The first AfryKamera Film Festival was organized by FilmGramm Foundation in cooperation with the South African Embassy during the months of April-June 2006 under the guidance of the erstwhile Ambassador Febe Potgieter-Gqubule. It aimed to use cinematography to bring Africa to the attention of the Polish public. The 1st AfryKamera premiered in Warsaw and also ran in Krakow, Poznan, Lodz, Torun and Konin. The unbelievable media interest and good ticket sales during the first festival in 2006 confirmed our belief that Africa is a theme of immense interest to a growing number of people. Since the very 1st edition, AfryKamera has been well covered in the Polish media, which confirms the great marketing potential of such an event for Africa in general, as well as, for sponsors and patrons.
As it stands AfryKamera is the first African Film Festival in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the largest African-themed event in Poland and the wider region.
Since 2019 AfryKamera is now organized in December as the last event of the year.
In 2022 Ramat S. Musa became the new head of the festival and has thus changed the course of the event.
AfryKamera has managed to occupy a niche in the film festival market – although there are many international film festivals, they generally show a limited range of African films. AfryKamera is therefore the only festival in Poland dedicated purely to films from the continent. In the past few years the festival has decided to explore new avenues not only in the art of cinematography, but also in the presentation of African art, music, and culture.
The main events of the African Film Festival AfryKamera take place in Warsaw, Poland, traditionally in the capital city's premier arthouse cinemas. The 2022 event will last 5-6 days and presents 15-20 full length features and documentaries as well as some 15 short films from around the continent and from the African diaspora. The key motto of the festival is "Made in Africa", as the focus is put on the quality of movie-making on the continent and the enhanced capacity to make world-class movies.
For the XVIIIth edition we would especially like to ask for movies for our block East Africa Rising (focused on Eastern Africa, primarily Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania) and/or dealing with ecological issues.
We are also starting a new Diaspora segment #BlackFilmsMatter and welcome all interesting entries in this regard.
Traditionally juries awards prizes for best full-length narrative or documentary feature, while an Audience Award for Best Full Length Feature – an audience award for the best narrative full-length narrative feature or documentary
Similar awards are also handed out for short films:
Jury Award for Best Short Film – awarded by a jury for the best short film
Audience Award for Best Short Film – an audience award for the best short film