The Mobile Film Festival Africa unveiled the winners of its 2023 edition at a prize ceremony held on Thursday June 8 at the Renaissance cinema in Rabat, an event part of the “Rabat, African Capital of Culture” program celebrations.

Guests were able to discover all the films in this year’s official selection (54 films from 21 African countries), as well as the prizes awarded by a jury chaired by Gad Elmaleh and including Samia Akarriou, Sofia Alaoui, Françoise Ellong, Rafiki Fariala and Fibby Kioria.

For its second pan-African edition, organized in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) and the Kingdom of Morocco’s Ministry of Youth, Culture  and Communication, the Mobile Film Festival has set up production grants worth a total of $51,000. These grants will enable the winners to make a film with professional resources and support from the Mobile Film Festival. Here are the winners:

Grand Prize Africa ($ 10,000)- I Have a Dream Too by Sunday Mapya – Tanzania

Grand Prize Morocco ($ 10,000)- The Guardian of the Walls by Kamal Lougleb – Morocco

This prize is accompanied by a 10-day screenwriting training residency at ENS Louis-Lumière in Paris, offered by the Institut Français du Maroc.

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French Speaking Film Award ($ 5,000)- The Peninsula Dream by Nelly Brun Elvire Behanzin – Benin

This prize, supported by TV5 Monde, is awarded to a film from a country member of the International Organization of Francophonie.

ACP – EU Culture Award (5 000 $)- PAASWAAAD (Password) by Shandra Daisy Apondi – Kenya

This prize is supported by the ACP-EU Culture program.

Best Script Award ($ 5,000)- uççş²Iادq⁄زي(LikeaMatchstick)bySamiIskander–Egypt

This prize is supported by Canal +.

African Female Director Award ($ 5,000)- Life in Pink by Vanessa Pellegrin – Morocco

Best Actress Award ($ 500)- Kenza Salahddine in Life in Pink – Morocco

Documentary Film Award ($ 5,000)

Blindness by Bongani Ndaba – South Africa

Best Film from the Democratic Republic of the Congo ($ 5,000)

Nature’s Heroes by Gael Bolila – DRC

This prize is supported by Rawbank and illicocash.

Best Actor Award ($ 500)- YakaruTalibé(A Beggar’s Dream) by Abdoul – Senegal

Best Actor Award ($ 500)

Famille Odiri/Udo in Human Migrant – Morocco

Enthusiasm for this second pan-African edition was evident right from the call for films, with a  huge turnout (886 films from 40 African countries received), and continued throughout the online festival phase, with media coverage across the continent and internationally.

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International visibility will be also ensured throughout 2023, with screenings at film festivals, associations and cultural institutions, as well as the 600 cinema screens in 31 African countries showing films from the official selection.

To make them as accessible as possible, the films are offered with subtitles in French, English, Arabic, Portuguese and Spanish.

One of the specificities of the Mobile Film Festival is its 100% digital dimension. All the films are available on all our social networks (Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok).

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry