In the 2025 edition of the Quibdó Africa Film Festival, we delve into a unique and vibrant space where Africa and its Diaspora converge. This festival is more than just a series of film screenings – it's a comprehensive cultural experience featuring workshops, conferences, and artistic exhibitions. It's an odyssey that traverses the realms of the unknown, journeying through time – from past to present and into the future. This event is not just about showcasing films; it's about exploring a space that embodies both memory and representation, a space that prompts us to reflect on our history and the myriad ways we have evolved.
The 2025 festival is set to be a grand assembly of avant-garde Afro filmmakers, representing a dynamic artistic and cultural movement that boldly reimagines new identities through the fusion of art and historical fantasy. These creators engage in a vibrant dialogue within this artistic whirlwind, challenging and redefining conventional narratives.
At the heart of our vision for 2025 is the concept of "afrodisruptive" cinema. This genre is meant to startle and challenge, to be potent, impactful, and unsettling. It aims to disrupt the tranquility of the status quo, upending and reinvigorating it. This revolutionary artistic concept spans 360 degrees, offering a critical reexamination and reinterpretation of African traditions and narratives.
In essence, the Quibdó Africa Film Festival 2024 is not just an event; it's a cultural revolution, a reawakening of perspectives, and a celebration of the relentless spirit of Afro cinema and artistry.
In the 2025 edition of the Quibdó Africa Film Festival, the Baobab stands as a powerful and evocative symbol, especially within the framework of “Invisible Borders”.
This ancient tree, with its deep roots and imposing presence, represents the ability to resist and thrive despite the visible and invisible barriers that life imposes. In African culture, the baobab is not only a metaphor for strength, experience and wisdom, but also a refuge, a space where communities gather to share stories, break boundaries and generate knowledge. Like the Baobab, QAFF 2025 becomes a meeting point to explore those invisible boundaries that divide, but also to challenge and overcome them. This symbol reflects the unbreakable connection between Africa and its diaspora, rooted in resilience and creativity, values that embody the spirit of the festival.
This symbolism of the Baobab emerged as we sought to articulate the spiritual bond between Africa and its diaspora. It represents the mysticism shared by Africans and Afro-descendants, the invisible thread of faith that erases boundaries and blends reality with fiction. For African and Afro-descendant filmmakers, the QAFF is more than a festival; it's a confluence where Quibdó beckons us to reflect on our collective memory and the legacy we wish to pass on.
Award Categories:
Baobab Grand Prize for Feature Film
Best Director Award
Special Jury Prize for Documentary
Experimental Grand Prize
Best Animation Film Award
Best Director of Photography Award
Best Screenplay Award
Best Soundtrack Award
Distribution Award for Best Short Film
Colombian Documentary Award
Audience Award for Latin American Short
The Arnoldo Palacios "The Stars Are Black" Award
Film Heritage Award for Best Archival-Based Production
The winning film will receive the Zarpar Producciones Films Award, which includes:
Comprehensive mentorship in development, production, and distribution
One-year hybrid (in-person and virtual) support. Valued at approximately $1,500 USD.
The Prize would serve as a profound tribute to the legacy of the renowned Colombian writer, celebrating films that shed light on Afro-Colombian narratives. This award honors works that authentically portray Afro-Colombian experiences, emphasizing the richness and diversity of their culture.
Prize: The winning film will receive the Cántico Producciones Award, which includes: An original score composed for the filmmaker’s next short film. Professional audio post-production services. Valued at $6,000 USD. A prize that amplifies the filmmaker's next story through the transformative power of sound
Aligned with the Quibdó Africa Film Festival’s mission to spotlight narratives that challenge the boundaries of historical oblivion. Best Audiovisual Production Using Archival Footage. This recognition aims to highlight works that, through creative, critical, or poetic use of audiovisual archives, contribute to reinterpreting history, reshaping Afro-descendant memory, and constructing new documentary and artistic languages. The Colombian Film Heritage Foundation will offering an in-kind award consisting of a future licensing package of archival audiovisual material valued at $2,500 USD
Sections in Competition:
We invite filmmakers and producers globally to participate in these categories: Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Experimental, and other artistic and technical domains. The competition welcomes African descent filmmakers and those from other backgrounds who offer fresh perspectives on Africa. Short films can compete in the "Distribution Award" category, your short film should not currently have an international distributor or seller. Competition, showcasing thematic programs that highlight originality and style. Since 2020, a professional jury of actors, producers, directors, journalists, and more, has been awarding the prizes.
In addition to the prestigious Baobab Grand Prize for feature films, cash prizes will be awarded across various categories, celebrating the diverse and rich storytelling of Africa and its diaspora.
