The AIU Kuwait International Film Festival (AIUKIFF) proudly returns for its 5th Edition, continuing its commitment to celebrating bold storytelling, artistic excellence, and the power of cinema to connect cultures.

Since its inception, AIUKIFF has grown into one of Kuwait's leading international film platforms, welcoming filmmakers from around the world while championing local, GCC, Arab, and international voices.

Our Vision

To establish the AIU Kuwait International Film Festival as a premier international film festival that celebrates the richness of Kuwaiti cinema while serving as a cultural bridge between Kuwait and the global filmmaking community.

Our Mission

To promote cinematic excellence, encourage cultural exchange, foster meaningful dialogue, and support the continued growth of filmmaking in Kuwait, the GCC, the Arab world, and beyond.

Strategic Partner

Cinescape (KNCC) has been a valued partner of AIU and the Kuwait International Film Festival (KIFF) over the years. Through its sponsorship and strategic support, Cinescape has helped the festival grow, creating meaningful opportunities for filmmakers and industry professionals to connect locally, regionally, and internationally.

Sponsor

Submissions are Open for 2027!

Celebrating Five Years of Global Storytelling

Every great film begins with a story worth telling.

At the AIU Kuwait International Film Festival (AIUKIFF), we believe voices have the power to inspire, challenge, connect, and transcend borders. We celebrate filmmakers who dare to tell meaningful stories, spark conversations, and share new perspectives with the world.

As we proudly launch our 5th Edition, we invite storytellers from Kuwait and across the globe to join us for our most ambitious festival yet. With expanded programming, exciting new initiatives, and fresh opportunities for filmmakers and audiences alike, AIUKIFF 2027 promises to be our biggest celebration of cinema to date.

Submit your film here

Submission Deadline:

January 5, 2027

If Your Film is Selected

Selected filmmakers will be asked to provide a screening copy meeting festival specifications, a press kit, film poster, production stills, director biography, and trailer (where available).

Looking Ahead

2027 marks an exciting new chapter for AIUKIFF with expanded programming, industry activities, networking opportunities, and new festival experiences. We look forward to discovering your story and welcoming you to Kuwait.

About the 2027 Festival

AIUKIFF celebrates a diverse range of cinematic voices, genres, cultures, and perspectives. We seek films that demonstrate artistic excellence, originality, and compelling storytelling while reflecting the diversity of global cinema.

Dates: March 21-27 2027

Partners: Cinescape

Sponsors: Zain, Ali Alghanim & Sons, Al Jeel Al Jadeed

Venues: American International University (Jahra), Cinescape (360 Mall)

Submission Guidelines

Rules & Eligibility

The submission fee is $15/KD 4.6 for International submissions and $10/KD 3 for local Kuwait Films, and the call is open worldwide.

One submission per director.

Films completed in 2024 or later only.

Short Films: 4–30 minutes.

Feature Films: 60–120 minutes.

AI films must clearly state how AI is used. * Please refer to AI Rubric and Guidelines below.

Final Deadline: November 20 (11:59 pm Kuwait time).

Foreign films must be subtitled

Entries not meeting technical specifications may be rejected.

Film Rights & Copyright

By submitting a film, the filmmaker grants AIUKIFF the non-exclusive right to screen selected films during the festival and affiliated screenings. AIUKIFF may use trailers, stills, posters, excerpts, titles, and filmmaker biographies for promotional purposes. No screening fee or travel/accommodation expenses are provided unless otherwise specified. The Festival reserves the right to amend its programme and screening schedule where necessary.

Technical Specifications for Selected Films:

Filename: SFP5_FilmTitle_FirstName_LastName

Video: H.264/MP4, 1920×1080, 16:9, 15 Mbps CBR.

Audio: LC-AAC Stereo or Dolby Digital AC-3, 48 kHz.

Embedded English and Arabic subtitles required as applicable.

For more details and to submit your film, visit our FilmFreeway page.

For any questions, contact us at film@aiu.edu.kw.

