The Congo International Film Festival (CIFF), founded in 2005 in Goma, is the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s first international film festival formerly known as the Salaam Kivu International Film Festival (SKIFF). CIFF is organized by Yolé!Africa and Alkebu Film Productions and brings together artists and activists from around the world who share a common vision of positive social transformation through critical creativity. Beyond its status as a radical film festival, CIFF also serves as the premier artistic platform in North Kivu for Dance, Music, and Digital Arts performance and training. CIFF was founded by Congolese filmmaker and activist Petna Ndaliko Katondolo. CIFF is a 8 day festival that brings the local community together around film screenings and critical debates as well as offering free workshops in the domains of film/video/digital arts production, music, and dance. Each year’s workshops are organized around the festival’s annual theme and provide artists in the Great Lakes Region with opportunities to professionalize their skills and to exhibit their work to an international audience. In this way CIFF promotes sustainable civil society efforts, encourages agency among local artists and community members, and supports a global network of conscious artists who unite their voices to bring peace to the Kivu region.
There are Jury awards for Congolese filmmakers in the categories:
Best Director
Best Cinematographer
Best Actor/Actress
Best Screenplay
Best Documentary
Best Sound Design