11th Annual Haiti International Film Festival Submissions Now Open

Submissions for the 11th Annual Haiti International Film Festival are now open in honor of today's Haitian national holiday, Battle of Vertières Day, which memorializes the final battle of the Haitian Revolution in 1803 when victory over French forces by a successful slave revolt led to Haiti becoming the first independent nation in the Western Hemisphere.

Founded in 2015 by award-winning documentary filmmaker, cultural advocate and cinema professor Jacquil Constant, the festival seeks to subvert Haitian culture erasure on a global scale via an impassioned, grassroots approach to elevating Haitian and African Diasporic voices, stories and powerful contributions to the art of film. The theme for the 2026 festival is "Konnesans: The Art of Knowledge in Haitian Cinema," inspired by the opportunity to raise awareness about Haiti's unsung history of powerful thought leaders and freedom fighters, as well as those from other Pan-African cultures.

The 11th Annual Haiti International Film Festival will be recognizing emerging and established filmmakers for the Best Feature Film Award, Best Documentary Film Award, Best Innovative Film Award, Best African Diaspora Short Film Award, Best Social Justice Short Film Award, and Best Haitian Diaspora Short Film Award. Participating creatives and leaders in the Los Angeles Haitian circle will also be selected for three awards recognizing those who have positively impacted the Haitian people and culture through their respective expertise including the Haitian Diaspora Award, Haitian Community Award, and Haitian Ally Awards. Additionally, the nonprofit will name the Samuel Lee Coleman Scholarship (named after Constant's late nephew) to two emerging filmmakers that display a passion for Haitian film and need additional support to complete their projects.

"Filmmakers, writers, artists, and scholars have made a tremendous contribution to knowledge creation through cultural production that has impacted and inspired the independence of Haiti and the African Diaspora," said HIFF Executive Director Constant. "I am filled with gratitude to all those that galvanized around the foundation of the Haiti International Film Festival 10 years ago, especially coming off of the biggest year of the festival yet. The board and I remain dedicated to fostering greater community engagement and visibility of Haiti's rich history and culture in the industry."

With categories including shorts, features and documentaries, The Haiti International Film Festival offers submission prices ranging from $30-$70. To submit, please visit https://filmfreeway.com/HaitiInternationalFilmFestival for additional details.

Key dates for 2026 film festival submissions include:

• Early Bird Deadline: December 17, 2025

• Regular Deadline: January 17, 2026

• Late Deadline: May 18, 2026

• Selection Notification: July 18, 2026

• 2026 Event Date: August 15, 2026 (in memory of the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Southwestern Haiti in 2021)

The Haiti International Film Festival (HIFF) has emerged as the premier platform for Haitian and diasporic creatives - bridging continents, confronting bias, giving voice to the voiceless, and building cultural pride through film. As the nation remains marred by gang violence, political unrest, and global neglect, the festival spotlights the fearless voices reclaiming their narratives and creating space for truth, memory, and justice on screen. The decennial 2025 festival and awards program "Liberty: The Art of Liberation in Haitian Cinema," was hosted by actor Béchir Sylvain (Jurassic World: Rebirth), and attended by Haitian stars like Meta Golding (Ransom Canyon, The Hunger Games franchise) and Jimmy Jean-Louis (Toussaint Louverture, Heroes) who served as award presenters and held a book signing, respectively. Several of the films curated for the 2025 festival were also featured at TIFF, Sundance and Cannes Film Festival.

Constant has dedicated his life's work to elevating and celebrating the contributions of Haitian artists to entertainment and culture. This includes his award-winning documentary, Haiti Is A Nation of Artists (2022), offering an intimate view into the lives of Haitian artists creating transformative work after the devastating 2010 earthquake that ravaged the country. His film was recently named an official selection by the Micheaux Film Festival (October 2025) as well as Pembroke Taparelli Arts and Film Festival (November 2025), among others.

Los Angeles Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Hollywood Bowl)

6.5% of votes

2. HEATHERS (Backyard Playhouse: Treetop Production)

5.7% of votes

3. HAIR (Conundrum Theatre)

5.5% of votes

Vote Now!