African Film Press Launches Pan-African Critics Prize

At an intimate gathering in Nairobi on August 22, African Film Press (AFP), an alliance of independent film platforms across the continent, announced the launch of the AFP Critics Prize, a new award in the African context that will be presented by film critics, created by African Film Press to bring additional visibility and critical perspectives into festival culture.

The prize, inspired by the FIPRESCI Prize, will debut later this year at the Surreal16 Film Festival (S16) in Lagos, Nigeria, taking place in December 2025. For the inaugural edition, the winning film will be selected by AFP’s three founding editors: Tambay Obenson (Akoroko), Jennifer Ochieng (Sinema Focus), and Ikeade Oriade (What Kept Me Up). Future editions will draw from a wider pool of African and diaspora critics.

The award will include a cash prize, a trophy, and a certificate.

AFP, which has already received funding from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and early-stage investment from private backers, was founded in 2024 and brings together three established platforms – Akoroko (pan-African and global industry focus), Sinema Focus (Kenya and East Africa), and What Kept Me Up (Nigeria and Anglophone West Africa) – with additional regional partners to follow. The first of these, focused on Southern Africa, will launch in September.

The initiative is building a pan-African network of film journalists and critics dedicated to covering and analysing Africa’s screen industries, and to elevating public discourse around African cinema from within.

“We see the AFP Critics Prize as an important step in centering African critical voices in festival culture, while also creating visibility and recognition for filmmakers on the continent,” said AFP co-founder Tambay Obenson. “Surreal16 was the natural place to begin. The timing aligned, and their focus on bold, independent storytelling made it the right partner for launching the prize.”

“We’re excited the inaugural AFP Critics Prize will be presented at Surreal16. From the beginning, our festival has been about creating space for risk-taking and originality, and partnering with African Film Press ensures African critics are part of shaping that conversation,” said CJ Obasi, filmmaker and co-founder of Surreal16 Film Festival.

The partnership with Surreal16 will be the first of several planned collaborations. AFP intends to award the prize at four African festivals annually, beginning with S16 later this year.Surreal16 Film Festival was launched by Nigerian filmmakers CJ “Fiery” Obasi, Abba Makama and Michael Omonua. The festival, known for its independent spirit and strong curatorial identity, is supported by partners including the French Embassy, the Dutch Embassy, the Goethe-Institut, and Sterling Bank. Most recently, Obasi’s film Mami Wata won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Cinematography at Sundance in 2023.

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