Announcing Festival Updates and Submissions Opening
Al Ard Film Festival is pleased to announce the official call for submissions for its upcoming 23rd edition. For over two decades, our platform has been dedicated to sharing impactful stories from Palestine and the broader Arab world. As we prepare for this new chapter, we are introducing key updates to our competition structure and prize allocation. From September 19 to October 31, 2026, Al Ard Film Festival invites filmmakers from around the globe to submit their works for our 23rd edition.
Back to the Origins: Exclusive Focus on Documentary Cinema
In previous editions, the competition included a dedicated category for non-documentary short films. Starting with this edition, Al Ard Film Festival is transitioning back exclusively to non-fiction cinema across all main competitive sections. Non-documentary formats—including narrative fiction, scripted short films, animation, and video art—are no longer eligible for competition. We are getting back to what we know best: documentary filmmaking as a vital medium for social and political reflection and cultural preservation.
New Four-Category Structure
To ensure a balanced evaluation process, the competitive programme is now organized into four distinct categories defined by geographic scope and film duration:
- Category 1: Palestine Focus Feature Documentary: Open to feature-length documentary films (runtime of 40 minutes or longer) focusing on Palestine, the occupation, Palestinian history, culture, or the diaspora.
- Category 2: Palestine Focus Short Documentary: Open to short documentary films (runtime under 40 minutes) focusing on Palestine, the occupation, Palestinian history, culture, or the diaspora.
- Category 3: Arab World Feature Documentary: Open to feature-length documentary films (runtime of 40 minutes or longer) focusing on political, social, or cultural realities across the broader Arab world, excluding Palestine.
- Category 4: Arab World Short Documentary: Open to short documentary films (runtime under 40 minutes) focusing on political, social, or cultural realities across the broader Arab world, excluding Palestine.
Updated Prize Allocation & Cash Awards
The festival jury and audience will award prizes across five primary categories:
| Award Title | Eligible Format & Scope | Prize Amount |
| Best Long Feature Documentary on Palestine | Feature documentary focusing on Palestine | €1,500.00 |
| Best Long Feature Documentary on the Arab World | Feature documentary focusing on the Arab world | €1,500.00 |
| Best Short Documentary on Palestine | Short documentary focusing on Palestine | €750.00 |
| Best Short Documentary on the Arab World | Short documentary focusing on the Arab world | €750.00 |
| Audience Award | Selected by attendee votes across all competition films | €500.00 |
What about fiction films and non-documentary works?
Worry not, Al Ard Film Festival fans! Although non-documentaries are not in competition, the organization is putting together a line-up of non-competition films that will satisfy all tastes and go beyond the documentary genre.
How to Submit
Submissions must be submitted via our official portal on FilmFreeway. We encourage filmmakers to submit early to ensure complete submission materials and SRT subtitle files.