Trans Africa International Film Festival (1)

Festival start: 26 November 2024      Festival end: 30 November 2024

Welcome to Trans Africa International Film Festival 2024 (TAIFF). a groundbreaking event dedicated to fostering collaboration, capacity building for filmmakers, institutional strengthening, and empowering the next generation of storytellers. Join us from November 26th to 30th, 2024, for a transformative experience that celebrates creativity, innovation, and the power of cinema to inspire change.

The TAIFF serves as a platform for collaboration, bringing together filmmakers, industry professionals, and film enthusiasts to connect, exchange ideas, and forge meaningful partnerships. Through collaborative projects, networking sessions, and interactive workshops, participants will have the opportunity to collaborate on creative endeavors that push boundaries and spark new perspectives.

Empowering emerging filmmakers is at the core of the Trans Africa International Film Festival. Our program includes a series of masterclasses, hands-on workshops, and skill-building sessions led by industry experts. From script development to production techniques, editing to distribution strategies, budding filmmakers will gain valuable insights and practical knowledge to enhance their craft and navigate the competitive landscape of the film industry.

As part of our commitment to nurturing talent, the festival offers a Young Filmmakers Mentorship Program designed to provide guidance, support, and mentorship to aspiring filmmakers. Established professionals will mentor young talents, offering personalized advice, career insights, and hands-on experience to help them realize their creative vision and achieve their filmmaking goals.

TAIFF aims to strengthen the institutional framework of the film industry by engaging with key stakeholders, policymakers, and industry leaders. Through panel discussions, roundtable sessions, and policy forums, the festival will address critical issues facing the industry, advocate for positive change, and create a more inclusive and sustainable ecosystem for filmmakers to thrive

The festival provides aims to platform for stakeholders from across the film industry to engage in meaningful dialogue, share best practices, and collaborate on initiatives that drive positive impact. By facilitating connections between filmmakers, investors, distributors, and policymakers, the festival creates opportunities for collaboration, partnership, and collective action to shape the future of cinema.

Highlights of the Event:
- Masterclasses: Dive deep into the art and craft of filmmaking with interactive masterclasses led by industry experts.
- Film Screenings: Experience a diverse selection of films from emerging talents and established filmmakers that challenge conventions and inspire audiences.
- Networking Events: Connect with fellow filmmakers, industry professionals, and stakeholders at networking events designed to foster collaboration and partnerships.
- Awards Ceremony: Celebrate creativity and excellence in filmmaking at the festival's awards ceremony honoring outstanding achievements in storytelling and filmmaking.

The TAIFF was founded by Nixon Ayuba Waya, a festival programmer with vast experience in organizing international festival events and a prolific filmmaker with a decade of experience in this sector.

Join us at the Trans Africa International Film Festival 2024 for a week-long celebration of cinema, creativity, and collaboration. Together, we will shape the future of filmmaking, empower the next generation of storytellers, and inspire positive change through the power of storytelling.



Feature Length
This category describes film 45 minutes and above

Short film
this description comprises of films not more than forty (40) minutes in length

Awards & Prizes

Best Short Film ( Foreign)
Best short film (africa)
Best Documentary (Foreign)
Best Feature (africa)
Best Feature (Foreign)
Best Nigerian Indigenous Language Film
Best Animation
Best Film
Best Film (Foreign)
Best Actor
Best Actor (female)
Most Promising Actor
Most Promising Actor (Female)
Best Child Actor
Best Student Film
Achievement in Directing
Achievement in Editing
Achievement in Cinematography
Achievement in Screenplay
Achievement in Sound Design

1. (1) By submitting a Film to TAIFF for Festival consideration, the submitter (the “Applicant”) represents that he or she has obtained consent from any and all owners, creators, writers, producers and/or other authorized representatives of the Film whose consent is required to submit the Film to TAIFF(the “Film Owners”) and screen the Film at the Festival, and has read, understood and agreed to the Terms.

