The Cameroon International Film Festival (CAMIFF) will hold its landmark 10th edition in Buea from April 20 to 25, 2026, organisers have confirmed. The festival — one of Central Africa's most significant cinematic gatherings — will span two venues: the Buea Mountain Hotel and W Cinema Mile 16, and will feature an extensive programme of feature films, short films, documentaries, TV series, and online content drawn from Cameroon, Africa, and beyond. For a country whose cultural institutions are routinely starved of meaningful government investment, CAMIFF has carved out this space almost entirely through the persistence of its organisers and the creative energy of local and regional filmmakers.
A Global Showcase Anchored in Cameroon
The 2026 edition signals a significant broadening of CAMIFF's international footprint. Participating countries include Russia, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Togo, Kenya, Morocco, China, Ghana, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Egypt, Slovakia, and Portugal — alongside a strong and growing representation of Cameroonian productions. The festival opens on Monday, April 20, with a screening of Blood Type, directed by Russia's Maksim Brius, at the Buea Mountain Hotel Wall of Fame at 8PM. That a city in the Anglophone Southwest Region — one of the areas most devastated by nearly a decade of military conflict and political repression — is hosting an event of this international calibre is itself a statement about the resilience of Anglophone Cameroonian culture in the face of a regime that has shown far greater interest in deploying soldiers than in investing in the communities it claims to govern.
Day-by-Day Programme Highlights
Tuesday, April 21 opens with a diverse slate that includes Brazilian short film A Saga by Dayse Amaral Diaz, Cameroonian productions Till Dawn Do Us Part and Ndab'e Nsang, and the German-French-Togolese documentary Togoland Projections. Wednesday, April 22 features a predominantly Cameroonian selection — including Golden Spoon, The Gaze of Love, and Cookie Crumbles — alongside Kenyan documentary Harambee: The Weight of Division and Chinese feature Broken Spear. Thursday's programme broadens the geographic scope further with entries from Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, and the UAE, as well as several Cameroonian features and short films. Friday, April 24 closes the main screening programme with a series block — including Counselor, Conspiration, Porte 112, and Cicatrice — alongside feature films from Slovakia and Egypt.
Second Venue Expands Audience Access
W Cinema Mile 16 will run a parallel programme throughout the festival from Tuesday to Friday. Selected titles screened at Buea Mountain Hotel will receive additional showings at the second venue, significantly expanding audience access across the city. Titles confirmed for W Cinema include Milk Brothers, Rhythms of Girls Dream, Mrs. Baseema, Live and Let Go, A Saga, A Warm Christmas, Togoland Projections, and Harambee: The Weight of Division. The dual-venue model reflects the festival's growing ambition and its commitment to reaching wider audiences within a city that continues to navigate the daily pressures of the Anglophone crisis.
What CAMIFF Offers: Training, Industry, and Awards
Beyond screenings, CAMIFF has built a reputation as a genuine industry event. The festival hosts masterclasses and workshops across key disciplines:
- Acting and directing
- Screenwriting and cinematography
- Film business, digital marketing, and distribution
- Leadership and entrepreneurship in the creative sector
The official selection spans feature films, short films, documentaries, TV series, student films, community films, and online content — reflecting the full spectrum of contemporary filmmaking. Previous editions have recognised outstanding work through a competitive awards programme. At CAMIFF 2025, notable honours included Best Feature International Film to Nigeria's Conversations in Transit, Best Documentary to Austria's Godsterminal, Best Cameroon Film to The Dead Man's Wish, and Best Actor and Actress to Richard Mofe-Damijo and Jeanne Benti respectively. Lifetime and honorary achievements were also recognised, with an outstanding recognition awarded to Ngongang Elizabeth and an Honorary Award for cultural ambassadorship presented to Alex Ekubo.
The Significance of a Tenth Edition
Reaching its tenth edition, CAMIFF has established itself as a rare and vital cultural institution in a country where genuine civic and artistic life flourishes despite — not because of — those in power in Yaoundé. The 2026 programme reflects both the festival's growth and the increasing ambition of Cameroonian cinema, with local filmmakers represented across nearly every category. That Buea, the capital of the Southwest Region and a city that has borne the brunt of the Anglophone crisis, continues to host an event of this scale is a testament to the determination of its creative community. Full scheduling details and ticketing information are expected to be released through official CAMIFF channels in the weeks ahead.
