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Cairo International Film Festival 2026 for Feature Fiction and Documentary Films with Awards up to USD 10,000

By: وزارة الثقافة المصرية Last update:
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Applicant criteria

NationalityNo specific nationality required
Age
  • 18 - 60
Gender
  • Both

Opportunity criteria

Opportunity FieldPhotography and Filmmaking , Others
Job locationEgypt
Deadline2026-08-01

Opportunity description

The Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) is accepting feature-length fiction and documentary films for its 47th edition, scheduled to take place in Cairo from November 11 to 20, 2026.

Filmmakers from all countries, including Arab countries, may submit their films to the International Competition, Horizons of Arab Cinema Competition, International Critics’ Week, or other official festival sections. Submitted films must be longer than 60 minutes and meet the premiere requirements of the selected section.

Accepted Film Categories

This call accepts:

  1. Feature-length fiction films.
  2. Feature-length documentary films.
  3. Arab feature films.
  4. Directors’ first or second feature films for the International Critics’ Week Competition.
  5. International films that meet the Middle East and North Africa premiere requirements.

Awards

International Competition Awards

  1. Golden Pyramid Award for Best Film: USD 7,000, awarded to the film’s producer.
  2. Silver Pyramid Award for Best Director: USD 5,000.
  3. Bronze Pyramid Special Jury Award: USD 3,000.
  4. Naguib Mahfouz Award for Best Screenplay.
  5. Best Actor Award.
  6. Best Actress Award.
  7. Henry Barakat Award for Best Artistic Contribution.

Horizons of Arab Cinema Awards

  1. Saad El-Din Wahba Award for Best Arab Film, awarded to the director.
  2. Salah Abu Seif Special Jury Award.
  3. Best Screenplay Award.
  4. Best Acting Performance Award.

International Critics’ Week Awards

  1. Shadi Abdel Salam Award for Best Film, awarded to the director.
  2. Fathi Farag Special Jury Award.

Additional Awards

  1. Best Arab Film Award worth USD 10,000: Awarded to the producer of the best Arab film participating in the International Competition, Horizons of Arab Cinema, or International Critics’ Week.
  2. Best Non-Fiction Film Award: Presented to the best documentary film participating in one of the three competitions. No monetary value is specified in the regulations.
  3. Youssef Cherif Rizkallah Audience Award: Presented to one film in the International Competition.
  4. FIPRESCI Award: Presented by the International Federation of Film Critics to one film in the International Competition.
  5. NETPAC Award: Presented to a feature-length film from the Asia-Pacific region.

Benefits

Selected films will receive the following benefits:

  1. Screening at one of the most prominent international film festivals in the Arab region and Africa.
  2. The opportunity to compete for cash awards worth up to USD 10,000.
  3. Participation in the International Competition, Horizons of Arab Cinema Competition, or International Critics’ Week.
  4. Screening before a broad audience of filmmakers, critics, distributors, and festival representatives.
  5. Increased international exposure and stronger opportunities for distribution and selection at other film festivals.
  6. Media and promotional coverage through the festival’s platforms and press materials.
  7. Opportunities to build professional relationships with producers, distributors, directors, and film experts from around the world.
  8. The opportunity to compete for artistic awards in directing, screenwriting, acting, and artistic contribution.
  9. Greater access for Arab films to international audiences through specialized festival sections.
  10. Inclusion of the selected film in the official programme of the festival’s 47th edition.

Eligibility criteria

General Eligibility Requirements

The film must meet the following general conditions:

  1. It must be a feature-length fiction or documentary film.
  2. Its running time must exceed 60 minutes.
  3. The applicant must hold all legal rights required to submit and screen the film.
  4. The film must meet the premiere requirements of the selected section.
  5. It must not have been made publicly available on television, satellite channels, digital platforms, or video-on-demand services before its official festival screening.
  6. A valid link to stream or download the film must be provided, along with a password when required.
  7. All information included in the application must be complete and accurate.
  8. The applicant must comply with the Cairo International Film Festival regulations if the film is selected.

Available Sections for Feature-Length Films

1. International Competition for Feature Films

This competition accepts feature-length fiction and documentary films from around the world.

The film must:

  1. Not have been screened in the Middle East and North Africa region before its official screening at the Cairo International Film Festival.
  2. Not have participated in the international competition of any of the 15 festivals classified by FIAPF as competitive non-specialized international film festivals.
  3. Have a running time exceeding 60 minutes.
  4. Not have been shown on television, satellite channels, digital platforms, or video-on-demand services before its festival screening, except through previous festival screenings.

2. Horizons of Arab Cinema Competition

This competition is dedicated to feature-length Arab fiction and documentary films.

The film must:

  1. Be an Arab film.
  2. Have a running time exceeding 60 minutes.
  3. Not have been screened in Egypt before its official festival screening.
  4. Not have been shown on television, digital platforms, or video-on-demand services, except through festival screenings.

The festival may select certain Arab films for screening outside the competition at its artistic discretion.

3. International Critics’ Week Competition

This competition is intended for directors’ first or second feature-length films.

The film must:

  1. Be the director’s first or second feature film.
  2. Have a running time exceeding 60 minutes.
  3. Not have been screened in the Middle East and North Africa region.
  4. Not have been shown on television, digital platforms, or video-on-demand services before its official festival screening.

4. Official Non-Competitive Sections

Feature-length films may also be selected for the following sections:

  1. Official Selection Out of Competition.
  2. International Panorama.
  3. Special Screenings.
  4. Midnight Screenings.

Films submitted to these sections must exceed 60 minutes and must not have been screened in the Middle East and North Africa region or made available on television or public digital platforms before their official festival screening.

Submission Fees

Feature-film submission fees depend on the application date:

  1. Early submission, from April 15 to May 22, 2026: USD 15.
  2. Regular submission, from May 23 to July 15, 2026: USD 20.
  3. Late submission, from July 16 to August 1, 2026: USD 30.

See also: Various and Outstanding International Awards and Competitions 

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Deadline
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