Cinétoile is an international open-air short film festival that reimagines the cinematic experience beyond traditional theaters. Since its founding in 2018, the festival has brought together audiences each summer across multiple dates and locations, transforming public spaces into vibrant hubs of cinema.

Cinétoile presents a curated selection of short films from around the world, with a strong presence of works in Arabic, French, and English. Committed to accessibility and cultural exchange, all screenings are free of charge, fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for diverse audiences, with a particular focus on engaging young viewers.

Beyond screenings, the festival offers a dynamic program of workshops, panels, and discussions led by industry professionals. These activities provide valuable insights into filmmaking, from directing and production to poster design and critical film analysis, creating a platform for both learning and creative dialogue.

By bringing cinema into open, shared spaces, Cinétoile celebrates storytelling, creativity, and community—making film more accessible, interactive, and alive.

Awards & Prizes

At Cinétoile, we believe that outstanding filmmaking deserves meaningful recognition and celebration. The festival honors excellence in short films across Fiction, Documentary, and Animation through the following awards:

🥇 Gold Star Award (Grand Prize of the Festival)

🥈Silver Star Award

🥉 Bronze Special Jury Star Award

Additional prizes may be introduced depending on sponsorship opportunities.

Beyond awards, Cinétoile offers filmmakers a valuable platform to gain visibility and connect with peers and industry professionals. By submitting your film, you place your work in front of a diverse audience and a jury composed of experienced voices in cinema—creating opportunities for recognition, exchange, and future collaboration within the international film community.

Rules & Terms

1 - In order to submit a film, you must own the rights or have permission from the owner.

2 - The festival is open to short films, fiction, documentaries or animations, made after 01 January, 2023

3 - The duration of a film must not exceed 30 minutes.

4 - All non-English language films must have legible English and /or French language subtitles.

5 - ENTRY MUST INCLUDE: Link to a 30-60 second trailer and a separate link to the film, including password if required. Third party download must be enabled, if necessary.
NOTIFICATION: All entrants will be notified of their status once scoring is completed.

6 - By submitting your film, you agree that clips under 30 seconds from your film and all other materials related to your project may be used and/or published on our website/social media channels/event program, or for any promotional purposes which we deem appropriate.

7 - If selected, all commercial/private property including all trademark/copyrighted materials shown or recorded in the project are the responsibility of the filmmaker. Cinétoile will NOT take responsibility for any infringement of copyrighted materials.

8 - By submitting your movie, you authorize Cinétoile to use, distribute and share the film poster, trailer, synopsis and movie stills in our social media.

9 - Not all the submissions are selected for the official competition. Our Judges are free to make their own choices and no answers will be given about not selected films

10 - Rules are subject to change at any time with or without prior notice.

SUBJECT MATTER: Please be guided by the categories indicated in this listing. The following content is prohibited: pornographic images and language, slanderous or libelous images and language, and any visual or verbal content that might be considered hate speech, racist, misogynist, overly violent, obscene or offensive.

7 Reviews
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  • Melle Windig

    Thank you for hosting our short stop motion student animation Cell Buddies as part of Cinetoile!

    September 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much for trusting us with Cell Buddies!
    It was a real pleasure to share your wonderful stop-motion animation with our audience, who truly enjoyed it.

  • Alejandro Betancurt

    Thank you so much for the opportunity to participate in the Cinétoile film festival. It was a great honor for my short film, "Ella," to be included in your official selection.

    I am truly grateful for the chance to have shared my work with your wonderful audience in such a spectacular setting. The entire experience was unforgettable.

    September 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    We’re grateful to have had the chance to showcase your work under the stars, and we hope this won’t be the last time we collaborate. Wishing you continued success in your filmmaking journey! 🌟

  • Seif Ali

    We are honored that 8 Candles had its world premiere at Cinétoile Film Festival. Having the first screening in North Africa, made this moment especially meaningful.

    It was a wonderful experience, the festival team was always available, supportive, and ensured we had the best experience possible. We are truly grateful to Cinétoile for giving 8 Candles its first audience.

    September 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    Thank you so much for your touching words. We are truly honored that 8 Candles had its world premiere with us at Cinétoile. Sharing your film with our North African audience was a very special moment for the festival as well.

    It means a lot to know that you felt supported and welcomed by our team — this is exactly the spirit we want our filmmakers to experience.

    Wishing you all the best for the journey of the film ahead, and we look forward to crossing paths again in the future. 🌟

  • Simon Koolwijk

    My crew and I are happy that the film 'The Secret' was shown at the festival. I would like to thank the festival that they gave the opportunity to share this story, that has a link to the colonial history of France in the north of Africa.

    September 2025
    Helpful
    Response from festival:

    We are grateful that you chose to share this meaningful work with us and we wish you and your crew continued success in bringing such stories to the world. 🌟

  • Adel Alhaimi

    nice experience in your festival

    September 2024
    Helpful