The Afreximbank Creative Africa Nexus programme (CANEX) short film competition 2026 for young filmmakers ($2000 cash prize and Fully Funded to Lagos, Nigeria)

Application Deadline: June 30, 2026

Applications at the moment are open for the 2026 Afreximbank CANEX short film competition. Afreximbank, by way of its Creative Africa Nexus programme (CANEX) is happy to announce the 4th version of CANEX Shorts. This short film competition for young filmmakers in Africa and the Diaspora. CANEX Shorts has been established so as to additional have interaction with the film neighborhood forward of CANEX WKND 2026. CANEX WKND 2026 will as soon as once more host an interesting and thrilling programme of inventive business conversations, masterclasses, deal rooms, market and exhibition and extra.

CANEX Shorts is a short film competition that can culminate in screenings and an award ceremony at CANEX WKND 2026, going down in Lagos, Nigeria from 5 – 8 November 2026.

Eligibility:

• The competition is open to Africans dwelling on the continent and within the diaspora
• Films have to be not than 5 minutes in size.
• The filmmaker should at present be between the ages of 18 – 35. The film should have been made in 2024 or after and on the time of constructing the film the filmmaker should have been between the ages of 18-35. Substantiation could also be requested.
• The filmmaker should personal all rights – together with music and should have supporting documentation
• Films will be in any language however these not in English, have to be subtitled in English
• A digital hyperlink to the film have to be supplied within the submission
• Only one film per filmmaker

Awards & Prizes

• CANEX Shorts will award 3 prizes based mostly on the number of a well-known and revered jury.
• Each winner will obtain a cash prize of $2000 and have their film screened at CANEX WKND 2026 and be invited to the occasion. Flights and lodging to be paid for.

• Best Fiction
• Best Documentary
• Best Animation

  Application Timeline

• May 4, 2026: Opening Date
• June 30, 2026: Regular Deadline
• September 1, 2026: Notification Date
• November 5 – 8, 2026: Event Date

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Afreximbank CANEX short film competition.