Wildscreen Festival Returns to Kenya for 2026 African Edition

Wildscreen Festival is returning to Nairobi, Kenya, for its fourth African-based edition, scheduled for June 11 and 12.

The first edition of Wildscreen’s African festival took place in Nairobi in 2023. Wildstar Foundation will be supporting the upcoming fourth edition as headline sponsor.

The event will convene over 200 delegates from across Africa and key global players, including filmmakers, production companies, broadcasters, streamers and conservationists, from over 12 countries. The program will span industry talks, panels, premieres and networking events, curated with the support of a festival advisory board.

The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) is supporting the event as a major sponsor. UWE’s renowned MA Wildlife Filmmaking program is co-designed with producers, directors and production managers from the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, who will also support as sponsors.

The chair of the 2026 edition is award-winning producer and director Faith Musembi (Queens, Chasing the Rains, Lion).

“Seeds planted at that first festival in Kenya in 2023 have since grown into jobs, commissions and meaningful industry collaborations and partnerships,” Musembi said. “It feels like a full-circle moment for our community, while also driving us to keep investing in and developing our own talent and creative economy within the wildlife genre.”

“We were lucky enough to have Faith lend her creativity and authenticity to Wildstar Films’ Queens at the beginning of her directing journey, and we are proud that she continues to collaborate with us through the Wildstar Foundation today,” commented Vanessa Berlowitz, co-founder of Wildstar Foundation. “The foundation was built on the belief that, in a time of crisis, our planet needs authentic, global storytellers. It’s a belief that is embodied by this Nairobi-based Wildscreen Festival, and we are honored to support Faith, the event and the community it reaches.”

Lucie Muir, CEO of Wildscreen, added, “Faith is not only an immensely talented filmmaker but she continues to break ground within the wildlife storytelling genre globally both with the stories she tells and the storytellers she nurtures. She’s a true visionary who opens doors, widens them and keeps them open for underrepresented and authentic voices to tell and own their own stories. We’re honored to have her as Chair and so thankful to Wildstar Foundation and all our partners and community for standing alongside us to deliver Wildscreen Festival Kenya as part of our goal to nurture a more equitable natural history industry.”