2. (2) TAIFF may disqualify or reject, but is not required to do so, any submission that it determines in its sole discretion, is not in compliance, in whole or in part, with these Terms and Conditions, and may do so without refunding any or all submission fees paid by the Applicant or returning the Applicant’s screener.

III. Submissions Categories and Eligibility

1. (1) Films submitted to TAIFF for consideration under these Terms must be submitted in one of the categories set out below.

2. (2) Films that do not meet the eligibility requirements for any of the below categories should not be submitted and will not be considered by TAIFF.

Category Eligibility requirements


3. (3) TAIFF prefers that all short and feature films presented are, at minimum, African premieres. We will accept submissions that have already premiered in Africa, but the film’s premiere status will be taken into consideration when final programming decisions are made.

4. All Feature, documentary And short films must be submitted via Festhome as per the Festhome guidelines.

5. (5) For maximum copyright protection, all selected films must be available for final screening at TAIFF as per the specifications of the festival in its communication with the Applicant.

IV. Submissions Process

Submission Procedure

1. (1) All Films submitted under these Terms must be submitted in accordance with the procedure outlined herein. TAIFF may, but is not required to, disqualify or reject any Film that is not submitted in this way.

2. (2) To submit a Film for Festival consideration, an Applicant must:

(a) complete the registration process on Festhome and pay the required fee as outlined in article V.2 below and (b) provide TAIFF with an online screener via Festhome for review by TAIFF programming staff. TAIFF does not accept submissions in any other manner or format, including: content burned to Read/Write (RW) discs, Blu-ray discs or trailers.
(b) Submitted films must;
i. be in one version only, in the original language of production, with English subtitles if the original language is not English.
ii. be labeled with the following:
(1) Film title
(2) Film length In hours, minutes and seconds
(3) Country of origin
(4) Production Company
(5) Sender’s Name, Phone Number Physical Address and Email Address
(6) Director’s Name, and
(7) Festhome Tracking Number.
iii. haVe the following marketing materials submitted with the film on Festhome
(1) A trailer
(2) Two film posters in the following sizes: Poster 1. A6 300dpi or 1240 pixels by 1748
pixels RGB 72dpi and, Poster 2. 88.19mm (Height) 79.38mm (width), (3) Film synopsis
(250 words or less), and (4) Director's Biography (100 words or less).
iv. once accepted for the festival, be screened at TAIFF using the format specified by TAIFF in its communication with the Applicant.

3. Accepted films must have screeners as per III. 4.(4). and IV. 2. (2). (b). iv. above.

4. Applicants with accepted films should test their festival screeners thoroughly before forwarding them to TAIFF. The Applicant has sole responsibility for ensuring that the submitted screener plays in its entirety and at the required standard. If TAIFF is unable to view the screener, TAIFF will attempt, but is under no obligation, to contact the Applicant in order to obtain a replacement screener.

5. TAIFF will not review multiple versions of a submitted Film. Only one version of the Film may be submitted. If multiple versions are submitted, TAIFF will view only the version that was received first.

6. Festival screeners will not be returned.

7. TAIFF is under no obligation to contact the submitting party and/or refund the submission fee should The Applicant not have adhered to rules, set out in Terms and Conditions 2. (2).

Shipping Instructions for festival Screeners where shipment is required:

8. All shipments must be sent by way of prepaid shipping. TAIFF will not accept collect/cash-on-delivery shipments.

9. TAIFF is not responsible for and will not accept shipments incurring expenses for terminal charges, duties, taxes or customs brokerage. Applicants should clearly indicate on all waybills that transportation and customs charges are to be billed to the sender. Any shipping charges incurred by TAIFF will be billed back to the Applicant.

10. Shipments should not be shipped in excessive packaging or with any materials other than those requested by TAIFF. There is no programming value for screener submissions arriving in unusual and/or unorthodox containers.