The Cameroon International Film Festival (CAMIFF) is on course to be formally recognised as a public utility, following a strategic audience held on April 9, 2026, between the Minister of Arts and Culture and CAMIFF promoter Prince Agbor Ebot Gilbert at the artists' lounge in Yaoundé.
Government Backs Film Festival Expansion
The Minister of Arts and Culture, accompanied by senior ministry officials, received Agbor Ebot Gilbert to discuss two principal matters: the preparations for the upcoming 10th edition of CAMIFF and the formal filing for the festival to be granted public utility status. The Minister commended the promoter for his sustained efforts in developing Cameroon's cinematographic industry, noting in particular his success in attracting foreign film producers to the country — a contribution he said benefits not only the film sector but Cameroonian culture at large.
Tenth Edition: Seminars, Workshops and a Wall of Fame
Agbor Ebot Gilbert outlined the programme for the forthcoming edition, which will include seminars, workshops, film screenings, and the inauguration of a Wall of Fame. The cornerstone of the wall will bear the name of the Minister. The Wall of Fame will feature personalities drawn from three categories: media figures, music and entertainment, and film and the arts — encompassing both national and internationally recognised icons of the screen.
Industry Challenges: Funding, Distribution and Copyright
Before concluding his presentation, the CAMIFF promoter raised structural challenges facing Cameroon's film industry. These include chronic financial constraints that limit production output, the reluctance of local broadcasters to acquire domestically produced content — making it difficult for producers to recoup costs — and persistent issues around copyright and related rights. He called on the government to provide greater institutional support and accompaniment to address these systemic barriers.
Ministry to Deploy Technical Team for CAMIFF 10
In his recommendations, the Minister instructed that a dedicated technical team be constituted immediately to support the planning and execution of the 10th CAMIFF edition. Technical directors within the ministry also encouraged Agbor Ebot Gilbert to align the festival with the broader structuring of the artistic and cultural movement currently in its final stages at MINAC. The audience concluded with a group photograph and press interviews. The announcement that CAMIFF would be elevated to the status of a major cultural event of public utility was described by the ministry as the centrepiece of the meeting.
