The Mobile Film Festival Africa is set to return for a second year in Rabat, the competition gives young content creators residing in Africa a chance to win $10,000 in prize money, scholarship funding and the opportunity to produce their own film.

All contestants can shoot a film using their mobile devices to be eligible for the prizes. The Grand Prize will be awarded to local talents that have paid tribute to Morocco’s cinematic industry.

The only guidelines for the creators are 1 mobile, 1 minute, 1 film. Overall the content theme is open giving the creators flexibility. 

Exclusively highlighting African creators was an obvious choice for festival founder Bruno Smadja who emphasized the prevalent digital revolution in the continent.

“African stories should be told by Africans for an African audience. Let’s support young cinematographic creation everywhere in Africa,” Smadja noted.

Competition prizes 

The winner of the Morocco Grand Prize will be rewarded $10,000. In addition to the Grand Prize, the winner will also be able to create a film with professional means and the help of an African producer.

Contestants can win up to $5,000 with other prizes, including the Francophone Film Prize, the EU Culture Prize, the Screenplay Prize, the Documentary Film Prize, and the Director Award.

On-screen talent can win $500 in the best actor and actress award categories.

$46,000 in scholarships will also be awarded to winners, with other benefits included.

The festival’s first edition, held in 2022, comprised 600 institutions over 45 countries that received 500 films from 38 African countries.

The original selection from 2022 featured 50 films that garnered over 14 million views.

The previous Grand Prize winner was Senegalese film “Je suis Liberte,” directed by Marcel Moussa Diouf, will begin production this year.

To increase the accessibility of the films, directors can submit their projects in the languages and dialects of their choice. 

The award ceremony will be held at the Renaissance Cinema in Rabat on June 8, 2023.

April 4, 2023, is the deadline for all submissions.

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