Call for entries: Black Star Film Festival in Ghana

The annual festival focuses on the business of film and industry advocacy and is committed to giving filmmakers the best development experience and networking opportunities. Participants are granted the opportunity to meet with fellow filmmakers, talent and distributors. They also attend daily workshops and panels designed to broaden their understanding of all aspects of the film industry.

BSIFF accepts entries in the following categories:

• Best Music Video: This newly introduced category seeks to award music videos worldwide, that have strong storytelling, conceptualisation and film production. The entries must be under 10 minutes and from any year regardless of budget, popularity or language.
• Best Student Film: This category awards student filmmakers; hence the film must be made entirely by students. Evidence of a student card and an email confirmation from the head of department is necessary.
• Best Women in Film: The film must have a predominantly female crew. Either the producer, director, cinematographer and/or writer must be a woman. 
• Best Animation: This category awards an animated film from any part of the world.
• Africa Rising: This category awards a film that connects to Africa’s unique story and stories that highlight special issues peculiar to the continent.
• The Odehye3: This category seeks to award the next generation of Ghanaian filmmakers. Entries must have predominantly Ghanaian crew: either the producer, director, cinematographer and/or writer.
• Best Documentary Film.
• Best Feature Film (60 minutes max).
• Best Short Film (60 minutes max).

Eligibility

Entrants should note:

• Non-English language entries must have English subtitles at the time of submission. BSIFF will not accept dialogue lists.
• Narratives must be more than 60 minutes.
• BSIFF conducts a dual-prong selection process. Kindly note that should your film enter the second selection phase, you may be requested to send in a hard copy. 

How to apply

• The entry fees for projects submitted from now until 28 February is $20. Projects submitted in March will require a submission fee of $25.
• Students and individuals submitting into the Music Video category will pay a submission fee of $10 for early submission and $15 for a late submission.
• Ghanaian can submit their films in the Odehye3 category at no cost.

How to Submit 

To submit your film, send the URL link and one DVD copy (optional). The festival requires that all films, in addition to sending a hard copy, be submitted via a password-protected streaming URL link. Links must remain active and accessible through September 2021. A downloadable version of the film must be available on the same streaming link (this is important if there is difficulty in streaming the film).

Interested individuals are encouraged to read the guidelines here before submitting their entries here.