FilmAid Kenya Film Festival 2026

The regulations for submission of short films by global filmmakers into this year's film festival are as follows;
1. The deadline for submissions is Friday, 31st August 2026.
2. Applicants MUST be at least 18 years old or have expressed permission to enter this festival from their parents/guardians.
3. Submitted films MUST be under 30 min in duration.
4. Submitted films MUST address the festival's 2026 theme of "Stories Of War". The festival welcomes broad interpretations of that theme.
5. Films will be evaluated in relation to the overall festival theme, and weight will be given to filmmakers who have direct personal relationships with the subjects, or subject matter, portrayed in their films.
6. Early entry is encouraged but will not guarantee acceptance.
7. Multiple entries are allowed from a filmmaker, and each entry may be entered in multiple categories. For more information on available categories, visit https://filmfreeway.com/filmaidkenyafilmfestival
8. Year of Production: We ONLY accept films produced between 2022 - 2025.
9. Submissions other than English MUST be subtitled.
10. All subtitles MUST be embedded into the film.
11. We accept only secure links to online entries, e.g., Youtube or Vimeo. Entries can also be submitted directly through FilmFreeway at https://filmfreeway.com/filmaidkenyafilmfestival
12. Films MUST be sent as links from 3rd party servers such as Vimeo, YouTube, or other secure websites. We do not accept downloaded data or Dropbox submissions. Please provide a password if protected.
13. Entrants agree that any still images from the film submitted may be used for promotional purposes. Entrants may choose the still image used for promotional purposes by attaching it to the application.
14. Submitted films will be entered into those categories chosen by the entrant.
15. The winners and runners-up will be announced at the Awards Gala ceremony on the 30th of October 2025
16. A panel of curators will identify the winning films. The curators' decision is final.
17. After curation is completed, only nominees in each category will be notified.
18. FilmAid Kenya Film Festival does not pay screening fees.
19. If the film includes synchronized music, it MUST be accompanied by evidence of worldwide copyright clearance within the term that includes at least 24th September 2025, preferably in perpetuity.
20. If the film includes original music, the entrants MUST include a copy of the agreement in their application.
21. FilmAid Kenya reserves the right to film Behind-The-Scenes footage from the festival and use footage from submitted films as promotional material.