The Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF) has launched a new youth film festival aimed at giving young people greater opportunities to create, experience and shape the future of cinema.
Dubbed the BSIFF Youth Film Festival, the initiative was launched during the 11th edition of BSIFF in Kumasi on September 27, 2026.
The annual travelling festival will showcase films created by young people and for young audiences, with its inaugural edition scheduled for 2027.
Unlike traditional youth film programmes, BSIFF Youth is designed to give young people an active role in the festival, including filmmaking, jury decisions and other creative processes.
All films submitted must be made by filmmakers aged 25 or below, with no minimum age requirement. Young filmmakers will also be allowed adult mentorship and technical assistance, although the principal creative decisions must remain with the young filmmakers.
The festival jury will also comprise people aged 25 or below. They will receive orientation in film appreciation and criticism to equip them to assess areas such as storytelling, performance, cinematography, editing and sound.
BSIFF Founder and Executive Chair, Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante, said the initiative was intended to start building audiences for African cinema from a young age while encouraging young people to explore their creative potential.
“We keep asking how we build audiences for African cinema. One of the answers is that we must start young,” she said.
She encouraged young people not to wait for expensive equipment before beginning their creative journeys.
“But we also want young people to know that they don’t have to wait for someone to give them permission to begin. If you have an idea and what you have in your hand is a phone, start there,” she added.
The festival will encourage mobile filmmaking, short-form storytelling, animation, gaming, interactive storytelling and other emerging forms of screen-based creativity.
It will also expose young people to opportunities beyond directing and acting, including cinematography, editing, production, animation, game design, development, visual effects, sound, marketing and distribution.
