Nairobi Film Festival calls for short film submissions ahead of October opening

The Nairobi Film Festival has officially opened its call for short film submissions ahead of its highly anticipated return on October 16 – 26.

The category’s main aim is to highlight African stories, offering filmmakers from across the continent and the diaspora a platform to share their work.

“We’re looking for African Stories that explore textured, layered, ardent expressions of African identities. Could be about love, language, hair, fashion, music, home, land, grief, friendship, resistance, food, intergenerational memory, loss, belonging, contrast, continuity, across borders and cultures, you name it, told by African filmmakers across the continent and the diaspora,” the call for submissions said.

Eligible themes range widely from love, language, hair, and fashion to home, land, grief, friendship, resistance, food, intergenerational memory, loss, belonging, and cultural continuity.

According to the festival’s organisers, this year’s selection of films will guide and shape the event’s overarching theme.

All short films screened as part of this edition of Shorts, Shorts & Shots will also earn official recognition as part of the 2025 Nairobi Film Festival short film selection.

Submissions are open to African filmmakers both on the continent and abroad.

The deadline to submit is August 30, with entries accepted via the festival’s website.