After two landmark editions that trained over 60 young filmmakers and screened original short films in communities from Nairobi to Mombasa, SSAFF is back. Season III launches 5 November 2026 — forty-four days, four counties, dozens of new films, and a new generation of African voices stepping in front of and behind the camera.
It started with a conversation. In 2014, Kenyan filmmaker Samuel Oluoko met the team behind Cinemadamare — an Italian project that turns cities into film schools — at a gathering in Rome. The question that followed him home was simple: what if we did this in Africa? What if young Kenyans could learn to make films in two weeks, then take those films to their communities?
It took five years to make that conversation a reality. SSAFF Season I launched in 2019, training a cohort of young filmmakers in Nairobi before touring their work across five counties. Season II followed in 2022, expanding the reach and deepening the impact. Now, Season III is ready — and it's the most ambitious edition yet.
Season III will run from 5 November to 18 December 2026, travelling through Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru. Each county will host a chapter of the festival — workshops, community screenings, school visits, and public events — before the caravan moves on.
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Stories That Move Across Africa
SSAFF Season III runs 5 November – 18 December 2026. Join us as a participant, audience, or sponsor.
Alfred Munyua
6 November 2026Can't wait! Nairobi chapter is going to be electric. The Eastern Circuit is ready.
Erick Mwaura
7 November 2026Three editions in and the momentum just keeps building. Proud to be part of this journey from Season I.
Swaleh Mwenge
8 November 2026The digital coverage this year is going to be on another level. Follow us everywhere for live updates from all four counties.