Issni N’Ourgh, meaning "Golden Crown," is a distinguished Amazigh film festival that began in the city of Agadir. Over the years, it has garnered widespread acclaim, with Amazigh films, once primarily viewed by Amazigh audiences, now showcased at prestigious festivals around the globe.
Since two years ago, the festival has placed a spotlight on global diversity, launching an international competition that welcomes filmmakers from all corners of the world. The selected films are screened during the festival and judged by an esteemed panel of film professionals.
The programming features films that not only celebrate the richness of world cultures but also address the pressing challenges these cultures face in today’s world. Themes such as migration, globalization, environmental preservation, and the promotion of peace and tolerance are explored in depth.
Issni N’Ourgh, also known as FINIFA, aspires to become a key player in the global film landscape while promoting Amazigh culture internationally. By celebrating cultural diversity, embracing universal values, and fostering dialogue, it plays a crucial role in creating a more open and tolerant world.
International Competition Awards:
- Best Short Film
- Best Actress Award
- Best Actor Award
- Best Screenplay Award
- Jury Prize
- Best Film
Amazigh Competition Awards:
- Ider Yahiya Award for Best Short Film
- Best Documentary
- Best Actress Award
- Best Actor Award
- Best Screenplay Award
- Jury Prize
- Grand Issni N'Ourgh FINIFA Prize
The jury of each edition is free to introduce additional awards, such as Best Musical Score, Editing, Cinematography, and more.
At Issni N'Ourgh, there is no boundary between documentary and fiction.
Rules & Terms
Regulations of the Festival Issni N’ourgh International du Film Amazighe- FINIFA-
Nomination:
FINIFA - Festival Issni N’ourgh International du Film Amazighe –
Issni N’ourgh
Presentation:
Issni N’ourgh, or "Golden crown," is an Amazigh film festival that originated in the city of Agadir. It has gained popularity over the years, and Amazigh films, which once had a limited audience among the Amazigh community, are now being screened at renowned festivals worldwide.
For this edition, the festival focuses on global diversity and has launched an international competition open to all filmmakers worldwide. Selected films will be screened during the festival and judged by a jury composed of cinema professionals.
This year's program will showcase films that reflect the diversity of global cultures while highlighting the challenges these cultures face in the modern world. Selected films will explore themes such as migration, globalization, environmental preservation, and the promotion of peace and tolerance.
The Issni N’ourgh or FINIFA aims to become a major event in the global cinematic scene and to promote Amazigh culture worldwide. By celebrating cultural diversity and universal values and encouraging dialogue, it contributes to building a more open and tolerant world.
Objectives:
The Issni N’ourgh Amazigh Film Festival aims primarily to promote cultural exchange among different communities through selected films, highlighting the richness and diversity of cultures worldwide. It also encourages international cooperation among directors, producers, and actors to develop joint projects that transcend borders and language barriers.
The festival promotes dialogue and mutual understanding by exploring universal themes such as love, family, war and peace, social justice, etc. Selected films raise awareness among audiences about social, political, and environmental issues, prompting reflection and action.
The goal is also to create a movement of artistic competition among production houses to professionalize the Amazigh film sector and encourage various stakeholders in the national audiovisual sector to further support Amazigh film production.
The festival encourages the creation of bridges between different film genres (documentary, fiction, animation, experimental, etc.) to broaden perspectives and creative possibilities and showcases the global cinematic heritage by screening classic films and organizing retrospectives to better understand the evolution of this art form and its impact on society.
Finally, the festival seeks to modernize the Moroccan Amazigh film sector, bring Amazigh cinematic products closer to the global audience, provide constructive critical support to steer cinema towards more beneficial professionalism, spur investment in major productions to promote the image of Moroccan cinema nationally and internationally, and foster collaboration among actors and technicians operating in Amazigh expression cinema to improve their situation and productivity.
