Film in Focus

 
 

Focus Features Africa First

Apply today

The Focus Features Africa First Short Film Program supports films that aspire to artistic excellence and accomplished storytelling, and substantially contribute to the development of local film industries. Award recipients of the 2008 Focus Features Africa First Short Film Program can use award money received from Africa First to complete initial production and to pay for post-production costs such as laboratory fees, sound mixing, and editing.

Applications must be fully completed and postmarked by the July 15th, 2008 deadline and received no later than July 31,2008 in order to be accepted. Individuals can only submit one film. Submissions that are made with an incomplete application or applications that are submitted without the supporting materials will be disqualified. Submissions that are obscene, pornographic, libelous, or otherwise objectionable will also be disqualified. Recipients will be notified on or about August 15th, 2008 of their status and must be available to travel to New York City for the Summit Weekend of October 31st - November 3rd.

Deadline: July 15th, 2008

All applications must be postmarked by July 15th, 2008 and received no later than July 31, 2008. Please send applications and supporting materials to:

The Focus Features Africa First Short Film Program
c/o Focus Features
65 Bleecker Street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10012

Download application package

The Awards

  • Focus Features Africa First will give awards to up to five (5) filmmakers.
  • Recipients will be notified on or about August 15th, 2008 of their status.
  • Each award will be in the amount of USD $10,000.00.
  • Awards are given to assist emerging African filmmakers with the production and post-production of their film.
 

Guidelines at a glance

FOR COMPLETE DETAILS OF THE FOCUS FEATURES AFRICA FIRST SHORT FILM PROGRAM, PLEASE SEE THE OFFICIAL RULES IN THE Application Package

Please read the Official Rules carefully before applying. The Focus Features Africa First Short Film Program is not a grant. Recipients will retain full ownership of the copyright to their projects as well as all distribution rights throughout the world except for North America; however, in consideration for the award, recipients shall sign over to Focus (i) the non-exclusive worldwide right to upload the Projects to our Website(s) and to permit visitors to the Website(s) to view and download the Projects and (ii) the right of first negotiation for derivative production rights to Projects, such as sequels, remakes, and other adaptations.

Applicant Qualifications

  • Applicants must be of African nationality and the age of majority in their jurisdiction of primary residence.
  • Applicants must be independent producers. This means that the individual applicants:
    1. own the copyright of their production;
    2. have artistic, budgetary, and editorial control of their project;
    3. are not regularly employed by a public or commercial broadcast entity.
  • Applicant/co-applicant must have previous film or television production experience in a principal role (producer, co-producer, director, or co-director) as demonstrated by a sample DVD or videotape of completed work submitted with application.

Requirements

All projects entered into the Focus Features Africa First Short Film Program must meet the requirements below:

  • Produced in continental Africa;
  • 5-25 minutes in length with narratives taking place exclusively in Africa. Feature and/or documentary submissions will not be accepted;
  • In preproduction, production, or postproduction;
  • Project must be filmed in continental Africa and contribute to the development of the local film industry by using local key production staff and using local facilities;
  • All Program documents must be written in the English language; however, if the original language of the screenplay was not in the English language, an English-language translation of the screenplay is acceptable;
  • Project must be either (i) in the English language or (ii) if not, be delivered with English-language subtitles in 16mm, Super 16mm, 35mm, HDTV, DigiBeta, or Beta format.

Award Selection

The final selection of up to five (5) award recipients will be made by Completion Films and the Focus production team, with the final decision being made by Focus. Projects will be judged by taking into consideration such factors as originality, creativity, quality, and artistic contribution to African filmmaking.