Frequently Asked Questions

KIFF 2027 Awards

Features:

Best Arab Fiction Film

Best Arab Documentary

Shorts:

Best Arab Fiction Film

Best Arab Documentary

Best International Fiction Film

Best International Documentary

Local:

Best Kuwaiti Short Film

Best Cinematography

Best Actor

Best Actress

Additional:

Audience Choice Award

Honorable Mentions

New:

Best TV Series

Best Student Film

Best Film using AI

Monetary prizes are awarded to eligible Kuwaiti, GCC, and Arab award recipients in accordance with the Festival's funding and sponsorship guidelines.

International films remain fully eligible for Official Selection, Jury Awards, Festival Laurels, Certificates, Trophies, the Audience Choice Award, and Honorable Mentions.

Monetary prizes are presented to eligible award recipients attending the Festival. Alternative arrangements remain at the discretion of the Festival.

The AIU Kuwait International Film Festival is honored to welcome filmmakers from around the world. While we are currently unable to provide travel or accommodation support, all selected filmmakers are warmly invited to attend the Festival at their own expense and experience Kuwait's growing film community.

Above all, our goal is to discover and celebrate exceptional cinema, wherever it comes from. We look forward to sharing your story with our audiences.

AI Transparency Requirement

All use of generative artificial intelligence must be disclosed at the time of submission. Films in which more than 20% of the substantive creative content is AI-generated or substantially AI-assisted must complete the AIU Enhanced AI Disclosure, identifying the areas of AI use, the tools or platforms used, the approximate level of AI involvement, and a brief description of the human creative process and AI workflow.

Substantive creative content may include screenplay/story, moving images or animation, performances or voices, music or sound, visual effects, and other material appearing in the completed film. Ordinary AI-enabled production utilities such as transcription, subtitle assistance, noise reduction, basic image cleanup, upscaling or stabilization do not by themselves count toward the percentage unless they generate or substantially alter creative content.

AI Involvement Classification

Level	AI Involvement	Guidance
0	No AI	No generative AI used in the creation of the submitted film.
1	Minimal AI Assistance: 1-20%	Limited AI use as a supporting tool. Human creative authorship remains substantially responsible for the final work. AI use must still be disclosed.
2	Significant AI Integration: 21-50%	AI-generated or substantially AI-assisted material forms a significant part of one or more creative elements. Enhanced AI disclosure required.
3	Major AI Integration: 51-80%	AI is a major creative or production component, while significant human direction, authorship and/or performance remain. Enhanced AI disclosure required.
4	Predominantly AI-Generated: 81-100%	Most visual, audio, performance, narrative or other substantive creative material is generated through AI tools under human creative direction. Full AI disclosure required.

Kuwait International Film Festival
Award Winners 2025

Best Arab Feature Fiction

The Boy Inside the Cocoon

by Ahmed Al Terkait

Best Kuwaiti Short Fiction

Toxic

by Abdulaziz AlBallam

Best Actor

Ahmed Eraj

in “Al Kayd”

Best Actress

Heba Al Mutairi

“Fragmentation”

Best Kuwaiti Script

Al Kayd

by Dr. Ahmad Hamada

Best Kuwaiti Director

Ahmed Al Terkait

for “The Boy Inside the Cocoon”

Best Kuwaiti Short Documentary

Without Doors

by Latifa Ahmad Alqatamy

Best Arab Short Documentary

The Resilience of the Poppy

by Mona Hammoud

Best Arab Short Fiction

An Orange From Jaffa

by Mohammed Almughanni

Best Arab Feature Documentary

The Final Scene

by Eyas Almokdad

Best International Short Fiction

The First Film

by Piyush Thakur

Best International Short Documentary

Write My Name

by Deya Ar, Beg¸m Aksoy

Film Week

Festival Program

AIU Film Screening Schedule

AIU Campus

Cinescape Film Screening Schedule

Cinescape 360 Mall

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

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

KIFF 2025 Collaborators

Speakers

KIFF 2025

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

KIFF 2025 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

Kuwait International Film Festival
Award Winners 2024