43rd Fajr International Film Festival
The Fajr International Film Festival (November 26th-December 3rd, 2025) warmly invites filmmakers, producers, and storytellers from around the globe to submit their works for its 43rd edition.
As one of the most significant cultural gatherings in the region, the festival not only showcases outstanding international cinema, but also embraces creations that celebrate the artistry, depth, and poetic spirit of Iranian filmmaking.
This year, under the guiding theme of celebrating life, the program will feature four competitive sections, a retrospective, the Film Market and the Darolfonoon, a school for young filmmakers who aspire to bring their first stories to the screen — stories that illuminate the beauty, resilience, and shared humanity of our world.
1. International Competition
This FIAPF-accredited, competitive, non-specialised section welcomes a broad array of feature films from diverse genres and showcases works from around the world that speak to the quest for justice and the rejection of oppression, violence, and extremism.It seeks stories that honor human dignity, celebrate the bonds of family and community, and reveal the beauty of cultural heritage.
Through the language of cinema, these works invite us to see the world with clearer eyes, to feel it more deeply, and to imagine a future where humanity moves in harmony — like a living poem unfolding on the screen.
A jury composed of 2 Iranians and 5 non Iranians all from cinema professionals will view the selected feature films and grant the following awards:
- Crystal Simorgh for Best Film — USD 5,000, equally shared between the director and the producer
- Crystal Simorgh for Best Director — USD 2,000
- Crystal Simorgh for Best Script — USD 1500
- Crystal Simorgh for Best Artistic Contribution-USD 1000
- Crystal Simorgh for Special Jury Award — USD1,500 to the director
2. Eastern Vista (Films from Asia)
This section presents feature films from across Asia that offer new perspectives and artistic visions capable of enriching world cinema.
Whether through bold storytelling, profound cultural insight, or inventive visual language, these works open a window onto the East — inviting audiences to experience its diversity, depth, and life-affirming beauty.
A jury composed of 1 Iranian and 4 non Iranians all from cinema professionals will view the selected Asian feature films and grant the following awards:
- Crystal Simorgh for Best Film — USD 4,000, equally shared between the director and the producer
- Crystal Simorgh for Best Artistic Contribution-USD 1000
- Crystal Simorgh for Special Jury Award — USD 1,500 to the director
3. Future Frame (Competition of First and Second Films)
Dedicated to nurturing emerging voices, this section showcases a competitive selection of first and second feature films from Iran and around the world — works that breathe new life into storytelling, like the first verses of a poem heralding a dawn filled with creative promise.
A jury composed of 1 Iranian and 2 non Iranians all from cinema professionals will view the selected first and second feature films and grant the following awards:
- Crystal Simorgh for Best Film — USD 3,000, equally shared between the director and the producer
- Crystal Simorgh for Special Jury Award — USD 1,500 to the director
4. Broken Olive Branch
This category honors films that explore themes of resistance and resilience with courage and creativity.
These works remind us that even in the midst of conflict, the human spirit can rise, heal, and keep alive the hope of peace.
The director of the best film in this category will receive the Crystal Simorgh and USD 3000 recognizing their powerful contribution to cinema as a voice for steadfastness and renewal.
A jury composed of 1 Iranian and 2 non Iranians all from cinema professionals will view the selected feature films and feature documentaries for this section.
5. Retrospective of Worldwide Filmmakers
This edition will pay tribute to a distinguished filmmaker, whose visual poetry and profound humanity transcend cultural boundaries.
His cinema should be a delicate homage to the human condition — a mirror of the soul and a testament to the life of the heart, perfectly aligned with the poetic spirit of our festival.
6. Iranian International Market for Film & TV Program (IFM)
The 26th IFM will be held from 30 November to 2 December 2025.
Full regulations will be published in due course.
7. Darolfonoon (TALENT CAMPUS)
Inspired by the historic legacy of Darolfonoon as a place of learning and cultural exchange, this section invites cinema students from across Iran and around the world to participate in an intensive series of filmmaking workshops.
Guided by distinguished filmmakers, writers, and industry professionals, these workshops will nurture both artistic skill and creative vision, encouraging participants to tell stories that reflect the vibrancy of life, the richness of human connection, and the shared dreams of a global community.
Rules & Regulations
- Registration is open from 5 August to 1 October 2025. All films must be submitted via the official festival website at www.fajriff.com by the producer or the film’s legal international distributor.
- Accepted Formats: Non-encrypted DCP, Full HD 1920 × 1080 – MP4 H264 with English subtitles.
- Year of Completion (for competitive sections): from January 2024 onwards.
- Minimum Duration: Feature Film Only: 75 minutes.
- World and International Premieres will receive priority; all submitted films must have at least their Iran Premiere.
- Films must not have been released theatrically, on Video/DVD/TV, online, or VOD in Iran prior to the festival dates.
- The Festival Director will select and officially invite films to participate.
- Submission implies acceptance of all festival rules. After receiving the confirmation of the film’s selection, the producer or the legal distributor confirm their acceptance of the invitation in writing and thereby undertake not to withdraw the film.
According to the FIAPF Regulations for International Film Festivals applicable in 2025, the Festival acknowledges that each film will be screened no more than 3 times.
Festival Secretariat:
2454, Corner of Lankaran St., Vali-Asr Ave., Tehran 1434843631, Iran
Tel: +98 (21) 88194257 – 88880328
Website: www.fajriff.com
Email: info@fajriff.com
