Doha Film Festival Announces 22 Short Films for 2026 International Competition

Qatar’s Doha Film Institute (DFI) has revealed the lineup for the International Short Film Competition at the 2026 Doha Film Festival (DFF), scheduled to take place from 19 to 27 November. The selection comprises 22 films, including two world premieres and 19 MENA premieres.

Competition Lineup and Premieres

Spanning diverse cultures and cinematic approaches, the competition brings together both emerging and established filmmakers. The selection features “For The Opponents” by Federico Luis, which won the Short Film Palme d’Or at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, and “A Few Moments of Happiness” by Shaden Safieddine Tazi, awarded Best Short Film in the Orizzonti section of the 2026 Venice Film Festival.

The films represent a broad cross-section of international cinema, with stories rooted in the realities of Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen, as well as the Peruvian Amazon and rural Indonesia. The lineup reflects the vitality of short-form filmmaking as a space for experimentation, discovery and urgent storytelling.

Jury and Awards

An international jury of three members will evaluate the competition. The jury includes French-Moroccan producer Karim Aitouna; Malaysian filmmaker Amanda Nell Eu, director of “Tiger Stripes,” which received the Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize and was supported by DFI; and Swiss-Rwandan actress and filmmaker Kayije Kagame. The jury will assess artistic vision, originality and storytelling to recognise outstanding achievements in short-form cinema.

Prizes include the Best Film Award (US$20,000), Best Director Award (US$12,000), Best Performance Award (US$7,000) and a Special Mention Certificate.

Festival Director’s Vision

Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Festival Director and CEO of Doha Film Institute, said: “Short films give filmmakers the freedom to take creative risks, challenge conventions and bring fresh perspectives to the screen. They are a powerful reminder that cinema does not need to be bound by scale to leave a lasting impact. At Doha Film Festival, we champion this spirit of bold experimentation and discovery.”

She added: “This year’s International Short Film Competition celebrates the diversity and creative power of independent cinema. The selected films are deeply rooted in their communities while speaking to experiences that transcend borders and we look forward to welcoming these voices to Doha.” The festival, a key event in the region’s cultural calendar, continues to spotlight independent filmmaking from the Arab world and beyond.