The Zimbabwe International Film Festival (ZIFF) is the flagship programme of the Zimbabwe International Film and Festival Trust. The festival, first held in 1998, is a showcase of the best in film from Zimbabwe and around the world.

The 2022 edition of the Zimbabwe International Film Festival (ZIFF) will be held 14 to 17 September. Running under the theme #Reconnecting, this year’s festival is our effort to reconnect with our partners and our audiences and help them reconnect to each other, as we emerge from the turmoil, anxiety and challenges of the past two years as a result of the global health crisis.

We want to ‘check in’ with the filmmakers and audiences on what we have learned during the challenging times, and from this shared knowledge draw new ideas for collaboration, new ways in which to make films and new platforms through which to distribute them in the post-pandemic era.

We aim to take advantage of the huge developments in how we use technology in both filmmaking and keeping in touch with one another to reconnect with Zimbabwean filmmakers both at home and abroad, as well as the local and global audience, particularly the Zimbabwean community living abroad, as we introduce them to the new local talent emerging and the great productions coming out of Zimbabwe.

Lastly, we want to continue #Reconnecting with our Zimbabwean and African history and heritage, following last year’s theme “Owning Our Story” and the work and research of our Narratives from Zimbabwe project.

ZIFF 2022 has now opened its doors and filmmakers are encouraged to submit their films, particularly films that relate strongly to the festival theme. We encourage the strong participation of quality local entries that compare favourably to the international films.

Awards will be given to the winning ‘In Competition’ films (shown during the festival only) according to the following categories:

- Best International Feature
- Best International Documentary
- Best International Short

- Best African Feature
- Best African Documentary
- Best African Short

- Best Zimbabwe Feature
- Best Zimbabwe Documentary
- Best Zimbabwe Short
- Best Short Film Project (SFP) Film
- Best Zimbabwe Director
- Best Zimbabwe Actor
- Best Zimbabwe Actress

Only those films that meet the following conditions may be considered for selection:
• Films must have been produced within the past 3 years preceding the Festival
• It is necessary that films have not been publicly presented in Zimbabwe
• Films that have neither been presented in television nor on the Internet/VOD without geoblocking.
• Films length:
Feature film - exceeding 60 minutes in length; Short film - up to 60 minutes in length;

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