Africa in Motion (AiM) is an annual African film festival taking place in Scotland, consisting of film screenings and complementary events. Now in its fifteenth year, AiM brings the best of African cinema to Scotland—making it possible for Scottish audiences to engage with African stories and industry professionals from the continent. AiM has established itself as a major annual event within the Scottish cultural calendar, whilst also maintaining an international profile as one of the leading African film platforms. The festival caters to a varied and diverse audience from all over Scotland, the UK and further afield. A core aspect of AiM’s organisational work is its partnership development with various cultural and artistic networks and venues, with particular efforts made towards engaging the African diaspora community living in Scotland. Africa in Motion has grown from strength to strength over the past 14 years. Our own statistics show that we have screened around 680 African films to over 45,000 people in Scotland since the inauguration of the festival in 2006.
Short Film Competition Guidelines
Filmmakers of African nationality, from the African diaspora or who identify themselves as African are invited to submit short films of no longer than 30 minutes for Africa in Motion's prestigious annual short film competition. This will be the thirteenth year that the competition has been organised by Africa in Motion. A substantial cash prize will be awarded to the winner of this competition strand. The 15th edition of the festival will take place from the 30 October - 8 November 2020 in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
A shortlist compiled from all eligible films will be announced in August 2020. A high-profile jury of local and international film specialists and established African filmmakers will choose the competition winner, to be announced during the festival.
In addition to the overall winner selected by the jury, there will be an Audience Choice Award announced at the close of the festival, when both the jury's choice and audience choice will be screened again prior to the closing film.
Please read the guidelines and regulations carefully before submitting your film.
AFRICA IN MOTION 2020 SHORT FILM COMPETITION GUIDELINES
o We accept entries from all filmmakers of African nationality, from the African diaspora or who identify themselves as African.
o We are particularly interested in giving exposure to young and emerging African filmmakers living and working on the continent or abroad. To this end, filmmakers who enter a film for consideration must not have previously completed a feature-length film. By 'feature-length' we mean any film longer than 60 minutes.
o Films entered can be of any theme or genre; fiction, documentary, animation or experimental, and shot in any format.
o Only recent films directed by filmmakers of African nationality will be accepted - the film must have been completed in 2018 or after. We will accept films that have previously been screened on television, at other festivals or in cinemas.
o Films should be no longer than 30 minutes. Applicants may submit more than one film.
o We will only accept films in English or with English subtitles (the dialogue could be in any language). Applicants are responsible for all translation and subtitling. Any film received which is either not in English or does not have English subtitles will be ineligible for the competition.
o Africa in Motion will not pay any screening fee for selected short films to be screened in the festival as part of the competition.
o Screening copies must be sent on DCP or high-resolution digital file.
o The director and the beneficiaries of the submitted film undertake not to withdraw the film from the competition as of the announcement of the festival programme in September 2020.
If you have any queries regarding the submission guidelines and regulations, please email the festival at submissions@africa-in-motion.org.uk.