The Benin City Film Festival was launched in November 2018, as a new entity that offers a platform encouraging and promoting the works of local (community based) as well as National, and International emerging filmmakers. It is a cost friendly platform for showcasing these works in an environment where they have access to experienced industry professionals. BCFF is the only independent film festival in Edo State, and the only film festival that takes place in Benin City. BCFF screens premieres of international and national feature films, short films and documentaries on social issues. This year edition, with the theme BUILDING BRIDGES is scheduled to take place at Cultural Centre, University of Benin, Ugbowo, Benin City from 9th – 12th December, 2020 marks its 3rd edition.
At least 25% of our festival schedule is dedicated to foreign films, which broadens the film culture experience to all who attend the screenings in Benin City during the festivals duration,
The Benin City Film Festival is a team of people who work effortlessly to deliver a quality service to emerging filmmakers. We will give festival contributors access to some of the Industries most prolific names, both nationally and internationally.
Objectives
The primary objectives of the Festival are to provide a resourceful platform:
1. Where the business and craft of Nigerian films are enhanced and marketed to the film content consuming world by attracting quality film resource persons, buyers and critics from all over Nigeria and around the world to BCFF events every year.
2. for viewing some of the best of feature films, documentaries, shorts, and experimental projects for the entertainment and instructions of attendees and participants at the BCFF annually.
To this end, BCFF is committed to being:
A. A place for dialogues, healthy discussions and trainings to film business and film craft professionals and amateurs in and around the world by ensuring that BCFF is attractive to international film and motion picture contents directors to help enrich festival and participants through insights from their works and about the art of filmmaking
B. A machinery for exposing the ancient City of Benin in particular and the entire Edo State in general to a sustainable long term to a long term patronage of its vast tourism realities and potential to resourceful global creative business and craft audiences.
Finally BCFF is geared towards encouraging co-production relationships in films, TV shows, Documentaries and any other rewarding motion picture content between local players.
Modalities
The film festival pursues these objectives by making local and international visitors at the festival engage in the creative film-making process discussions through symposia seminars, trainings, screenings, content critiques, tourism events and workshops as well as providing quality entertainment (music, local , and sundry other events)
This year edition, with a prized awards of $5000 to be awarded to
- Best Film
- Film of the Festival
- Best Director
- Best Screenplay
- Best Cinematography
- Best Performance
- Best Feature
- Best Documentary Feature
- Discovery Award
- Best Short of the Festival
- Best Asia Films
- Best Asia American Film
- Best European Film
- Best Documentary Short
- Best Animation Short
- Best Music Video