BSIFF 11th Edition Ends on a High Note in the Cultural City of Kumasi

This year’s edition of the Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF) took place from Thursday, 24th, to Sunday, 27th, September, 2026, at Golden Eagle Cinemas in Kumasi, a vibrant city known for its rich culture and creativity. The festival, which ended successfully after bringing together stakeholders from filmmakers, actors, directors, students, film enthusiasts, cultural critics, and voices, provided a platform to showcase brilliant films and promote the growth of the industry.

Throughout the event, audiences were treated to film screenings, engaging panel discussions, networking opportunities, and celebration of African storytelling, with the theme for this year being “Film and Global Culture: The New Wave of African Cinema.” This aimed to equip stakeholders with more knowledge and skills needed to take the industry to a new level. Various speakers at the festival included actor James Gardiner, who is the Deputy Executive Secretary of Ghana’s National Film Authority, and Kene Mkparu, a film distributor credited as the founder and group CEO of Film One Distribution and Production, one of the biggest film distribution companies in Africa.

Ghanaian Hollywood actress Aba Arthur, who is also the Diaspora Ambassador for the film festival and has featured in Hollywood titles including Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and The Color Purple, was also a speaker at the event. One of the major highlights of the festival was the recognition of filmmakers whose creativity

and commitment continue to contribute to the development of film with an award ceremony, which took place on Sunday, celebrating excellence in filmmaking with outstanding production and performances with the list of winners as outlined.

 Overall Best Film: Sesime

 Ghanaian Showcase: Sesime

 International Showcase: Adui

 Student Showcase: The City of God beneath the River

 Africa Rising: Dead Tide

 Short Film: Home or Our Journey is still long

 Documentary: We Won’t Let You Poison Us

 Director to Watch: Eric Agyeman (Almost Foreover)

 Animation: Ananse and the Divine Journey

 Kumawood: Suluku

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the festival organizers expressed satisfaction for hosting the festival in Kumasi and hoped to come again to this city of culture and film due to the reception and support for the festival.

Furthermore, organizers expressed appreciation to all stakeholders, including filmmakers, sponsors, partners, volunteers, audiences, and the media, for their various contributions in making the festival a success. With the successful conclusion, the Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF) once again demonstrated the importance of providing a platform for creative expression, insight, and cultural exchange, and anticipation is already building for the next edition with hopes to attract more films, participants, and international recognition for African film.

By Jesse Opoku Nuako