These regulations apply to the entire official selection (competition and out of competition).
The purpose of these regulations is to define and specify the rules governing the organization and operation of the official film selection for the 30th edition of the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), to be held from February 27 to March 6, 2027.
The General Directorate of the Burkinabe Agency for Cinema and Audiovisual Media (ABCA) selects and admits the films to be presented in the official selection (competition and out of competition).
The deadline for submitting a film to this edition is September 20, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. at the latest.
The final copies of each selected film, as well as the posters, must reach the FESPACO headquarters no later than January 15, 2027.
The shipment and return shipment of film copies are the responsibility of the director, producer, or distributor.
FESPACO declines all responsibility in the event of routing errors or damage resulting from the transportation of films.
FESPACO cannot be held responsible for deterioration resulting from the initial poor condition of the copies.
Any film included in the FESPACO official selection may be screened publicly no more than three (3) times during the festival.
However, as part of the promotion of selected films, FESPACO reserves the right to screen them no more than two (2) times after the festival.
During the event, no film in the official selection may be screened outside the festival screening venues.
No screening of films in the official selection may be organized by a director, producer, or distributor during the festival.
Films using a language other than French or English must be subtitled or dubbed in French or English.
The awards list of the official film competition is structured as follows:
NB: Each prize is accompanied by a trophy.
The out-of-competition section includes: FESPACO Classics, FESPACO Sukabè (youth program), Focus, Diversities, Panorama, FESPACO VR, and Carte Blanche.
This section is open to films made by filmmakers from anywhere in the world.
As part of promotional activities, and subject to respect for the authors’ moral rights, FESPACO reserves the right to show excerpts from the films and/or images on the ABCA website and in audiovisual spots.
Acceptance of these regulations implies the agreement of the director, producer, or distributor to the broadcast of excerpts not exceeding five (5) minutes on television and digital platforms as part of reports on the festival.
Selection copies are kept by the festival as “archive copies” at the African Film Library of Ouagadougou.
FESPACO does not pay any screening fees for films selected in the official selection.
Directors, producers, or distributors of award-winning films are invited to:
- mention the prize in all film advertising materials;
- display the prize in the credits, on posters, and in press kits in the event of distribution;
- use the official laurel available on the FESPACO website.
The Director General of ABCA has jurisdiction over any dispute relating to the interpretation and application of the clauses of these regulations.
Amicable settlement remains the preferred means of resolving any dispute.
Only the French version of these regulations is legally authoritative.
All matters not provided for in these regulations fall under the authority of the Director General of ABCA.