The International First Film Week, supported by the Yarha Festival, is a major event in the Cameroonian cultural calendar that highlights the first works of directors from Cameroon, Africa and the world. The 2026 edition, scheduled from January 25 to February 1 in Yaoundé, promises to be a laboratory of talents and innovations with screenings, conferences, workshops and the device “Yaoundé Talent Discovery”.
Origin and history
- The Yarha Festival, also known as the International First Film Week, was created in 2014 in Yaoundé by Sylvie Nwet and Patricia Moune, within the YARA association (Yaoundé Reviv’ Art).
- From the first edition, the festival is positioned as a showcase for first-time directors and young filmmakers from Central Africa, with a program combining African and international works.
Interest and objectives
- The central objective is to promote African and international cinema by providing a platform for first films, a decisive step in the career of an author-director.
- The festival promotes meetings between professionals, film students and cinema lovers through screenings, master classes, symposiums and networking spaces, creating an ecosystem of exchanges around the 7th art.
Importance for Yaoundé and Cameroon
- The International First Film Week opens the cultural season and contributes to the influence of Yaoundé as the film capital and crossroads of world cinemas.
- On the economic and social level, the event boosts the audiovisual professions, attendance at cinemas, hospitality and services, while strengthening the image of a creative Cameroon focused on youth and innovation.
Edition 2026 : dates and devices
The 12th edition will be held from January 25 to February 1, 2026, notably at the City Hall of Yaoundé, with a program of first film screenings from several countries.
The 2026 edition revolves around screenings in competition and out of competition, conferences-debates, master classes and a set of activities gathered in the program “Yaoundé Découverte Talent”.
Screenings, conferences and workshops «Yaoundé Découverte Talent»
The screenings highlight first achievements, giving the public the opportunity to discover new visual writings, while the juries distinguish the most promising works.
The “Yaoundé Découverte Talent” conferences and workshops are designed as a space for transmission and discovery: film analyses, exchanges on industry issues, support for young authors, with an emphasis on training and the emergence of new talents in Yaoundé and in Africa.
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