The 2026 Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) will take place from 20 to 24 October, with this year’s edition focusing on the growing influence of artificial intelligence on filmmaking and the wider creative industry.
Now in its 23rd edition, the festival is expected to bring together filmmakers, technologists, policymakers and creative professionals from Nigeria and beyond.
Events will be held across several venues in Abuja, with the programme set to include film screenings, industry panels, masterclasses, workshops, networking sessions and discussions on the use of artificial intelligence in film production.
This year’s theme, “Frames Without Borders: AI, Ethics, and the Future of Filmmaking,” will examine how emerging technologies are reshaping film production, creativity and distribution, while raising questions around authorship, intellectual property, ethics and creative control.
The Abuja International Film Festival was established in 2003, with its inaugural edition held the following year. Over the past two decades, it has provided a platform for filmmakers and audiences to engage with films from different countries and cultural backgrounds.
The festival’s 22nd edition received more than 1,592 entries from 80 countries, compared with 1,254 submissions from 45 countries for the 21st edition, marking an increase in both submissions and international participation.
AIFF founder and chief executive Fidelis Duker has described the festival as a platform for filmmakers from around the world to showcase their work while promoting greater understanding and appreciation of different cultures.
The focus on AI comes amid wider debate within the global film industry over the technology’s impact on authorship, copyright, employment and creative control.
