The Zanzibar International Film Festival is currently accepting applications for all African films (including African Diaspora) and films from the Dhow Countries' region- South East Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, The Persian Gulf, Iran, Pakistan, India and the Indian Ocean Islands. Films must be have been produced after 2018. ZIFF reserves the right to accept any films with a specific interest to the festival.
Films should preferably depict the Festival theme;Sharing Our Heritagewhich conveys the idea of merging concerns in a global village, cultural encounters, engagement andexchange. Films reflecting the theme of global cultural interaction, cultural encounters or sociocultural commentary will be given priority. Films must have been completed no later than March 15, 2020. We will accept submissions of works in progress only after agreement with ZIFF management. The Submission Deadline is 15 May 2021. The festival reserves the right to also invite films for screening at ZIFF.
Competition:
The main competition (the Golden Dhow and Silver Dhow) is only for filmmakers from the Dhow countries. These include Countries of the Indian Ocean Rim and Indian Ocean Islands, including Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan and India; All African countries.
ZIFF competition categories are: Best Feature films, Documentary, Short/Animation, East African Films, and The ZIFF Board will offer the following Awards: Chairperson's Award and Lifetime Achievement, Other competitions are open to the specified categories of entries and includes the following sections:

Official competition: This section is reserved for feature and short films, fictional or documentary films shot on film or DV, by African AND Dhow Country directors.
Documentary section: This Section is Open to all countries in all formats and genres..
Films Out of Competition: This section is open to all films including festival screening partnerships.

With the exception of Lifetime Achievement Award, all films are judged by independent jury panels.
The Juries

The official ZIFF jury for Dhow films is an international jury composed five (5) members at the most.
There will also be other Juries composed of no more than 5 members
No jury member must be involved in the direction, production or distribution of a competing film.
A certificate of participation is issued to all winning films.
The official prize list of ZIFF is as follows:

The Prize List
In acknowledgement of the great role, that films play in contemporary society ZIFF offers 12 Prizes during the festival. Awards are a measure of value that the industry accords and offers filmmakers as acknowledgement of their creativity, innovation and status.

The ZIFF Jury will offer the Dhow Awards in the following Categories:

Feature films Documentary Zanzibar Films
Short/Animation East African Films Bongo Movies


The ZIFF Board will offer the following Awards:

Chairperson's Award Life Achievement Award


The SIGNIS Jury will present its Award to a film that is deemed to exemplify universal and spiritual values that enhance human dignity, justice and tolerance through the artistic application of cinematic expression.
THE European African Film Festivals AWARD: Awarded to a film deemed the best African film in competition.


Submission Procedures:

Entry is online on the Festhome Platform..
Entry of Tanzanian films is free. A signed and fully completed application with publicity materials must be submitted. To be eligible for programming, the entire application MUST be completed and signed.

The submission deadline is 15 May 2021.

Completed Entry Form;

Press kit including technical and artistic data, synopsis in English, photographs, posters, press articles, etc.
Bio-data of the director

Mail submissions and accompanying materials to:

ZIFF:
NgomeKongwe (Note: this is the physical address)
P.O. BOX 3032, ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA
Tél: (255) 773 411 499
Fax: (255) 777 419 955
Email: ziff@ziff.or.tz
Please include synopsis, photographs, director's bio-data

Freight costs of selected films must be paid by the producer. ZIFF will not be responsible for cassettes or DVD's lost or damaged in the mail. Further, ZIFF cannot be held responsible for damages resulting from initial poor condition of DVDs
If you desire confirmation that ZIFF has received your entry, please include a self-address stamped postcard.
Selection results will be available, beginning June 1st, 2021. on the Website: www.ziff.or.tz Please check website
Any film at ZIFF may have five (5) public screenings at the most, including one press showing. However, further screenings could be organized if the producer so agrees. A signed release letter will be required if your film is selected.
Return of films if sent in hard copy will be at the cost of the Producer.