Cairo Film Connection backs the next wave of Arab cinema
Sixteen projects. Twelve countries. One of the Arab world’s key film-industry springboards. Cairo Film Connection has unveiled its selection for its 12th edition, taking place during the 47th Cairo International Film Festival, 11–20 November 2026.
Chosen from 193 submissions, the 16 projects include nine fiction films in development, four non-fiction projects in development and three documentaries in post-production. Filmmakers from Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Lebanon will pitch to producers, financiers, distributors and international film institutions, competing for funding, grants and production support.
The selection also underlines the increasingly international nature of Arab filmmaking, with several projects structured as co-productions involving European and Middle Eastern partners.
Cairo Film Connection has built an impressive track record since launching in 2010. Across its first 11 editions, it has supported 169 projects, distributing more than $1.3 million in cash and in-kind awards. More than half of its selected projects have received support.
And the results are increasingly visible on the international festival circuit. Previous Connection projects include Kaouther Ben Hania’s Four Daughters, Amjad Al Rasheed’s Inshallah a Boy, Lina Soualem’s Bye Bye Tiberias and Ayten Amin’s Souad, with alumni films reaching Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto, Locarno and other major festivals.
The 2026 edition continues that mission: finding distinctive Arab voices early, connecting them with the money and expertise to realise their films, and giving them a route to the international festival circuit. The winning projects will be announced during Cairo Film Connection in November.
CAIRO FILM FESTIVAL | 11 – 20 NOVEMBER 2026