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Luxor African Film Festival opens submissions for 15th edition
Submissions are open until November 25, 2025, for films produced in 2025 that have not yet been screened in Egypt.
The Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF) has officially opened submissions for its 15th edition, which will be held from March 30 to April 5, 2026, in Luxor, southern Egypt. The festival, founded by screenwriter Sayed Fouad, will once again celebrate the richness of African cinema while providing a platform for emerging and established filmmakers across the continent and the diaspora.
Film entries are now being accepted across four main competitions. The Long Films Competition will showcase narrative, documentary and animated features over 60 minutes, while the Short Films Competition will highlight short-form works in the same categories. Both competitions are exclusively open to African directors. The Diaspora Films Competition invites submissions from African filmmakers living abroad whose works address Africa from a global perspective. In addition, the Youth Films Competition is dedicated to young filmmakers from the governorates of Qena and Luxor.
Azza El Hosseiny, Founder and Director of LAFF, said: 'Several months before the festival, we will organise a workshop dedicated to those interested in making short films with no budget, targeting youth from Luxor and Qena. The aim is to develop their skills and give them the opportunity to become part of the Egyptian and African cinematic landscape. This initiative is not limited to offering film workshops; it also includes opening submissions for a special film competition dedicated to Luxor and Qena, with members of the jury coming from these two governorates themselves.'
This edition of LAFF will also pay tribute to the late filmmaker Youssef Chahine on the centennial of his birth. Under the theme 'Youssef Chahine… An Egyptian Story,' the festival will honour his pioneering contributions to Egyptian and global cinema.
Film submissions open on August 20, 2025, and close on November 25, 2025, through the festival's official website. Eligible films must have been produced in 2025 and should not have been previously screened in Egypt.
Acclaimed Egyptian actor Mahmoud Hemida has been named Honorary President of the 15th edition, underscoring the festival's stature within the cultural landscape. Organised by the Independent Shabab Foundation for Support and Development, LAFF is held in partnership with Egypt's Ministries of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Youth and Sports, and Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with Luxor Governorate.
