Qisah International Film Festival provides a single platform for films from across the Muslim world enabling filmmakers, both Muslim and non-Muslim, to represent these local worlds in all their cultural diversity, nuance and depth. By Muslim world we mean not only Muslim majority countries but also those with significant Muslim minorities and the Muslim diaspora in Europe, North America and elsewhere. In bringing local film-maker’s representation of their life-worlds the festival aims to gain a new global audience for their work, to support filmmakers and film industries in these countries and to render/represent the diversity of Muslim life in all its complexity.

Coming soon Virtual Productions Category for submissions. Stay tuned.

Awards & Prizes

1. Best Feature Film

2. Best Short Film

3. Best Documentary Feature or Short

4. Best Animated Film

5. Best Director

6. Best Actor

7. Best Actress

8. Best Student Film

9. Best Script (Screenplay)

10. Best Soundtrack

Rules & Terms

Rules and Terms and Conditions

1. We accept short and feature length films whether fiction, animation or documentaries by Muslim or non-Muslim filmmakers who live in any country which is either predominately Muslim or has a significant Muslim population. Therefore films from any part of the Muslim world as well as the Muslim diaspora in Europe, North and South America, Australasia, the Carribbean etc.
2. Films must engage themes and subjects that reflect Muslim life in any part of the world.
3. Films released 2018 and after are eligible.
4. Films to be submitted via FilmFreeway by September 30th 2021
5. As the purpose of the festival is to give exposure to filmmakers from the Muslim world, for the first two years, only those films that have been widely distributed or are available on major internet platforms at the time of submission are ineligible. Festival committee’s decision in this regard is final. Duration: Feature Films (40 minutes to three hours); Short Films (upto 20 minutes, including credits ); Animated Films & Documentaries (up to 2 hours).
6. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older (or have parent or guardian consent) to enter the competition.
7. Filmmakers must (i) obtain all clearances for exhibition (ii) certify that the work is original (iii) that there are no copyright or ownership disputes on the film.