The annual NBO Film Festival is returning to Nairobi this October for its seventh edition, expanding its offerings with new competitions, a filmmaker retrospective and a broader industry programme under the theme “Cinema for Us.”

Running from October 15 to 25, the festival will take place across four venues: Prestige Plaza, Unseen Cinema, Kaloleni Social Hall and, for the first time, Alliance Française Nairobi. 

The expanded footprint reflects NBO’s ambition to make cinema part of Nairobi’s wider public life, bringing audiences together through screenings, filmmaker conversations, City Dialogues and community programmes.

This year also marks a significant expansion of the festival’s competitive programme. The Fiction Feature Film Competition, introduced in 2025, will return alongside a new Short Film Fiction Competition, creating a dedicated space for short-form storytelling. NBO is also introducing the Nick Wambugu Prize for Documentary, honouring the late Kenyan filmmaker known for his work in documentary filmmaking, including The People Shall.

The festival will also present its first filmmaker retrospective, dedicated to acclaimed French-Senegalese filmmaker Alain Gomis, whose films include Félicité and Tey. Gomis is expected to attend audience and industry events during the festival, with the retrospective examining his body of work and creative evolution. Supported by EUNIC (European Union National Institutes for Culture), the full retrospective line-up is scheduled to be announced on September 9.

Beyond screenings, NBO 2026 is placing greater emphasis on the infrastructure behind African cinema. Its expanded industry programme will include the NBO Project Showcase, creative labs and professional exchanges designed to connect filmmakers with industry professionals while supporting projects in development and pre-production.

For Artistic Director Mbithi Masya, the festival’s “Cinema for Us” theme is rooted in the belief that African audiences should be able to experience, discuss and celebrate the stories being made across the continent at home.

With its expanded venues, competitive categories and industry programming, NBO’s seventh edition positions the festival as more than a showcase of films. It is becoming a meeting point for Nairobi audiences, filmmakers and the wider African creative industry – one designed to keep cinema within the cultural life of the city.

Cover Credit: NBO FESTIVAL

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