The maiden edition of the Africa International Christian Film Festival (AICFF) 2026 has concluded in Abuja, bringing together leading figures in faith-based filmmaking from Africa and around the world for four days of industry engagement, training, collaboration and spiritual reflection.
Held from June 3 to June 6 at Silverbird Cinemas, Abuja, the festival attracted filmmakers, actors, producers, media practitioners, church leaders and Christian creatives under the theme, “God’s Creative Army.”
A major highlight of the event was the participation of internationally recognised faith-film leaders, including the Kendrick Brothers, creators of several acclaimed Christian films, alongside representatives of Kingdom Story Company, the production company behind successful faith-based movies such as “Jesus Revolution”, “Unsung Hero” and “I Can Only Imagine”.
Participants were challenged to embrace excellence, creativity and spiritual authenticity as essential tools for influencing culture through storytelling.
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Delivering one of the keynote addresses, renowned gospel filmmaker and founder of Mount Zion Faith Ministries, Dr. Mike Bamiloye, spoke on the subject of identity and Kingdom storytelling, urging Christian creatives to remain true to their calling while producing content capable of impacting audiences globally.
Other notable speakers included Paul Sirmons, President of the International Christian Visual Media (ICVM); Phillip Telpher, Founder of the Christian Worldview Film Festival; Tim Shields, President of CONTENT Media Conference; and Dr. Felix Oisamoje of the Christian Broadcast Network (CBN).
The festival featured film screenings, acting and filmmaking masterclasses, business and distribution sessions, as well as panel discussions focused on the future of faith-based cinema. Topics explored included the balance between storytelling and preaching, revenue generation from Christian films, distribution opportunities and strategies for taking African faith-based content to global audiences.
One of the most anticipated segments was the AICFF Pitch-A-Thon, where emerging screenwriters presented their projects before industry stakeholders. Tomisin Faoye emerged winner, receiving a cash prize, mentorship support and a film development opportunity.
The festival also unveiled six finalists selected from the Africa Gospel Film Project for a mentorship programme with Kingdom Story Company, providing aspiring filmmakers with access to international guidance and industry expertise.
The event concluded with the AICFF Awards, where “Where The River Divides” emerged as the biggest winner, claiming multiple honours including Overall Best Film.
As the curtains fell on the inaugural edition, organisers described AICFF 2026 as a significant step toward strengthening Africa’s faith-based film industry and positioning Christian storytellers to make greater impact both on the continent and globally.
