Zanzibar International Film Festival 2025: Celebrating African Narratives and Global Cinema

ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA — The 28th edition of the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) concluded this year under the powerful theme “Where Hopes Take Place”, marking yet another milestone in the East African cultural calendar. The festival, one of the continent’s longest-running and most influential cinematic gatherings, brought together a vibrant mosaic of filmmakers, industry professionals, and film lovers from around the world.

Speaking during the closing ceremony, Hatiba Maduru, Festival Director of ZIFF, reflected on a highly successful year.

“We received close to 430 film submissions from across the globe, and from these, 68 films were officially selected,” said Maduru. “It was an exciting and rewarding week, filled with cinematic exploration in Stone Town and outreach screenings in local communities and villages.”

Beyond the screenings, the festival hosted a series of interactive workshops and thought-provoking panel discussions. Among the highlights was a workshop on documentary filmmaking, led by Canadian-based filmmaker Charles Domingo, which attracted emerging filmmakers eager to refine their storytelling skills.

Panel discussions tackled timely topics such as strategic content distribution and monetization, empowering women in film, and the growing global appetite for authentic African narratives.

“We are thrilled by the level of engagement and discussion,” Maduru added. “It confirms the importance of African voices and the need for platforms like ZIFF to amplify them.”

In an ongoing effort to forge international partnerships, ZIFF has been instrumental in connecting filmmakers across regions and continents.

“This year, we deepened our ties with filmmakers from East Africa, especially from Somalia and Rwanda, and those now living in the diaspora, particularly in Canada,” shared a senior festival official. “Our goal is to strengthen the link between African filmmakers and diaspora communities.”

This strategy, organizers say, is critical in tapping into the vast potential of the Swahili-speaking audience, which spans an estimated 400 million people globally.

“This linguistic and cultural bond presents immense business and storytelling opportunities for the diaspora,” the official added.

The festival also highlighted the rise of language-centered storytelling, spotlighting films in Swahili, Somali, and Amharic, showcasing the pride and creative strength rooted in East Africa’s rich linguistic diversity.

With its sights set on the future, ZIFF is already gearing up for its 29th edition in 2026.

“We encourage all filmmakers to submit their work and join us next year as we continue to celebrate and elevate African cinema,” Maduru concluded.

The 2025 edition of ZIFF not only celebrated artistic excellence but also reaffirmed its role as a cultural bridge — bringing together storytellers from diverse backgrounds to inspire, educate, and empower through the power of film.

ZIFF is interested to partner with other festivals that include Festival International Vue d'Afrique whereby the first diacussion was initiated by FESTIBEC

For more information on submissions and future events, visit ZIFF official website.