The 5th Rojava International Film Festival will be held again after a five-year hiatus. The festival was first held in November 2016, the second in Qamishlo on November 13, 2017, the third in Kobanê in November 2018, and the fourth again in Qamishlo on November 13, 2019. The festival planned for 2022 was canceled due to security conditions.
The festival, organized by the Rojava Film Commune, will take place this year from November 13 to 20, 2025, in the city of Qamishlo, in the Cizîr Canton of North and East Syria. Screenings will be held at the Mihemed Şêxo Culture and Arts Center and other venues to be determined in the coming days.
120 films submitted so far
The Rojava Film Commune announced this year’s festival on August 13. Since then, a total of 120 films have been submitted from the four parts of Kurdistan, different regions of Syria, European countries, the US, Africa, and the Middle East. Submissions will continue until October 30. The Commune announced that it has not imposed a numerical limit on films.
Raman Berzencî, a member of the Preparatory Committee, shared details regarding the application requirements. According to the information provided, films must fall into one of the following categories: revolution, freedom of peoples, migration, people’s struggles, short film, feature film, and documentary.
There is also a screenplay section. A separate competition will be held to select the best screenplay.
Screenings and events
During the festival, there will be more than just film screenings. Filmmakers will also hold seminars, discuss their films, and evaluate the social role of cinema together with the audience.