Quibdó África Film Festival ()

Festival start: 14 September 2024      Festival end: 18 September 2024

In the 2024 edition of the Quibdó Africa Film Festival, we delve into a unique and vibrant space where Africa and its Diaspora converge. This festival is more than just a series of film screenings – it's a comprehensive cultural experience featuring workshops, conferences, and artistic exhibitions. It's an odyssey that traverses the realms of the unknown, journeying through time – from past to present and into the future. This event is not just about showcasing films; it's about exploring a space that embodies both memory and representation, a space that prompts us to reflect on our history and the myriad ways we have evolved.
The 2024 festival is set to be a grand assembly of avant-garde Afro filmmakers, representing a dynamic artistic and cultural movement that boldly reimagines new identities through the fusion of art and historical fantasy. These creators engage in a vibrant dialogue within this artistic whirlwind, challenging and redefining conventional narratives.
At the heart of our vision for 2024 is the concept of "afrodisruptive" cinema. This genre is meant to startle and challenge, to be potent, impactful, and unsettling. It aims to disrupt the tranquility of the status quo, upending and reinvigorating it. This revolutionary artistic concept spans 360 degrees, offering a critical reexamination and reinterpretation of African traditions and narratives.
In essence, the Quibdó Africa Film Festival 2024 is not just an event; it's a cultural revolution, a reawakening of perspectives, and a celebration of the relentless spirit of Afro cinema and artistry.

In the 2024 edition of the Quibdó Africa Film Festival, the Baobab tree stands as a profound symbol. It embodies an ancient wisdom, akin to a venerable elder who observes all, enduring through the vicissitudes of destiny and nature. In African culture, the baobab is a metaphor for strength, experience, and wisdom. Thus, it aptly represents the spirit of the Quibdó Africa Film Festival, signifying the deep-rooted connection between Africa and its diaspora. Beneath the Baobab, traditionally, sits the Griot, the storyteller, making it a symbol of spoken words and a pivotal element in communal life.

This symbolism of the Baobab emerged as we sought to articulate the spiritual bond between Africa and its diaspora. It represents the mysticism shared by Africans and Afro-descendants, the invisible thread of faith that erases boundaries and blends reality with fiction. For African and Afro-descendant filmmakers, the QAFF is more than a festival; it's a confluence where Quibdó beckons us to reflect on our collective memory and the legacy we wish to pass on.

Award Categories:
Baobab Grand Prize for Feature Film
Best Director Award
Special Jury Prize for Documentary
Experimental Grand Prize
Best Animation Film Award
Best Director of Photography Award
Best Screenplay Award
Best Soundtrack Award
Distribution Award for Best Short Film
Colombian Documentary Award
Audience Award for Colombian Short

The Arnaldo Palacios " The Stars are Black" Award would be a profound tribute to the legacy of the Colombian writer, focusing on films that illuminate Afro-Colombians. This award would recognize works that tell stories centered on Afro-Colombian experiences, highlighting the diversity and richness of this culture.

The award would prioritize social realism in film, seeking films that faithfully represent the living conditions of Afro-Colombians. It would be a celebration of human resilience and strength of character in the face of adversity.

Sections in Competition:
We invite filmmakers and producers globally to participate in these categories: Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Experimental, and other artistic and technical domains. The competition welcomes African descent filmmakers and those from other backgrounds who offer fresh perspectives on Africa. Short films can compete in the "Distribution Award" category, your short film should not currently have an international distributor or seller. Competition, showcasing thematic programs that highlight originality and style. Since 2020, a professional jury of actors, producers, directors, journalists, and more, has been awarding the prizes.

In addition to the prestigious Baobab Grand Prize for feature films, cash prizes will be awarded across various categories, celebrating the diverse and rich storytelling of Africa and its diaspora.

FESTIVAL RULES

The candidate must carefully read all the rules

Attention! By submitting your film to the QAFF, you acknowledge that you have read and adhered to the following standards.

• QAFF accepts films and videos made by both filmmakers of African descent and non-African filmmakers (Filmmaker needn't live in Africa). Preferably, films should depict positive or realistic images.

• Films can be of any genre - drama, comedy, horror, adventure, animation, romance, science fiction, experimental, etc. QAFF accepts features and shorts; narratives and documentaries.

• The festival is here to help the general public to discover the creations arising from Africa and his Diaspora. To support the African film industry by facilitating the broadcasting.

• All submissions must have Spanish subtitles; We can assist you with the translation and srt. file by proposing solutions adapted to your budget.

• QAFF will accept submissions of works in progress. However, your submission must be sufficiently complete to allow our programs to follow the storyline and be able to make a decision. We will only accept one work-in-progress version of your film, so please make sure to make it your best shot. (If you expect your final version to be 90 minutes, a 45 minutes rough cut is probably not acceptable.)

IF MY FILM IS ACCEPTED, WHAT PROJECTION FORMAT WILL QAFF ACCEPT?

• QAFF host theatre is all-digital. The only accepted projection formats for Feature Films are DCP, online link. For Short Films, you will be asked to submit an online link.

• If there are any updates for projection formats, you will receive them with your acceptance notification.

• We will not take DVDs. DVDs are strongly discouraged because they are unreliable for public presentation due to skipping, stopping, and other playback defects.

• QAFF will not accept watermarked films for public display.

• Promotional materials of your film must be send by mail.

• Copies of the selected films are kept in the QAFF archives as “memory-copies” for our records.

• QAFF is a non-profit organization. We exist thanks to the donations received from all people. As a result, the QAFF can not host directors and other professionals that officially selected during their stay in Quibdó, but we can help those who desire to come and find a solution.

• The films are under the responsibility of QAFF as soon as they are received. QAFF covers the insurance fees. QAFF responsibility ended when the copies returned. In case of loss or deterioration during the festival, QAFF is only responsible for the value of the film copy.

• In case of a dispute, if no agreement has founded, only the Quibdó jurisdictional court is deemed competent to settle the dispute.