#TeamEurope partners with Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) to elevate European film culture in Tanzania

Starting from November 3, 2023, award-winning films from ZIFF and select European movies will be screened in Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, and Morogoro. These screenings will take place in several universities, where students will participate in post-viewing discussions about the films and their filmmaking techniques.

The Delegation of the European Union to Tanzania and the Embassies of Spain, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, France, Poland, Finland, Italy, and Sweden, are bringing the Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) to mainland Tanzania. This initiative, titled “ZIFF Goes Mainland 2023” builds on the success of ZIFF’s 26th edition.

Starting from November 3, 2023, award-winning films from ZIFF and select European movies will be screened in Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, and Morogoro. These screenings will take place in several universities, where students will participate in post-viewing discussions about the films and their filmmaking techniques.

The festival will open “EONII” a film by a Tanzanian director, and will also feature films from European countries to highlight rich cultural diversity. This year, to show solidarity amidst the ongoing war with Russia, films from Ukraine have also been added to the roaster.

Notably, the festival will showcase winners from the 26th ZIFF edition, including short films from South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and Tanzania. The festival will conclude on November 23rd with a night dedicated to Ukraine.

“#TeamEurope – EU, its institutions and member states – has been instrumental in enhancing ZIFF’s offerings. Our collaboration this year is just one of many initiatives, with past engagements including supporting training workshops, sponsoring ZIFF programmes, to presenting co-production opportunities” – remarked Martin Mhando, outgoing CEO of ZIFF.

Christine Grau, the EU Head of Delegation to Tanzania commented, “Europe has greatly contributed to the growth of the festival beyond screening individual films.  Supporting stakeholders involved in culture, and establishing infrastructures that help artists strive and inspire their communities, is one of the European Union’s focus areas in Tanzania.”

The ZIFF program was unveiled on 26th October at the Alliance Française in Dar es Salaam, with representatives from the nine contributing embassies in attendance, underscoring the spirit of #TeamEurope and the role of cultural diplomacy in promoting peace both in Europe and Africa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Delegation of the European Union to the United Republic of Tanzania and the East African Community.