CIFF Opens Submissions for Twelfth Edition of Cairo Film Connection

Cairo International Film Festival announces the opening of submissions for the twelfth edition of Cairo Film Connection, held as part of its forty-seventh edition scheduled from November 11 to 20, 2026.

Applications will be accepted starting today, May 10, 2026, until August 3, 2026, Cairo time, through the official festival website: www.ciff.org.eg.

Cairo Film Connection represents a specialized professional platform supporting feature-length fiction and non-fiction film projects from the Arab world in both development and post-production stages. The Connection seeks to empower Arab filmmakers by providing financial grants and comprehensive production services, alongside genuine networking opportunities with major international financiers, producers, and distributors.

The Connection provides Arab filmmakers with a collaborative cinematic environment emerging from the oldest and most vibrant film industry in the Arab world, opening professional pathways for them to interact with prominent cinema institutions and representatives worldwide.

In its twelfth edition, the Connection focuses on two core tracks: building the capacities of filmmakers and cinematic projects, and bridging connections with global markets through sustainable strategic partnerships.

In a special statement on this occasion, renowned artist Hussein Fahmy, President of Cairo International Film Festival, said: "Cairo Film Connection is a mission we believe in and renew our commitment to every year, preceding its role as a project support program, to ensure Cairo remains an essential destination for every Arab filmmaker with a dream worth seeing. Here, we offer funding opportunities to serve as a gateway to the world, rooted in our Arab cinematic identity and heritage. I invite Arab talents to believe in their projects and submit them to us to build the future of Arab cinema together."

Numerous projects supported by the Connection have achieved a remarkable presence on the international cinematic scene, prominently including:

Four Daughters — Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia)

Inshallah a Boy — Amjad Al Rasheed (Jordan)

Goodbye Julia — Mohamed Kordofani (Sudan)

Life After Siham — Namir Abdel Messeeh (Egypt)

In this context, Mohamed Sayed Abdel Rahim, Director of Cairo Industry Days, affirmed: "Over eleven editions, the Connection has proven its position as one of the most important project development platforms in the Arab region, demonstrating this through the volume of support it provides alongside the exceptional quality of the films graduating from it."

The previous edition (2025) witnessed the participation of 16 projects from 11 Arab countries, competing for 37 awards with a total value nearing 300,000 US dollars, distributed between cash grants and in-kind services provided by local and international production and distribution companies and institutions.

Submission Requirements:

The director must be of Arab nationality or Arab descent.

The project must be a feature-length film (fiction or non-fiction) in the development or post-production stage.

The director must have previously completed at least one film, whether feature-length or short.

About Cairo International Film Festival

Cairo International Film Festival was established in 1976 and is held annually under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. It is classified among Category A international festivals and holds official accreditation from the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), making it the only festival in the Arab world and Africa to receive this prestigious accreditation.