One of Nigeria’s most important film festivals is calling for entries for its 7th edition, and filmmakers across Africa and the world have until the end of the year to submit their work.
The Coal City Film Festival has announced its 7th edition call for entries under the theme Framing the Future, with an Early Bird Deadline of 31st October 2026 and a Late Bird Deadline of 31st December 2026. Submissions are open via FilmFreeway at filmfreeway.com/coalcityfilmfestivalofficial.
Founded by filmmaker, screenwriter, and media consultant Uche Agbo under his Okike Media imprint, the Coal City Film Festival was established with the goal of serving as the gateway to the tourist potential of South East Nigeria, celebrating the originality of African and world cinema in the city that arguably gave birth to the Nigerian film industry. Agbo has consistently articulated the vision behind the festival as opening the doors of South East Nigeria to the rest of the world through film, building capacities for the creative industry through tailored training programmes, increasing tourist potential, and encouraging cultural tolerance.
The connection between Enugu and Nollywood’s origins is not rhetorical. Enugu State played an integral role in hosting early filmmakers and providing locations in the beginning days of what would become the largest film industry in Africa, and the Coal City Film Festival is a deliberate act of recognition and reciprocity toward that history.
The most recent edition of the festival, held in March 2026, was a four-day event that featured film screenings, masterclasses, networking sessions, and panel discussions, opening with Eric Stephenson’s Follow Me To Forever and closing with Evi. The awards night saw Eric Stephenson’s Follow Me To Forever win Best Overall Film and Best Director, while Chigozie Onoh’s In Men’s Code took home Best Actor for Ramsey Nouah and Best Actress for Nse Ikpe Etim. Notable industry figures in attendance included veteran filmmaker Chris Obi Rapu, director of the pioneering Nollywood film Living in Bondage, who served as Head of Jury, alongside Charles Inojie, Ernest Obi, the Aneke Twins, Bob-Manuel Udokwu, Linc Ediochie, and Emmanuel Eyaba.
Beyond its annual festival programme, the Coal City Film Festival has also been working with the German Development Cooperation through the Skills Development for Youth Employment Programme to expand employment opportunities for women in technical filmmaking and promote more inclusive workplaces across Enugu State’s creative industry.
NFVCB Executive Director and Director General Dr Shaibu Husseini has described the Coal City Film Festival as a significant cultural platform and a must-attend cinematic event in South East Nigeria, a description that reflects how far the festival has grown since its founding.
