RIFF 2026 Unveils 33 Award Categories as 3,021 Films Enter Race

By Ike Wigodo
The Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) 2026 has unveiled 33 award categories after receiving 3,021 film submissions from filmmakers across Africa and other parts of the world, highlighting the festival’s growing international profile.
Scheduled to hold from October 29 to November 1, 2026, on Bonny Island, Rivers State, the four-day festival will celebrate excellence in filmmaking, storytelling, acting, animation, technical production, documentary filmmaking and film tourism.
According to a statement signed by the Festival Director, Osunwa Kenneth Chigozie, the 2026 edition received 3,021 submissions, out of which 356 films were selected and 136 nominated for awards. The statement also disclosed that the submissions represented 182 countries.
The announced award categories cover several aspects of film production, including creative direction, technical craftsmanship, performances, cultural expression and the use of cinema to promote tourism destinations.
Among the general and technical awards are Best Props, Best African Film, Best Make-up/Special Effects, Best Film for Tourism Promotion, Best Film Location and Best Costume.
The documentary section features categories such as Best Documentary Title, Best Documentary Story, Best Sound Design, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Director and Overall Best Documentary.
For feature and other narrative productions, the awards include Best Story, Best Sound Design, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Director, Best Short Film and Overall Best Film.
The acting categories comprise Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actor and Best Actress, while the animation segment recognises excellence in both creative and technical production.
Animation awards include Best Animation Director, Best Animated Short Film, Best Animated Feature-Length Film, Best Animated Story/Screenplay, Best Voice Performance in Animation, Best Character Design and Overall Best Animation.
Other honours include Best International Film and Best Narrative Film.
The festival said the awards were designed to recognise filmmakers whose works demonstrate creative vision, technical expertise, cultural relevance and the ability to tell compelling stories that connect with audiences.
With the theme, “Film Tourism: A Pathway to Economic Development,” RIFF 2026 seeks to spotlight the role of cinema in promoting destinations, showcasing cultural heritage and generating economic opportunities through tourism.
According to the statement, the festival’s vision extends beyond celebrating cinematic achievements to fostering cultural exchange and encouraging audiences to discover new destinations through film.
“From Africa to the world. From stories to destinations. From film to economic opportunity,” the festival said.
RIFF congratulated the selected filmmakers and nominees, while commending the jury for its work in the selection and nomination process.
Members of the public seeking details of the nominated films and their respective categories were directed to the festival’s Facebook page, RIFF Festivals, and its TikTok handle, @riffestivals.
The festival will take place on Bonny Island, an oil-producing community in Rivers State, from October 29 to November 1, 2026.