The Amazigh competition of the festival is open to all producers and directors who have created a film in the Amazigh language, subtitled in French or English.
Only fiction films and documentaries, whether long or short, will be accepted in the festival's official competition. Directors may submit multiple works to the festival, but only one will be admitted to the official competition.
Other productions may be screened out of competition. As for the international competition, it is also open to all producers and directors who have created a film in their original language, subtitled in French or English. Only fiction films and documentaries, whether long or short, will be accepted in the international competition of the festival. Directors may also submit multiple works for this competition, but only one will be admitted to the official competition. Other productions may be screened out of competition.
Film Submission:
• Submitting films to FINIFA obligatorily entails making the screening rights available to the FINIFA - Festival Issni N’ourgh International du Film Amazighe.
• For the international competition, film submissions are made online on the platform announced by the festival.
• For the Amazigh competition, film submissions are made via the registration form provided by the festival.
• Registration will be definitively approved upon receipt of the signed form with all film elements, including a high-quality copy or in other formats, the synopsis, director and film photos, and the film poster in high quality, along with the distribution agreement signed by the producer or director for obtaining the cultural visa from the Moroccan Cinematographic Center.
• Confirmation of receipt of submitted films will be sent to the sender via email.
• All shipping charges for films and registration forms will be borne by the sender.
• The deadline for submission and sending of film elements and director information is set for May 31, 2025. For both official competitions, the selection committee will review all submitted films and will be solely authorized to accept or reject any film proposed for the festival.
• Film selection notifications will be communicated via email no later than early August 2025.
• Selected films must be sent to the festival's email before July 31, 2025, and must be verified by the sender before shipment to avoid any anomalies or damage that may occur during scanning.
• The festival does not cover the reshipment costs of copies of selected and non-selected films.
• The FINIFA organizing committee appoints a jury consisting of at least three members from artistic, cultural, social, and media domains.
• The prizes to be awarded to the winners of the 16th edition of FINIFA are under negotiation and will be announced on the official festival page as soon as possible.
• In case of dispute, if no amicable settlement can be reached, only the courts of Agadir will have exclusive jurisdiction to resolve the dispute.
International Competition
Short and Feature Films >2' 102'<
No Fee
Submissions deadline
31 May 25
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0€
Submit
Since two years ago, the festival has placed a spotlight on global diversity, launching an international competition that welcomes filmmakers from all corners of the world. The selected films are screened during the festival and judged by an esteemed panel of film professionals.
The programming features films that not only celebrate the richness of world cultures but also address the pressing challenges these cultures face in today’s world. Themes such as migration, globalization, environmental preservation, and the promotion of peace and tolerance are explored in depth.
Amazigh Competition
Short and Feature Films >2' 102'<
No Fee
Submissions deadline
31 May 25
Save up
0€
Submit
Since its founding on September 6, 2006, at the Jardins d'Olhao in Agadir, Issni N’Ourgh has established itself as the only global platform dedicated to Amazigh films. This festival showcases works created by both Amazigh and non-Amazigh filmmakers. Indeed, many Amazigh films have been directed by French, American, Dutch, Belgian, Canadian, and even Arab filmmakers.
Our ambition is to turn Issni N'Ourgh into a true "moussem" of Amazigh cinema, celebrating the richness of Amazigh culture across all of Tamazgha, from Siwa in Egypt to Tangier, from Tangier to Timbuktu, not forgetting the Canary Islands, where the Guanches have left their mark with beautiful Amazigh films.
Issni N'Ourgh provides an opportunity for independent creators, who often lack access to the government-backed film funds in North Africa and the wider Sahara region. At the same time, the festival also features works supported by public funding, highlighting the importance of diversifying financial resources for cinema.
As a young and emerging art form, Amazigh cinema deserves to be encouraged. Our mission is to support and provide visibility to Amazigh filmmakers, enabling them to share their stories, celebrate their culture, and amplify their voices on the global stage.
