Documentary & Experimental Film Center (DEFC) organizes 20th "Cinema Vérité" Iran International Documentary Film Festival
December 9th-15th, 2026, in Tehran, Iran

The festival tries to express the relationship between reality and truth through documentary films.

The festival will be held on December 2026.

New this year, Cinema Verite is pleased to introduce a non-competitive section dedicated to documentaries made for teenage audiences (ages 11–18). We welcome submissions of documentaries created for this age group.

The festival will also present a special non-competitive program, "Panorama of Spanish Documentaries". (Documentary films are eligible for this section if they are directed by a filmmaker from Spain, produced in Spain, or explore Spain, its people, culture, history, or society.)

Awards & Prizes

The international Jury will award the following prizes:
1. Best Full-Length Documentary, longer than 61 minutes, cash prize, Diploma and trophy of the festival to the filmmaker.
2. Best Mid-Length Documentary, 41 to 60 minutes, cash prize, Diploma and trophy of the festival to the filmmaker.
3. Best Short documentary to 40 minutes, cash prize, Diploma and trophy of the festival.
4. Special Jury prize: cash prize, Diploma and trophy of the festival to the filmmaker.

Rules & Terms

I. International Competition
The international competition consists of three sections:

Up to 40 minutes (Short Competition Section)
41 to 60 minutes (Mid-length Competition Section)
61 minutes and up (Feature-length Competition Section)

The eligible documentaries for the competition section:

- Produced after January 2025
- All formats and subjects.

II. Non-competitive section
All documentaries, regardless of length, format, or subject, produced after January 2024 are eligible to participate in the "Special," "Retrospective," "Panorama of Spanish Documentaries," and "Documentary for Teens" sections, which are non-competitive.
18 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • adam knott

    This is a highly respected festival that embraces filmmakers and shows a diverse range of documentaries. They were always very communicative and kept me informed and up to date on all the wonderful festival events, even though I could not attend in person.
    It was an absolute honour to be selected for the Iran International Documentary Film Festival, Cinema Verite.

    December 2025
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  • Nurullah GÜZEL

    The Iran International Documentary Film Festival – Cinema Verite is a highly professional and well-organized festival that demonstrates sincere, attentive, and respectful communication from the very beginning of the process. The way the festival team carefully follows each step, from submission to invitation, truly deserves appreciation.

    Although I was unable to attend the festival in person, the warmth and clarity of the email communication made me feel as if I were actually there. The festival team consistently conveyed a sense of support, care, and presence throughout the entire process.

    I sincerely thank the festival director and the entire Cinema Verite team for their dedication and respectful approach to filmmakers. I wish continued success to this valuable festival and its meaningful contribution to documentary cinema.

    December 2025
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  • Hamdi Khalil Elhusseini

    The festival is weak in terms of communication and outreach, especially on social media; there are no updates.

    December 2025
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  • farah alhashem

    my film won and it made me super happy and I am in contact with them to deliver my award as I was not able to attend
    they are super helpful

    January 2025
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  • Alireza Zarei

    As a distributor, I would like to express my appreciation for this festival, which I consider to be of world-class caliber. The quality of the films presented was exceptional, showcasing a diverse range of topics. The organization at the venue was commendable, and the staff demonstrated remarkable precision and professionalism.

    The screenings were conducted promptly, adhering strictly to the schedule, and the reviews were meticulously observed. However, one aspect that could enhance the experience would be the inclusion of a gala dinner or a designated venue for evening gatherings.

    December 2024
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