The 2025 Zanzibar International Film Festival will open with Janani: The Last Stand, a Ugandan biopic about Archbishop Janani Luwum, who was killed in 1977 after standing up to Idi Amin’s brutal regime.
The film, directed by Ugandan filmmaker Matt Bish, is the centerpiece of this year’s festival, which runs from June 25 to 29 in Stone Town. The theme: Where Hope Takes Root.
Other Ugandan projects are also in the spotlight. In the short film category are Sweet Heist by Ali Kisitu and Boy No Fear by Jonathan Curtiss. The TV drama Damalie by Doreen Mirembe and the documentary Memories of Love Returned by Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, an American-Ugandan actor and playwright, are also among those selected.
Each entry reflects a different aspect of Uganda’s creative force—from short thrillers to slow-burning drama and personal, memory-driven documentary.
ZIFF Festival Director Hatibu Madudu said the event has grown steadily since it launched nearly three decades ago.
“This year we celebrate 28 years of ZIFF’s journey,” he said at a recent press briefing. “What began in 1997 as a local celebration of film has grown into the largest cultural gathering of its kind in East Africa and the Indian Ocean world.”
The festival received more than 430 submissions from around the globe. Of those, 174 came from East Africa. Organizers say the event continues to attract filmmakers from the so-called “Dhow Countries”—a region that includes parts of Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, and the Indian Ocean islands.
ZIFF CEO Joseph Mwale said the festival’s reach goes far beyond screening films.
“Through village panoramas, dhow races, women’s beach soccer, arts platforms, and public forums, ZIFF engages over 200,000 people annually,” he said. “Our aim is to make cinema accessible and meaningful to all.”
Mwale said the festival would also continue its outreach programming, especially in rural areas, and maintain discussions that address social issues. “We remain committed to creating space for dialogue on pressing social issues… film is a vehicle for education, empathy, and transformation.”
Goethe-Institut Tanzania Director Mpangi Otte, speaking at the same event, said this year’s theme is not just about optimism.
“‘Where Hope Takes Root’ is more than a slogan,” he said. “It reminds us that films are not just entertainment—they are testimonies of struggle, resilience, and redemption. Even in the darkest times, cinema helps us remember that hope is always possible.”
Otte urged young people to take advantage of ZIFF’s creative and networking opportunities in what he called “the picturesque setting of Zanzibar.”
This year’s competition includes awards for Best Feature Film, Best Documentary, Best Short Film or Animation, and Best Zanzibar Film. There are also acting categories, with special recognition for talent in Tanzanian TV drama.
As the festival nears, expectations are rising. The focus, organizers say, remains on storytelling that connects across borders—and the power of film to reflect, challenge, and inspire.
