Curaçao International Film Festival returns in 2026 with extra festival day

Including new ‘Watapana Award’ to spotlight Caribbean filmmaking talent and a special focus on Curaçaoan volunteer organizations

WILLEMSTAD – The 12th edition of the Curaçao International Film Festival (CIFF) will take place from Tuesday, April 14 to Sunday, April 19, 2026, at The Movies Otrobanda. With growing interest in regional filmmaking and an expanded program, the festival adds an extra day and launches a new award that gives Caribbean stories and creators a powerful platform.

The newly introduced Watapana Award, part of the Caribbean Focus segment, is dedicated to filmmakers from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Suriname. The award honors the legacy of Curaçaoan filmmaker Wilbert Tecla, who in the 1970s addressed urgent environmental themes in his short film Lanta Para Watapana, inspired by the poem of the same name by Henri Habibe. The Watapana tree, symbolizing strength and resilience, lends its name to the award.

The Watapana Award includes a cash prize and international exposure through participation in both the Morelia International Film Festival (Mexico) and Film by the Sea (Netherlands)—similar to the established Yellow Robin Award. Competition guidelines and sign-up details will be published in late August or early September via the official website: www.curacaoiff.com.

As part of its local involvement and commitment, CIFF’26 will also assign young filmmakers to produce short documentaries about selected volunteer organizations in Curaçao working in the areas of Care, Education, Nature, and Sports, in collaboration with Curaçao Cares. Organizations in the cultural sector will also be considered, with input from festival visitors and partners helping to select the featured organization in this category. All resulting short films will be showcased during the festival.

With the expansion of the Yellow Robin Award—increasing the number of nominees from the Caribbean, Central, and South America from five to seven—and the launch of the Watapana Award, CIFF’26 reaffirms its mission to strengthen regional voices and connect people through film.

For updates and more information, visit www.curacaoiff.com.

 Editor’s Note
For more information about this press release, please contact:
Annet Kooistra – annet@factory360-marketing.com