Submissions Open For ‘Black Film Weekend’

The Bermuda Black Film Festival has opened submissions for its inaugural Bermuda Black Film Weekend in October.

A spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Black Film Festival has officially opened submissions for the inaugural Bermuda Black Film Weekend, taking place 15–18 October 2026, at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute and additional venues across the island.

“The festival launches in partnership with GIFTED [Girls in Film, Technology, Entertainment and Design], whose Youth Film Conference will take place on 15 October. Filmmakers, directors, producers, and storytellers from across the African diaspora are invited to submit their work via FilmFreeway. Submissions close on 22 August 2026.

Submit Your Film

• filmfreeway.com/BermudaBlackFilmWeekend
• Accepted films announced: 29 August 2026

A gathering that was always supposed to happen here

“Bermuda sits at 32°N, 64°W — the heart of the Black Atlantic, at the crossroads of the histories of Africa, the Caribbean, and the Americas. From this position, the Bermuda Black Film Festival has built an event designed not simply to screen films, but to bring the right people into the same room at the same time.

“Industry filmmakers, producers, and actors from the United States, the UK, the Caribbean, Africa, and Nigeria’s Nollywood community will gather in Bermuda for four days of film screenings, industry panels, workshops, and creative networking, united by a single theme: Connecting Voices Across the Diaspora.

“The Weekend speaks directly to a question the global film industry has not yet fully answered: what becomes possible when Black filmmakers from small nations, underrepresented communities, and emerging screen cultures stop waiting for permission and start building together?

“Dr. Selassie attended the Nollywood Journey Home Film Festival in Atlanta earlier this month, connecting with filmmakers and industry voices from Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, the Caribbean, the UK, and the US. Those conversations confirmed what she had long known: the appetite for this type of gathering exists. Bermuda is where it will happen.”

Dr. Dana Selassie, Founder and Festival Director, said, “The Bermuda Black Film Weekend is about more than film screenings. It is what happens when the voices that have been scattered across the Black Atlantic finally sit in the same room, together.

“Our confirmed industry speakers have a combined social media reach of over two million people, with their participation anticipated to help the Bermuda Black Film Weekend go beyond its inaugural year as a must-visit event on the international film circuit.

“Bermudian filmmakers and student filmmakers will benefit directly from the weekend’s events, participating in workshops and industry discussions with our guest filmmakers, and gaining access to conversations and connections that have historically been out of reach for creatives from small island nations. Bermuda has the talent. We have the infrastructure. What we are building here is proof of that.

“Jamaica’s Prime Minister recently declared that film is Jamaica’s next goldmine, and countries across the region are making aggressive, strategic investments in film as both a cultural and economic priority. Bermuda has the opportunity to be part of that conversation, and through the Bermuda Black Film Weekend, we are making that case with action.

“We look forward to engaging with the Department of Culture and the Bermuda Tourism Authority as we continue to grow this initiative, and we welcome the support of government and corporate partners who recognise what cultural tourism and diaspora storytelling can do for our island.

“Through our registered charity GIFTED, we are also ensuring that the next generation of Bermudian girls grows up knowing that the camera, the edit suite, and the director’s chair belong to them too. We are also providing opportunities for our young men to step into the world of film, to be creative, express their voice, and lead on the screen, through our acting and film workshops, partnering with Sia Spence of ‘Frames for the Future.”

About the festival programme

The spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Black Film Weekend will feature four days of programming including film screenings, industry panels, creative workshops, and networking events. On 15 October, the GIFTED Youth Film Conference will bring Bermudian students together for a day of engagement with international and Bermudian guest filmmakers.

“Registration, full programme details, confirmed panelists, and workshop schedules will be announced once all guests are confirmed.

Awards and Categories

• Best Feature Film
• Best Short Film
• Best Documentary
• Best Bermudian Film
• Audience Choice Award
• Emerging Filmmaker Award

Partner with Us

“The right partners change everything. Some of the most important stories in the world are still waiting to be told, because the people who carry them have never had the room, the resources, or the industry access to tell them. The Bermuda Black Film Weekend exists to change that.

“We are looking for organisations whose commitment to women, girls, and people of colour in the creative industries goes beyond words. Partnership connects organisations to an international network of filmmakers, producers, and cultural leaders, with combined audiences of over two million across our confirmed guests’ platforms, and to a festival positioning Bermuda as the meeting point of Black Atlantic storytelling.

“Partnership opportunities are available across multiple levels. For details, visit this link or write to info@bermudablackfilmfestival.com.”

#Film

Category: All, Entertainment, Films/Movies