MENA Film Festival

MENA Film Festival The Middle East and North Africa film festival represents the diversity and complexity of MENA artis

GIVEAWAY 🪩 We’re teaming up with to celebrate local & global talent & are thrilled to give one lucky winner a pair of t...
03/04/2026

GIVEAWAY 🪩 We’re teaming up with to celebrate local & global talent & are thrilled to give one lucky winner a pair of tickets to witness three distinct curations by our dear friend Mohammadreza (Momo) Akrami 🕺🏻

These OFFSITE sessions at the Scotiabank Dance Centre offer a rare look into the artistic process of global creators spanning Singapore, Norway, France, and Iran. These artists are gathering on Turtle Island to explore grief, absence, and the dancing body as a site of political refusal. One winner will receive 2 TICKETS valid for offerings on March 9, 10, & 15.

How to Enter:
❤️ LIKE this post.
✅ FOLLOW AND on IG & FB.
💬 TAG a friend in the comments below (more mentions = more entries) 🎁Bonus: Share this to your story and tag both of us for an extra 5 entries! 📲

⏳Competition closes on March 7 at 3 p.m. Winner announced via Stories later that day.

TB to our Closing Night “Q***r Shorts” film bundle and Q&A that drove a full house and ended the festival on a HIGH! 🌈🩵🎀...
02/21/2026

TB to our Closing Night “Q***r Shorts” film bundle and Q&A that drove a full house and ended the festival on a HIGH! 🌈🩵🎀✨
[ MENA SWANA film movies filmmakers artists music q***r lgbtqia+ Middle East Vancouver ]

From .kzie & .dolly ‘s mesmerising performance to the moving speeches and awards, our closing night was heartfelt. Soaki...
02/17/2026

From .kzie & .dolly ‘s mesmerising performance to the moving speeches and awards, our closing night was heartfelt. Soaking in all those bright memories! 🌟🎥
[ MENA SWANA events Vancouver film festival culture music concert performers artists ]

Moments from our Industry Rendezvous: Film Funding Workshop in Jan💡Real talk from people behind orgs like Telefilm, CMF,...
02/09/2026

Moments from our Industry Rendezvous: Film Funding Workshop in Jan💡Real talk from people behind orgs like Telefilm, CMF, Canada Council, and beyond, plus grant-writing gold from MaryAnn Anderson on how to write stronger, funder-ready applications.
Panels, pitches, and one-on-one sessions designed to support filmmakers at every stage🎬
[ film filmmakers movies funding money art documentaries media ]

Full hearts, fuller plates 🥹 Massive love to our food sponsors and for absolutely spoiling our MENA 2026 guests. The ...
02/05/2026

Full hearts, fuller plates 🥹 Massive love to our food sponsors and for absolutely spoiling our MENA 2026 guests. The glowing reviews were nonstop and honestly, we’re still thinking about those flavours 🔥🍴
[ food restaurants Vancouver events catering ]

It truly takes a village to make a film festival 🎬
MENA 2026 would absolutely not have been possible without the incredi...
02/05/2026

It truly takes a village to make a film festival 🎬
MENA 2026 would absolutely not have been possible without the incredible volunteers who supported every step of the journey, from initial viewings to on-site festival magic.
We’re SO grateful for the time, heart, and hard work you poured into this. Your dedication, generosity, and love made this festival what it was. We can’t thank you enough 🤍
PS: Apologies if we missed anyone in the photos — please know your contribution did not go unnoticed.
BIG LOVE to our volunteers. This was built together ✨
Here’s to many more editions together 🫶
Photo credits: .reel

Big love to our amazing jury members! 💛 Thank you for the time, expertise, and passion you brought to choosing the MENA ...
02/04/2026

Big love to our amazing jury members! 💛 Thank you for the time, expertise, and passion you brought to choosing the MENA 2026 Film Awards winners 🎬🔥
[ film movies awards Vancouver directors ]

After combining both in-person and online ballots, we’re super stoked to announce that “Baba I’m Fine” by has emerged a...
02/03/2026

After combining both in-person and online ballots, we’re super stoked to announce that “Baba I’m Fine” by has emerged as MENA 2026’s Audience Choice Award winner!

😻This gripping comedic short was featured in our Q***r & Crush Film Bundles, centering Arab American teen Sama. When her girlfriend blows off their Friday plans, Sama copes with romantic rejection by blasting music in her room. When her dad suggests hanging out, she reluctantly agrees, and their evening takes an unexpected turn as a message forces her to choose between authenticity and keeping up appearances.

A HUGE thank you to our on-site volunteers who collected ballots, and to Jana, our incredible Volunteer Coordinator. 💛✨
[ film movies events Vancouver Arab q***r shorts artists filmmakers ]

Honouring Ali Ameer .n , cinematographer of the Iraqi film “Beneath Which Rivers Flow” — recipient of the Azure Phoenix ...
02/01/2026

Honouring Ali Ameer .n , cinematographer of the Iraqi film “Beneath Which Rivers Flow” — recipient of the Azure Phoenix Award at 🐦✨
For a stunning visual language that powerfully evokes the MENA/SWANA region and its diaspora, Ameer’s work captures life in the marshlands of Southern Iraq, where a quiet boy and his beloved buffalo face a vanishing world as the rivers dry and their fragile way of life begins to disappear.

Honouring “Aleya” by Omar Abogabal — Buraq Shorts Runner-Up at 🎉An intimate portrait of Aleya, a trans woman who has r...
02/01/2026

Honouring “Aleya” by Omar Abogabal — Buraq Shorts Runner-Up at 🎉

An intimate portrait of Aleya, a trans woman who has recently moved from Cairo to Germany following her transition. Over her first year, she navigates loss, family estrangement, and emotional and physical change — sharing stories and poems that tenderly document her journey.
VC:
[ films movies LGBTQ Q***r Trans filmmaking love cinema ]

Sending major love to “Shame” by Hadi Moussally — Buraq Shorts Winner at 🏆Set in a reimagined 19th-century Levant and ...
02/01/2026

Sending major love to “Shame” by Hadi Moussally — Buraq Shorts Winner at 🏆Set in a reimagined 19th-century Levant and filmed in striking vertical format, the film follows Salma Zahore in multiple roles as she confronts the boundaries imposed by “shame.” Blending q***r perspectives and AI-generated voices, it boldly questions how shame has shaped bodies, gender, and identity across time.
Video credits:
[ films movies filmmaking director MENA SWANA artists ]

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