Bokola Film Festival is set to return to Harare on May 30 with a renewed focus on independent storytelling, youth culture and the social realities shaping life across Africa.
The one-day festival will be held at Studio Moto in Belgravia, bringing together filmmakers, artists and audiences for what organisers describe as a space for reflection, creativity and cultural exchange.
This year’s edition runs under the theme “Hold The Line: Between Collapse and Becoming,” a concept organisers say was inspired by the uncertainty and pressures many communities continue to navigate amid economic, political and social instability.
In a statement announcing the event, organisers described the festival as “more than a film festival,” calling it a platform for stories that “refuse silence.”
“We believe cinema can preserve memory, challenge power, and help us imagine new possibilities for ourselves and our communities,” the statement said.
The festival program will feature film screenings, music video showcases, exhibitions and live entertainment, including DJ performances and an after-party hosted by Events On Fire under the banner “Bokola On Fire.”
Organisers also announced the inclusion of a children’s zone aimed at creating a family-friendly environment accessible to audiences of all ages.
The event will run from midday until evening, with entry priced at $1 in an effort to keep the festival accessible to young audiences and emerging creatives.
Festival Director Ska Sebata said this year’s theme was intended to encourage conversation rather than offer fixed answers.
“The festival is not positioned as an answer, but as a space to sit with questions,” Sebata said. “What does it mean to hold on when things are breaking? What does it mean to create when the future feels unstable? And what kinds of stories are needed to carry us through this moment?”
Bokola has increasingly positioned itself as a platform for emerging African filmmakers working outside mainstream industry structures. Organisers said the festival remains committed to supporting new voices and expanding access for young storytellers.
As part of that effort, the “Bokola Future of Film Award,” supported by Accountability Lab Zimbabwe, will return this year to recognise emerging filmmakers whose work demonstrates bold and innovative storytelling. The winning filmmaker will receive a cash prize to support future projects.
The festival is organised by Magamba Network, a Zimbabwean creative and digital media organisation known for supporting youth-led cultural initiatives across the continent.
Organisers have also opened submissions for the 2026 edition, inviting filmmakers to submit “powerful, urgent and visionary” work across all formats.
With independent cinema continuing to grow as a vehicle for social commentary and cultural expression across Africa, Bokola’s return signals the rising importance of locally driven storytelling spaces in Zimbabwe’s creative landscape.
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