The second edition of the Mobile Film Festival Africa is set to take place in a few weeks.
Following the success of its first pan-African edition in 2021, the project aims at revealing and supporting the future talents of cinema by offering grants and professional support to the winners.
This year the festival, which is part of the programme, Rabat, African Capital of Culture, will offer grants of $46 000.
The format will feature an online festival with 54 films from 21 countries in its official selection until May 31, and an official awards ceremony at the Renaissance cinema in Rabat, Morocco on June 8.
This year’s official selection of films is available for free on their website and social media platforms.
Out of the 54 films, there a four selections from South Africa in the competition: “Blindness” by Bongani Ndaba, “In the End” by Nyiko Ngcobo, “The Bill” by S'bahle Hleza and “How to Write an Assignment That You Definitely Did Not Procrastinate” by Busisiwe William.
"It’s the beginning of a great edition thanks to the generous and enthusiastic participation of young creators from all over the continent,” said Bruno Smadja, the founder of the Mobile Film Festival Africa.
“Above all and as you will discover it, their films are particularly committed - committed to this planet that we mistreat, committed to women’s rights, committed against child labour and committed to the migratory crisis.
“At the Mobile Film Festival, we are proud to be able to share all of these young Africans’s visions with as many people as possible, in Africa and around the world. This is how we make their voices heard.”
In order to make the creations as accessible as possible, the films are offered with subtitles in French, English, Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish.
For this second edition, $46 000 in creative grants will be awarded to the winners. Nine prizes will be awarded, with scholarships which allow the winners to make a film by professional means. Here is the list of awards:
Africa Grand Prize: $10 000
Morocco Grand Prize: $10 000. This prize is accompanied by a 10-day screenwriting course at the ENS Louis-Lumière in Paris, offered by the French Institute of Morocco.
French speaking Film Award: $5 000 in partnership with TV5 Monde
ACP - EU Culture Award: $5 000 in partnership with ACP-UE Screenplay Award: $5 000 in partnership with Canal +
Female African Director Award: $5 000
Documentary Film Award: $5 000
Best Actress Award: $500
Best Actor Award: $500