The Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF) is the largest and most relevant independent film festival in Ghana. Now in its 7th year, BSIFF provides a platform that inspires the love for film, cinema, and music; and supports independent filmmakers worldwide especially in Africa.

We aspire to bridge the gap between African Cinema and the World, providing the best global film knowledge, skill acquisition, training, and global film distribution opportunities for independent and aspiring filmmakers.

Focused on the business of film,

• BSIFF is committed to discovering, displaying, and celebrating the works of independent film artists to audiences around the World, through our film festival.

• BSIFF is committed to building a community of film enthusiasts and providing a platform where they can connect, network, foster the exchange of cultures, and explore business opportunities and investments.

• BSIFF is committed to educating, nurturing, and providing skill training & film distribution opportunities to independent emerging and aspiring film artists in Africa, through our educational platform, BSIFF Edu.

BSIFF is a movement of changemakers, inspiring hope in independent filmmakers. Our 7th edition will take place from September 20-26, 2022.

Join the movement, be a changemaker. Our home is Accra, the capital of Ghana and we offer the best cultural and film experiences to all our audiences home and abroad.

Awards & Prizes

Award Categories for BSIFF include:

- Best Documentary Film: A non-fiction film about real events and people, often avoiding traditional narrative structures. Documentary [is] the creative treatment of actuality.

- Best Feature Film: Length up to 120' mins.

- Best Short Film: The film should be less than 60 min. It's considered short once it's less than 60 mins

- Best Student Film (The Inspire Award): This category is set to award student filmmakers thus, the film must be made entirely by students and without financial or technical support from broadcasters. Evidence of a student card and an email confirmation from the Head of the department is a must.

- Best Women in Film: Film must have a predominantly female crew. Any three of the Producer, directors, cinematographers, and/or Writers must be women.

- Best Animated Film: An animated film from any part of the world.

- Best African Film (The Black Star Award): Film that connects to the special story of Africa and stories that highlight special issues peculiar to the continent of Africa. Films must have a predominantly African crew. Any three of the Producer, directors, cinematographers, and/or Writers must be Africans.

- The ‘Odehye3’: To award the next generation of Ghanaian filmmakers. Films must have predominantly Ghanaian crew. Either the Producer, Director, Cinematographer, and/or Writer must be Ghanaian.

- Best Music Video: To award music videos worldwide, that have strong story-telling, conceptualization, and film production. We accept music video submissions from all over the world. Music Videos must be under 10 minutes and from any year regardless of budget, popularity, or language.

Rules & Terms

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for consideration:

No film that has had any public screening in Ghana or is available on any online platform can be submitted to the festival. Your film must have a premiere status at BSIFF. Premiere Status films are those films that have not had the first screening of any kind on TV, in theaters, or any other film festival in Ghana.

Films submitted must be completed between 2021-2023. Any film created before the year 2021 will not be accepted.

Non-English language works must have English subtitles at the time submitted. Dialogue lists will not be accepted.

Early-bird entry fee for projects submitted from now until January 15th 2023 is $20 (US dollars). After January 15th, submission fees will increase to $25 until February 28th, 2023.

Students can submit at a fee of $5.

Regardless of your method of entry, the Festival MUST receive all entry materials no later than the applicable deadlines referenced. The Festival reserves the right to disqualify any submission, without refund of any kind, if it is not completed in accordance with these Entry Rules and Regulations.

Note: It is your sole responsibility to ensure that your entry is properly submitted

*All physical entry materials received by the Festival WILL NOT be returned and will be DESTROYED or discarded by the Festival. The festival may consider a post back at the filmmaker's cost.

Invited filmmakers will be notified by email or phone via the information provided on the submitted entry form. Make sure to update the Festival with new contact information. the Festival reserves the right to rescind the invitation at any time without prior notice or obligation to the filmmaker.

If your work is selected, you must fulfill the following requirements by the date(s) designated by the Festival:

By submitting your film, you:
(i) accept responsibility for obtaining any and all clearances necessary to exhibit your film at BSIFF
(ii) warrant that you have the rights necessary to exhibit your film at BSIFF
(iii) indemnify and hold harmless the Black Star International festival, its parent company, its affiliates, and subsidiaries, and any of their respective directors, officers, employees, and representatives against any claim arising out of the exhibition of your film.

You must deliver to the address(es) designated by the Festival:
(i) one (1) exhibition copy (technical specifications must be confirmed by the Festival in advance of the invited work;
(ii) a second exhibition copy, if your film is in the competition (to accommodate juror screenings);
(iii) additional exhibition copies, if requested by the Festival (to allow for multiple screenings at more than one venue). We recommend you ship all exhibition copies via courier in order to permit the tracking of your film once it leaves your hands.

The required exhibition formats and delivery date deadlines will be confirmed by the Festival after invitations have been extended and confirmed. Please check in with the Festival staff before creating your Festival exhibition copy or copies to ensure the format and technical specifications are correct.

You must provide a properly completed and signed official BSIFF "Film Information Form” including all press and publication assets as specified in the “Materials Checklist” (the “Film Information Form” and “Materials Checklist” will be provided by the Festival).

You must provide at least one (1) DVD copy or downloadable DCP link of the final, completed film for Festival archives and internal purposes.

Films invited to participate in the BSIFF will be shown in the section determined most appropriate by Festival programmers, at their sole discretion.

AWARDS

Unless otherwise agreed by the Festival in writing, awards will be given to the winning film director (as identified in the Film Information Form) on behalf of the film.

Award eligibility is subject to any restrictions or conditions imposed by applicable laws and regulations (international, federal, state, or otherwise), and the award recipient is responsible for all applicable taxes, customs, tariffs, insurance, and similar charges or costs (if any).

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
A number of our partners include TV stations, distributors, and platforms. Please indicate if you would like for your film to be considered for any of the above opportunities and also indicate the rights available

All Press kits, links, and MP4s (when required) must be sent to: bsiffsubmissions@gmail.com

WhatsApp or call +233 506481853 for further inquiries
14 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Antonious Bassily

    It was a great experience. It will get better and better every year. Friendly, fun and professional

    October 2022
    Helpful
  • Rod Sáez Chávez

    thank you very much fo everything

    October 2022
    Helpful
  • Ken Sagoes

    We are honored and deeply grateful that our film “The McHenry Trial – Don’t Judge a Kid by Their Hoodie,” was selected as an Honrable Mention in your festival. The festival is well-organized with great communication. May the festival continue to provide filmmakers a platform that fosters creativity and self expression.

    October 2021
    Helpful
  • Kevin Jackson

    I have never attended the festival but I did submit a film (A short animation) which was selected. This was back in 2019. I was contacted recently about a possible interest in distribution for my short through a third party BSIFF is connected to. This shows that BSIFF is really about the progress of the filmmaker. I really appreciate festivals like this. I will definitely submit again in the future and I can't wait for the day when I can actually go in person.

    February 2021
    Helpful
  • Mystik Studios

    Black Star International Film Festival 2020 is a festival to remember. In a nutshell, they did a splendid job in this trying time.

    September 2020
    Helpful