14th Annual Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF)
Celebrating 14 years of Connecting Communities, Cultures and Continents!

Set in Silicon Valley, California, the high-tech capital of the world, SVAFF is a highly respected destination event that draws hundreds of out of state and international guests. Voted 2015 and 2019 Best of Silicon Valley, SVAFF is exclusively focused on films made by filmmakers from Africa and its diaspora. The festival has built a substantial following and has become an annual destination film event that draws out of state and international guests to Silicon Valley.

Aptly themed “Africa through the African lenses”, the mission of the Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF) is to promote an understanding and appreciation of Africa and Africans through moving images. In fulfillment of its mission, SVAFF:
1.) Curates a world-class festival of African films and provides our audience access to the richness, diversity and vitality of Africa’s creative expressions.
2.) Promotes cultural literacy by hosting post-screening dialogues so our audience can engage and interact with African filmmakers on issues of personal, local and global significance.
3.) Promotes ideas exchange and collaborations between American and African film industry and allied services practitioners.

From our red carpet reception to film screenings, visual arts exhibit, panel discussions, live performances, African food, Fashion show, African market, etc., the entire festival weekend offers unique social and artistic visions that engage our audience in thought-provoking dialogue, and offer film artists and film lovers alike an opportunity to connect.

Filmmakers also visit key Silicon Valley tech companies and interact with their staff and products.

** We look forward to welcoming you back to our in-person program this year; join us!

Awards in all categories are presented during the Closing / Awards Ceremony and all films shortlisted films automatically qualify for awards:
Narrative Feature
Narrative Short
Documentary full length
Documentary Short length
Animation

Special Awards may be given at the discretion of the festival board of directors and jury, including:
Emerging Filmmaker Award
Cultural Icon Award
Special Recognition Awards for directing, acting, cinematography, sound design, editing, etc.

All filmmakers receive official certificates of participation and those in attendance receive "goody bags" with lots of treats inside.

The Board can also choose to honor a filmmaker, patron or friend of the festival with an award not listed.

Entry Deadline: June 30, 2023

Celebrating its 14th season in 2023, the Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF) is a showcase of seasoned and emerging filmmakers from the African continent and its diaspora whose works reflect the true stories, hopes and dreams of African ancestry people. If you are an African or Africa diaspora filmmaker with an artistic vision and voice that needs to be seen and heard, this is your festival.

SCREENINGS:
SVAFF 2023 presents an opportunity for filmmakers to have their films screened in Silicon Valley, California. If selected, filmmakers authorize Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF) to conduct screenings during the Silicon Valley African Film Festival, our year-round African Cinema Café Film Series and Africa in the Classroom program.

MARKETING AND PUBLICITY:
If selected, filmmakers will provide the following materials no later than August 30, 2023 to SVAFF:
• Digital images
• Press Kits
• Downloadable electronic copy of the film (MOV, MP4)
• A picture and short bio/filmography of the director

FILM FORMATS AND SHIPMENT:
SUBMISSION FORMAT:
• Only Electronic submissions are accepted.

FESTIVAL SCREENING FORMAT:
The Silicon Valley African Film Festival will only screen films in High Resolution electronic formats (mov, mp4)

LANGUAGE:
• We encourage films that are in native languages, but non English language films MUST have ENGLISH subtitles to qualify for submission and screening.

Email us at: 2023@svaff.org

Our mailing address is:
Festival Director
Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF)
816 North 1st Street, Suite 204
San Jose, CA 95112