The Poetry Africa Film Festival is a new component of the Poetry Africa Festival, a project of the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts. In its inaugural year, 2025, the festival aims to offer poet-filmmakers a platform to submit their short films for showcase during the main festival, which will be hosted in Durban, South Africa. This initiative seeks to foster creative exchange between poet-filmmakers and audiences, while highlighting the diversity of short films centered on poetry as a genre.

Poetry short films blend poetry with visuals and sound to create a distinctive storytelling experience. Rather than relying solely on words, these films use imagery and music to evoke emotions and convey ideas. This fusion of poetry, visuals, and sound amplifies the message and allows the story to be experienced beyond the written word.

The second edition of the Poetry Africa Film Festival will take place in October 2025, featuring short films from around the world as part of this year’s programme. The 29th Poetry Africa Festival will also be held in Durban from October 8 to 11, 2025. This annual international poetry festival is curated and presented by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Awards & Prizes

The festival offers a valuable platform for selected filmmakers to showcase their work to engaged audiences. While there are no monetary awards at this stage, the opportunity provides significant exposure and recognition within the film community.

Rules & Terms

1. The organizer and promoter of the Poetry Africa Film Festival is the University of KwaZulu Natal’s Centre for Creative Arts.
2. Eligible for entry are international films which are no more than 10 minutes in duration and were produced in or after 2024/ 25. All films submitted for entry in foreign languages should have English subtitles. All languages are allowed.
3. Deadline to enter is 20 August, 2025. Entries must include: film file (MP4 or MOV. (PDF, Word), a digital film still (JPEG or TIFF, high resolution Photo), very brief content summary of max. 200 characters incl. spaces (Log Line), biography (poet), biography and filmography (director). All texts must be provided in digital form. All submitted films which comply with the rules will automatically be considered for selection in the program.
4. A selection committee will select the films for the festival and recommend to the festival curator films with potential to be showcased at the festival. A jury comprising representatives from the worlds of poetry, film will decide on the ultimate winner of the short competition. Persons involved in the production and utilisation of any competition entry may not be members of the jury.
5. The festival reserves the right to screen films longer than 10 minutes or produced prior to the stipulated years. The acceptable screening format is MP4 or MOV. English subtitles are required on the screening copies of selected films.
6. The decision of the jury is made by a simple majority. The jury shall deliberate and vote in private and its members shall be bound by the obligation of secrecy. No member may disclose results outside the formal processes including on social media and members of the public.
7. The prize money will be paid to the rights owner by bank transfer or PayPal.
8. All entrants will be notified by email of the results of the screening by September 5, 2025. Please make sure your email address is correct and legible. No inquiries regarding the selection process will be answered prior to this date. No film may be withdrawn from the program once its participation has been confirmed by the Festival unless in an event where the festival makes such a decision.
9. Refunds
9. No submission refunds will be granted, it is the submitters' responsibility to ensure the film is eligible.
Any enquiries about the Poetry Africa Film Festival can be directed to PA by email at Gumedeg3@ukzn.ac.za