During the 11th edition of the Black Star International Film Festival in Kumasi on 27 September 2026, organisers announced the BSIFF Youth Film Festival, a travelling platform that will showcase films made by and for young audiences.
The inaugural edition is slated for 2027 and will feature works produced by filmmakers aged 25 or below. Unlike traditional youth programmes, the festival will give young people full creative control, with adult mentorship available but no override of the young filmmakers’ decisions.
All jurors will also be 25 or younger and will receive training in film appreciation and criticism to evaluate storytelling, performance, cinematography, editing and sound.
Founder and Executive Chair Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante said the initiative aims to build audiences for African cinema from a young age and to encourage youngsters to start creating with whatever tools they have, even a phone.
The festival will promote mobile filmmaking, short‑form storytelling, animation, gaming, interactive storytelling and other emerging screen‑based arts, while exposing participants to roles beyond directing and acting, such as cinematography, editing, production, visual effects, sound, marketing and distribution.
BSIFF Youth will travel across Ghana, giving young creators a national platform and the chance to shape the future of cinema.
