Palestine Cinema Days is a one-of-a-kind event that offers a diverse program, including films for both adults and children, discussions with industry experts, workshops for filmmakers, specialized programming for young audiences, and networking opportunities.

Since its establishment in 2014, the festival has become a pivotal moment in Palestinian cinema culture, bringing together professionals from across the region and the world. With the largest and most varied audience attending and participating in the festival, Palestine Cinema Days has continued to grow in popularity.

The festival is held in five cities, including Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Haifa, and Gaza, to make it accessible to as many Palestinians as possible. This has allowed Palestine Cinema Days to become a festival that focuses on the community as a whole, rather than on a particular location.

Over the years, Palestine Cinema Days has emerged as a platform for both local and international productions, helping to showcase the country's rich cinematic culture to the world. The ninth edition of the festival featured 59 films from around the world, shown in 19 different venues across eight cities. The opening and closing ceremonies drew more than 1500 attendees, making it a huge success.

10th Edition

The 10th edition of Palestine Cinema Days will take place from October 24th to November 01st, marking a decade of celebrating cinema and building a foundation for a Palestinian film industry. This year's festival will highlight the Palestinian narrative on a local, regional, and international level, through various programs and events.
The General Program will showcase a selection of award-winning fiction and documentary films, with over 20 feature length films for adults and more than 25 short and feature films for youth and children. The festival's innovative film industry platform, Palestine Cinema Days (PFM), will bring together key industry professionals from Palestine and abroad to network, discuss films, and develop projects. The festival will also host Ramallah Doc, Panel Talks, and the Sunbird Stories, where filmmakers can develop their projects towards production. In addition, the festival will introduce the Post-Production Award for Arabic Short Films and the Palestinian Sunbird Competition, with prizes including the Palestinian Sunbird Production Award, the Palestinian Sunbird Short Film Award, and the Palestinian Sunbird Documentary Award. Special events for the 10th edition will include the launch of a book about Palestinian cinema, a magazine summarizing important events and turning points since the festival's inception, and a visit by filmmaker Elia Suleiman and three outstanding directors, actors, and thinkers to engage in conversation with film professionals and the audience.

Awards & Prizes

The Palestinian Sunbird Short Film Award - $3000
The Palestinian Sunbird Documentary Award - $5000
The Palestinian Sunbird Production Award - $10000
The Masarat Audience Award for Palestinian Short Film
The Masarat Audience Award for Palestinian Documentary Film
The PFM Post-Production Award for Arabic Short Films - facilities with color-grading and sound-editing available at Filmlab Palestine

Rules & Terms

1. All films submitted must have their premiere in Palestine.
2. All films should be produced in 2023
3. Only the rights holder or duly authorized person is eligible to submit the film.
4. The film screener should be available until the end of the selection process.
5. The submitter is fully responsible for the authenticity of the information provided.
6. If the film is selected, Palestine Cinema Days reserves the right to use the material and information submitted in the application form for promotional purposes and for Palestine Cinema Days’ Catalogue, website and social media.
7. If the film is selected, Palestine Cinema Days reserves the right to use segments of the film in the generic promotional videos/trailers that will be screened in screening halls and posted on Palestine Cinema Days’ website and social media.
8. Incomplete applications will not be considered for evaluation nor will the applicant be contacted to send the missing material.
9. Applications or supporting material sent by email will not be considered. Only entries made through the electronic application form on our website or FilmFreeway will be considered.