Bokola Film Festival will be making its returns on 30 May 2026 at Studio Moto in Belgravia, Harare, bringing together one of Zimbabwe’s most vital spaces for independent cinema and cultural expression.
This year’s edition unfolds under the theme “Hold The Line: Between Collapse and Becoming” is inspired by the lived experiences of people across Africa and beyond navigating uncertainty, pressure, and constant change. It speaks to endurance without romanticising struggle.
Designed as a meeting point for stories that refuse silence, Bokola believes cinema can preserve memory, challenge power, and help us imagine new possibilities for ourselves and our communities.
This year’s edition brings a full day of powerful storytelling and creative expression at the intersection of cinema and youth culture.
Audiences can expect a vibrant programme of film screenings, a dedicated section for music videos and exhibitions, a live DJ, complete with an after party hosted by Events On Fire; ‘Bokola On Fire’. There will also be a kids’ zone, creating a multi-sensory experience that welcomes audiences of all ages.
The festival runs from 12 pm to 7 pm, with entry set at just a dollar.
“The festival is not positioned as an answer, but as a space to sit with questions. 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?” shared Festival Director, Ska Sebata.
The festival will continue its commitment to supporting new voices in African cinema by creating accessible platforms for emerging filmmakers, particularly young storytellers working outside traditional industry structures.
The ‘Bokola Future of Film Award’, proudly supported by Accountability Lab Zimbabwe, will once again recognise bold emerging filmmakers shaping the future of African cinema, with a cash prize awarded to support the next steps of their creative path.
The festival is the brainchild of Magamba Network, Africa’s trailblazing creative and digital media organisation.
