Kilifi, Kenya – October 2025
This October, under the golden Kenyan sun, the tides of Kilifi Creek carried more than saltwater — they ushered in a wave of cinematic brilliance. The YORA International Film Awards, in partnership with The Terrace Group, proudly joined forces with the inaugural Kilifi Creek Festival — a week-long celebration where world-class African filmmaking converged with raw, homegrown creativity.

From October 12th to 18th, filmmakers, storytellers, and audiences gathered along the serene coastline for open-air screenings, community conversations, and art showcases — all part of a new movement to decentralize Africa’s creative economy and bring world-class cinema into natural, communal spaces.

“We’re breaking down the idea that great art only happens in big cities,” said a YORA spokesperson. “Here, under the baobabs and by the creek, we’re building a stage where a local short filmmaker can share the spotlight with Emmy Award winners and Oscar-nominated directors.”

The collaboration marked a defining moment in YORA’s broader vision to champion Africa’s creative industries and position them at the center of global cultural diplomacy. By extending its prestigious Awards to include the International Film Awards, YORA is recognizing cinematic excellence and investing in the infrastructure and ecosystems that sustain storytelling across the continent.

A Vision Shared by Global Industry Leaders

Endorsed by Craig Hatkoff, co-founder of New York’s renowned Tribeca Film Festival, the initiative received high praise for its potential to transform local economies and catalyze community-driven creativity.

“When I was approached to help launch the Kilifi Creek Festival, I saw the seeds of an idea — a real opportunity to spur local economic development and build more than a grassroots community,” said Hatkoff. “This effort could catalyze an entire ecosystem that, much like Tribeca, simply started as an effort to bring people together.”

“To all the filmmakers, storytellers, musicians, artists, and audiences that will coalesce around this inaugural experience, I can honestly say: I don’t really know what it will become. But it’s going to be great.”

Cinema, Community, and the Coast

The Kilifi Creek Festival transformed the coastline into a living canvas for African cinema.
By day, audiences explored screenings of cutting-edge African films — titles that have graced Cannes, Durban, and Sundance — alongside new works from Kenya’s coastal storytellers. By night, mangrove forests and creekside venues came alive with art, music, and discussion — curated by the Kilifi Creatives and featuring partners like Afrofilms International, Baruu Collective, and The Terrace Consortium.

The YORA International Film Awards segment honored outstanding films that embodied creativity, sustainability, and cultural resonance — spotlighting filmmakers whose works not only entertain, but inspire social and economic impact.

Beyond the Screen: A Movement in Motion

Behind the scenes, YORA’s global network continues to bridge Hollywood and Africa, connecting A-list creatives, distributors, and cultural institutions with emerging talent from the continent.
With sustainability woven into every aspect — from solar-powered screenings to workshops on eco-conscious filmmaking — the initiative is redefining how Africa engages with the global creative economy.

Future editions of the YORA International Film Awards and Kilifi Creek Festival will expand into a year-round platform including:

  • Artist and filmmaker residencies
  • A dedicated African Film Market
  • Global collaborations and co-productions
  • Community impact screenings across the region

This isn’t just a festival. It’s a manifesto for Africa’s creative future — one where talent doesn’t need to leave home to reach the world.

The tide is turning. The screens are waiting.
The story starts now.

About YORA International Film Awards

The YORA International Film Awards celebrate the finest in African and diaspora storytelling, recognizing visionaries shaping the continent’s cultural identity through cinema. As a branch of the YORA Awards, the initiative supports the growth of Africa’s creative industries and fosters global partnerships for sustainable cultural exchange.

About Kilifi Creek Festival

The Kilifi Creek Festival is an artist-led celebration of film, art, and culture set along Kenya’s iconic coastline. Curated in partnership with The Terrace Consortium and YORA, the festival blends cinematic innovation, environmental consciousness, and community empowerment to reimagine Africa’s cultural landscape.

Media Contact

YORA Summit & Awards Team
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