Competition format & key facts
Organized detailsOverview
The official film competition of the 2027 Festival International de Documentaire Africain de Bamako, selecting 12 African documentaries for screenings and professional engagement.
Complete competition details
Film submissions are free and close 30 September 2026. The selected competition runs 15–17 January 2027 within the wider FIDAB programme in Bamako. The festival lists awards including the Grand Prix Yelen for best feature documentary, Prix Kassim Sanogo, best image, best short documentary and a short-film jury prize; current pages do not state cash amounts. Selected films receive screenings, audience debate and professional exposure.
Eligibility requirements
Documentary directors must be African or from the African diaspora. Eligible films were produced after 1 January 2025, may be any duration, and may be in any language provided French or English subtitles are available. Minimum delivery format is HD in MP4, MOV or MKV.
Tips for this competition
Practical Job and Scholarship guidance. These tips do not replace official rules or create new eligibility requirements.
- Study the scoring criteria and previous winners before deciding what evidence, prototype, essay, research or portfolio will best support the entry.
- Confirm country, age, team, education and organization restrictions and whether one person may enter multiple submissions.
- Follow the required file format, word/time limits and naming rules exactly; technical non-compliance can disqualify a strong entry.
- Keep proof of submission and submit before the deadline rather than relying on the final hour.
Verification notes
Official FIDAB 2027 site checked 2026-09-09 UTC. Submission is explicitly free. Prize names are published but monetary amounts are not, so no cash values are invented.
Job and Scholarship is the discovery and verification layer. Confirm eligibility, dates, salary/funding and application instructions on the original source before submitting anything.
Festival International de Documentaire Africain de Bamako ↗