The 14th annual Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) will be held June 18 to 26, 2011, in Tanzania, showcasing films with an African focus and international music presentations. The festival headliners include an array of film makers such as Oscar-nominated producer Donald Ranvaud and documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield. ZIFF, East Africa’s largest cultural event, celebrates the unique cultural heritage of Africa and the Dhow countries of the Indian Ocean region and their global Diaspora. The 2011 Festival theme is “A Season of Visions.”

In addition to showcasing talent in music and films, the Zanzibar International Film Festival also offers a program of film workshops that have been developed to cater to the interests of everyone -- from local children to industry professionals. This year’s focus will be on documentary filmmaking, with Broomfield lending his knowledge to a master class. Other star guests include Ranvaud, who has produced Oscar-nominated films such as “City of God” and “The Constant Gardener.”

Stone Town, the festival’s venue in Zanzibar, is part of the United Republic of Tanzania and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This colorful port provides an exotic setting for the nine days of festivities. The festival events in Stone Town typically attract 45,000 foreign visitors and more than 123,000 local guests; while the total number of people attending all the festival events held throughout Zanzibar and Pemba is 150,000.

In addition to the Old Fort amphitheater, other ZIFF performances take place in the House of Wonders and Zanzibar’s Museum of History and Culture. There will also be street performances, including storytelling, live music and dance, art exhibits, and a range of film and video industry workshops, seminars, screenings and social events. Stone Town is a place of festivals, from music to movies to dance. The official tour operator for ZIFF is Zanzibar Festival Tours. The tour offers a nine-night program to the festival from June 21 to 30, including expert guides, VIP passes to festival performances, exploration of Stone Town, and some of the best beaches in the world. For more information on the tours, visit www.zanzibarfestivaltours.com. For more information on the film festival, visit www.ziff.or.tz.