOMAN THOU ART LOOSED

Could you be in this list this year?

We look forward to welcoming you to the 17th I Will Tell International Film Festival!