The first AfryKamera Film Festival was organized by FilmGramm Foundation in cooperation with the South African Embassy during the months of April-June 2006. It aimed to use cinematography to bring Africa to the attention of the Polish public. The 1st AfryKamera premiered in Warsaw and also ran in Krakow, Poznan, Lodz, Torun and Konin. The unbelievable media interest and good ticket sales during the first festival in 2006 confirmed our belief that Africa is a theme of immense interest to a growing number of people. Since the very 1st edition, AfryKamera has been well covered in the Polish media, which confirms the great marketing potential of such an event for Africa in general, as well as, for sponsors and patrons.
As it stands AfryKamera is the first African Film Festival in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the largest African-themed event in Poland and the wider region.
AfryKamera has managed to occupy a niche in the film festival market – although there are many international film festivals, they generally show a limited range of African films. AfryKamera is therefore the only festival in Poland dedicated purely to films from the continent. In the past few years the festival has decided to explore new avenues not only in the art of cinematography, but also in the presentation of African art, music, and culture.
The main events of the African Film Festival AfryKamera take place in Warsaw, Poland, traditionally in either Kino Luna or Kinoteka, the capital city's premier arthouse cinemas. The event in 2018 will last 10 days and presents 15-25 full length features and documentaries as well as some 20 short films from around the continent and from the African diapora. The key motto of the festival is "Made in Africa", as the focus is put on the quality of moviemaking on the continent and the enhanced capacity to make world-class movies.
