November 9 – 15, 2025

Nov 9, 2025

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Film Week

Festival Program

Nov 9, 2025

Local & World Premiere Night "Al Kayd"

Screening and Panel with Dr. Ahmed Mishary Hamada, Director Hatem Hossamaldeen & Actor Hussein Haddad

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM | 360 Cinescape - Cinema 8

Nov 10, 2025

Arab and International Short Films: Stories for the Next Generation

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | AIU Outdoor Screen

Time Hopper

Film screening in partnership with the Embassy of Canada and Q&A with Director Flordeliza Dayrit, and Producer Michael Milo

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM | AIU Auditorium

Arab and International Short Films

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM | AIU Auditorium

Visual Literacy in Film

A talk by Hamad Al Sarraf followed by a workshop for pre-registered participants in Northern Lights Lounge

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM | AIU Auditorium

Local Premiere Night "The Boy Inside the Cocoon

A film by Ahmed Al Terkait

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM | 360 Cinescape - Cinema 8

Nov 11, 2025

Workshop- Foundations of Branding for Entrepreneurs

A workshop with Bizango - Mark Figlozzi, Susan Jackson, & Chaney McCullough

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM | AIU Auditorium

International Short Films

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | AIU Auditorium

Arab and International Short Films - Fragments of Family, Mirrors of Change

3:00 PM - 6:30 PM | AIU Outdoor Screen

Spotlight on Local Cinema

Films screening and Panel Discussion with Directors Hamad Yousef Alnoori, Abdulaziz AlBallam, Latifa Al Qatami, & Abdulazeez Al-Rifai

6:00 PM - 10:00 PM | 360 Cinescape - Cinema 8

Nov 12, 2025

Filmmaking in Kuwait

A discussion with Abbas Yousefi and Dawood Shuail

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | AIU Auditorium

Efficiency In Production Workshop
(Pre-registered participants only)

A workshop with AlZain AlHumaidhi

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Northern Lights

Arab and International Short Films - Flames of Resilience

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM | AIU Outdoor Screen

Fragmentation & Lego Queen

Film screening and Q&A with Directors Maryam Al Abbad & Haitham Sulaiman, hosted by Alia Azzeh

5:00 PM - 8:00 PM | AIU Outdoor Screen

Nov 13, 2025

AI Filmmaking: Enhancing Real Footage to Create High-End Cinematic Scenes

A workshop with Ahmed Al Khudari

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM | B-316

Arab and International Short Films - Films for Young Minds

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM | AIU Outdoor Screen

Junior Juror Program

Workshop powered by Sharjah International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFF)

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | AIU Auditorium

The Hyper Democratization of Storytelling

A Lecture by Dr. Sanjeev Chatterjee - University of Miami

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | AIU Auditorium

Arab and International Short Films-First Light: Horizons of Love and Growth

2:00 PM - 6:30 PM | AIU Outdoor Screen

AIUKIFF x Sharjah International Film Festival Film Screening

Short films presented by Sharjah International Film Festival for Children & Youth (SIFF)

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | 360 Cinescape - Cinema 8

Nov 15, 2025

Awards Ceremony

7:00 PM - 10:30 PM | AIU Auditorium

Speakers

Film Festival

Dr. Abdulaziz AlBallam

Film Director, Cinematographer

Mr. Ahmed AlKhudari

Filmmaker

Mr. Dawood Al-Shuail

Director

Dr. Ahmad Hamada

Film Director

Hamad AlSarraf

Film Director, Screenwriter, Producer

Mr. Hamad Yousef Alnoori

Filmmaker, Producer

Ms Latifa Al Qatami

Filmmaker

Prof. Sanjeev Chatterjee

Graduate Program Director, Documentary MFA

Jury

Festival Program

Dr. Afif J Arabi

Director, Writer, Cinematographer, Assistant Professor of Communication & Media

Ms. Dalida Chahine

Filmmaker & Actress

Mr. Dawood Al-Shuail

Director

Dir. M. Dahham
(Head of Jury)

Filmmaker

Mr. Jassim AlQuames

Producer, Director, Co-Founder Free Jabriya Productions

Mr. Mahmood Alshaikh

Director

Associate Professor Maysaa Almumin

Filmmaker

Mr. Talal Al-Muhanna

Film, TV and Theater Producer

Let’s look back at the amazing moments from the 2024 festival.

Thank you for your submissions!

Thank you for your film submissions for the 2025 Kuwait International film festival. We are excited to review your incredible work and look forward to showcasing the selected films at the AIU Kuwait International Film Festival 2025.

Stay tuned for more updates and announcements!

Submission Deadline Closed:

September 1, 2025

Award Categories

Best Arab Feature Fiction Film

Best Kuwaiti Short Film

Best Cinematography

Best Actor

Best Arab Feature Documentary

Best Arab Short Documentary

Best Arab Short Fiction Film

Best International Short Fiction Film

Best International Short Documentary

Submission Guidelines

Submission Fee: Free.
Eligibility: Open to filmmakers worldwide.
Limit: One submission per director. Multiple submissions from the same director will not be accepted.
Film Requirements:
- Arab & International Short Films: 4 to 30 minutes in length.
- Arab Feature Films: 60 to 120 minutes in length.
- All films must be original and produced no earlier than 2022.
Deadline: All films must be submitted by September 1, 2025, 11:59 PM Kuwait time.