The Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF) is an annual film festival that takes place in Accra, Ghana. The festival aims to promote and celebrate the works of filmmakers from Africa and the African diaspora, as well as to provide a platform for African films to be showcased on an international stage.
BSIFF was founded in 2016 by Juliet Asante, a Ghanaian filmmaker and actress, with the aim of creating a space for African cinema to be celebrated and recognized. The festival features film screenings, panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities for filmmakers, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts.
The festival accepts submissions of feature-length and short films in various categories, including fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental films. BSIFF also presents awards in different categories, including Best Feature Film, Best Short Film, Best Documentary, Best Animation, and Best Student Film.
BSIFF has become a prominent event in the African film industry, attracting filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals from across the continent and beyond. The festival has also played a crucial role in promoting the growth of the film industry in Ghana and Africa as a whole.
Our 8th edition will take place from September 19th-24th, 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.
Award Categories for BSIFF include:
- Best Documentary Film: A non-fiction film of any length about real events and people, often transcending traditional narrative structures. Documentary [is] the creative treatment of reality .
- Best Feature Film: A film based on a fictional script that employs actors. Length more than 60 minutes and up to 120' mins.
- Best Short Fiction Film: The film must be less than 60 min.
- 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 or production houses.. Evidence of a student card and an email confirmation from the Head of the department is a must and must be submitted to the Festival at the time of submission in order for the film to qualify.
- Best Women in Film: Film must have a predominantly female crew. Any three of the Producer, directors, cinematographers, and/or Writers must be women. Proof of this must be submitted to the Festival at time of submission.
- Best Animated Film: An animated film of any length from any part of the world.
- The ‘Odehye3’: To recognize the next generation of Ghanaian filmmakers. Films must have predominantly Ghanaian crew. Either the Producer, Director, Cinematographer, and/or Writer must be Ghanaian. Proof of this must be submitted to the Festival at time of submission.
- Best Music Film (Music Video): To recognize 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.
- Best Screenplay
- Best Cinematography
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Editing