Film Festival Deadlines You Can Still Catch in the Middle East until August
Looking to submit your film? These regional festivals are open now and ready for your story.
![Abbas Souzian [Journalist]'s avatar](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!jkIz!,w_108,h_108,c_fill,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffa826ba8-cee6-41c0-830f-dfeaee93b2ca_1330x1330.jpeg)
For filmmakers looking to submit their work to respected festivals across the Middle East, this curated list offers a timely opportunity. Whether it’s a short, a documentary, or a feature, these festivals provide access to local audiences, regional industry networks, and international visibility, while highlighting stories rooted in place and culture.
As someone actively tracking festival deadlines in this region, I recommend using the summer months to prepare and submit. Many of these festivals have deadlines that continue into late August, making this a strategic moment to get your work seen.
Below is a selection of active festivals in the Middle East and surrounding areas with submission deadlines through the end of August 2025:
BIAFF, Batumi International Art-House Film Festival
Batumi, Georgia, 21–28 September 2025
Deadline: 5 August 2025
Dedicated to auteur and art-house cinema, with retrospectives, masterclasses, and international competitions.
Baku International Film Festival
Baku, 7–12 November 2025
Deadline: 1 August 2025
Organized by Azerbaijan’s Young Filmmakers Center, focusing on new voices, human values, and regional identity.
Cyprus Comic Con Film Festival
Nicosia, 4–5 October 2025
Deadline: 25 August 2025
Genre-focused shorts including sci-fi, fantasy, comedy, and animation, presented as part of Cyprus Comic Con.
Lebanese Independent Film Festival (LIFF)
Beirut, 25–28 September 2025
Deadline: 25 August 2025
A festival for independent voices and cultural healing through cinema.
Turkish World Documentary Film Festival
Istanbul, 1–5 October 2025
Deadline: 30 August 2025
Documentary platform uniting filmmakers from Turkic-speaking countries and regions.
International Women’s Film Festival KIN
Yerevan, 12–16 December 2025
Deadline: 17 August 2025
Celebrating women’s creativity and cinema as a tool for gender equality and cultural exchange.
Izmir International Short Film Festival (IISFF)
Izmir, 27 October – 2 November 2025
Deadline: 10 August 2025
An Academy Award qualifying short film festival, first of its kind in Turkey.
Izmit International Short Film Festival
Izmit, 22–24 October 2025
Deadline: 20 August 2025
Supporting the short film ecosystem and highlighting young creators in an intimate festival setting.
If you have other suggestions or know of additional festivals with open calls, feel free to share them in the comments.