INAUGURAL EDITION OF THE LENS OF AFRICA INTERNATIONAL MEDIA AND FILM FESTIVAL (LOAIMFF)

Dear fellow creators & storytellers, You are sincerely invited to submit your masterpiece(s) to the Inaugural edition of the Lens of Africa International Media & Film Festival (LOAIMFF). The core vision and mission of Lens of Africa focuses on unearthing, co-shaping, and co-creating the Africa brand. We achieve this by celebrating authentic storytelling of Africa, Africans, and the global African Diaspora through Afro-centric content and media production. We actively promote an Afro-centric perspective and encourage all aspects of creative industry developments on the African continent.

Our strength is Unity.
Our spirit is Ubuntu.
We are the African Renaissance.

This festival will be launched on September 1 and 2 this year, alongside the Invest in Africa Summit in San Francisco. Categories include: African Feature Films, Diaspora Feature Films, African Short Films, Diaspora Short Film, African Documentary, Diaspora Documentary, African Media Art (photography), Diaspora Media Art (photography), African TV Series, Diaspora TV Series, African Music Videos, African Investigative Journalism, African Entertainment Journalism, African YouTube Shorts, African Instagram Shorts, African Facebook Shorts, African TikTok Shorts, African Podcast.

Judging Criteria

1. Authenticity and Cultural Expression:
   Content that genuinely represents African stories, cultures, or histories, contributing to a multifaceted understanding of Africa. This includes effective portrayal of cultural themes or stories in visual media.
2. Narrative and Visual Impact:
   Well-constructed narratives and strong aesthetic or emotional impact that engage audiences and convey clear, powerful messages or stories.
3. Originality and Creativity:
   Introduction of new ideas, techniques, or perspectives, especially those that challenge and expand narratives about Africa. This includes innovation in concept and artistic execution across all media forms.
4. Technical Excellence and Production Quality:
   Excellence in technical aspects of media production, including cinematography, editing, sound design, and overall production quality. High technical quality in visuals, sound, and editing in music videos and social media clips.
5. Impact and Significance:
   Potential or demonstrated impact in reshaping perceptions of Africa and its people, promoting Afro-centric perspectives, and addressing significant cultural or social issues.
6. Engagement and Interaction:
   Ability to captivate and maintain audience interest, provoke discussion, or interaction, demonstrating influence and insight.
7. Courage and Integrity:
   Demonstrated integrity and bravery in exploring and documenting challenging or sensitive topics, including thoroughness and significance in investigative journalism.
8. Representation and Diversity:
   Efforts to represent diverse voices and stories from across the continent and diaspora, especially those that are less commonly heard.
9. Adherence to Festival Themes:
   Alignment with the festival’s core themes of unity, Ubuntu, and the Africa Renaissance, across all submissions.