The 6th annual festival will take place in June 2025 in Toronto.

The Toronto Arab Film Festival is a non-for-profit festival dedicated to bringing films from, and about the Arab world, to Toronto audiences.

Our latest edition featured over 40 films from 12 countries, with in-person and virtual screenings, as well as social, networking and professional development events. We handed out 4 awards totalling over $2500 in financial and in-kind awards.

In 2025, the festival will primarily taking place in-person, with select screenings and programming available online.

Awards & Prizes

Awards presented offer a financial reward to winning filmmakers, along with a one of a kind trophy designed by a local artist.

> Juthour Jury Award for Most Promising Filmmaker
> Qayqub Award for Best Canadian Short Film
> Yamama Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film
> Nakheel Jury Award for Best Feature Film

Rules & Terms

ELIGIBILITY
All submissions:

- must have been completed after January 1, 2023
- must be in English, or have English subtitles at the time of submission.
- accepted formats: shorts, features, documentaries, fiction, experimental
- must complete the submission form via FilmFreeway indicating the following:
- the film's premiere status
- the film's availability/restrictions for physical and virtual screenings
- the film's geoblocking availability

The 2025 Festival will take place in-person and online.

Short films will be automatically entered into the following competitions:
- Audience choice award
- Jury Award for most promising filmmaker
- Best Canadian Film*
* Only applicable to Canadian films

Feature films will be automatically entered into competition:
- Best Feature Film Award
6 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Hassib Hani

    A wonderful film festival that really brings Arab film to the spotlight. Highly recommend for filmmakers to send in their films as they make an effort to feature a wide variety.

    October 2024
    Helpful
  • Hadi Moussally

    A festival with great selection of films and communication. Thank you!

    June 2023
    Helpful
  • Maher Hasnaoui

    Merci pour cette belle expérience <3

    June 2022
    Helpful
  • Raghad Korayem

    The Organizers were professional and helpful.

    June 2022
    Helpful
  • Suzannah Mirghani

    This super-stylish festival is run by a cool collection of individuals, all seeking to highlight the many stories, perspectives, and alternative visions of the Arab world and its diaspora communities. The organizers are pretty social media savvy too, so LOTS of online exposure for filmmakers!

    June 2021
    Helpful
    Logo
    Response from festival:

    Thank you Suzannah! It was an absolute delight having your film at the festival this year.