 | |
| Location | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founded by | Arman Kazemi |
| Language | English, Arabic, Persian, others |
| Website | www |
The MENA Film Festival (Middle East and North Africa Film Festival) is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 2019 by Arman Kazemi, [1] it is Vancouver's first and only festival dedicated to films from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), also known as Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) region. [2]
The MENA Film Festival was established in 2019 to address the lack of centralized representation of Persian and Middle Eastern films in Vancouver. [3] The festival was created by Arman Kazemi, of Persian heritage, along with a group of like-minded individuals who sought to provide a platform for filmmakers and artists from the Canadian-Middle Eastern community. [4]
The second edition in 2020 was held virtually from November 20–27 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing 23 films from 15 countries. [5]
In 2021, the festival returned to a hybrid format, offering both online and in-person screenings from November 21–27, partnering with the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) Centre's Vancity & Studio Theatre. [6]
The fifth edition (MENA 5) took place from January 27 to February 1, 2024, presenting five feature films and 37 short films representing 22 countries and regions including Iran, Yemen, Sudan, Armenia, Gaza and the West Bank. [7]
The sixth edition was held from January 25–30, 2025, at the VIFF Centre, featuring over 43 shorts and feature films, with an online streaming component from January 30 to February 6, 2025. [8]
The festival aims to provide a platform for filmmakers and artists—local and national, young and established—who identify as part of the larger Canadian-Middle Eastern community. It seeks to "provide a stage for artists and emerging voices to share their work, open a space for dialogue and celebrate our place in the Canadian arts landscape." [9]
The festival's programming consists in feature films and short film bundles, workshops, panels, and Q&A sessions, networking opportunities and displays a special attention to niche genres including horror, sci-fi, fantasy, experimental and art video [10]
The festival strongly encourages submissions from Black, women, and LGBTQ+ artists, and is dedicated to confronting anti-Blackness and colorism. [11]
The MENA Film Festival presents several awards [12] such as Scarlet Pomegranate: Best overall submission based on proximity to festival's purpose and vision, Buraq: Recognizing films that break the mold, experiment, and help audiences see the region in a new light, Azure Phoenix: Recognizing an individual who successfully creates a compelling representation of the MENA/SWANA region through distinctive effort, visual performance or artistic innovation and Audience Choice: Top-rated film chosen by audiences through in-festival balloting.
Winners are chosen by an international jury of filmmakers and academics. [13]
Launched in 2023, the MENA Canada Filmmaking Grant awards one CAD 5,000 grant annually to an early-career MENA/SWANA-identifying filmmaker in Canada; the completed short premieres at the following festival. [14]
The festival is held at the VIFF Centre at 1181 Seymour Street in downtown Vancouver. [15] Since 2021, it has partnered with the Vancouver International Film Festival, utilizing their facilities and infrastructure.
The festival acknowledges being based on the unceded lands of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səlí̓lwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, and stands in solidarity with diverse indigenous populations of the MENA/SWANA region. [16]
The festival has been recognized by the Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society (VAHMS) for its work in the community. [17]