Babylon Documentary Film Festival (3)

Festival start: 14 November 2025      Festival end: 19 November 2025

The Babylon International Documentary Film Festival is the first international documentary film festival in Iraq. The festival is a 5 days special event that aims to empower and uplift documentary filmmakers from the MENA region as well as shedding light on Human Rights topics in the region, while also fostering cooperation and cultural exchange between international filmmakers. The festival focuses on showcasing a diverse range of international independent documentary films, with a special emphasis on promoting and supporting MENA talent.

The festival's primary goal is to provide a community for MENA documentary filmmakers to showcase their works and gain recognition on an international stage. The festival actively seeks to empower and uplift filmmakers to tell stories about important topics such as human rights. By offering filmmakers a dedicated community to present their documentaries alongside international films. Through screenings, discussions, and Q&A sessions with industry professionals, The festival creates opportunities for filmmakers from the MENA region to engage with a global audience, gain exposure, and build valuable connections within the international documentary community.

In addition to celebrating Independent documentary cinema, the festival also fosters collaboration and cultural exchange with filmmakers from around the world. By bringing together international filmmakers, directors, and producers, the festival promotes dialogue, understanding, and the sharing of diverse perspectives.

The festival serves as a dynamic platform that not only celebrates documentary filmmaking on an international scale but also seeks to empower and elevate filmmakers from the MENA region, promoting their voices and stories to a global audience.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

National Films: Documentaries produced within Iraq.

International Films: Documentaries produced outside of Iraq.

Feature Documentaries: Films that are 41 minutes or longer.

Shorts: National films that are 40 minutes or shorter, International films that are 30 minutes or shorter, including all credits.

Episodes: Series with episodes of any length. However, at least 50% of the series episodes should be submitted for consideration.

If the documentary is in a language other than Arabic, it must be subtitled or dubbed in Arabic. (Subtitling is preferred).

Ineligible Film Types:

Promotional, instructional, industrial films or raw documentation of performances are not eligible for submission.

VR and Interactive Projects:

Currently, Babylon Docs does not have a specific category for VR or interactive projects. Therefore, these types of projects are not eligible for consideration at this time.

In Babylon Docs, the programming preferences and eligibility criteria for film submissions are as follows:

Programming Preference:

For the 2025 edition, the ideal selection includes films for World or Iraq premieres.

Eligibility for National Films:

For the 2025 edition, national films from 2022 are eligible for submission.

Please note that while Babylon Docs considers pre-release new films as a programming preference, it also welcomes submissions of international films from 2021.

In Babylon Docs, the eligibility criteria for feature and short films, excluding the Short List and Winner's Circle sections, are as follows:


Screening Restrictions:

Features and Shorts must not have been publicly screened in person in Babylon prior to the Festival.

The films must not have been broadcast on Iraqi television or made available online* before the festival.

The films must not have been commercially released on DVD/Blu-ray, VOD, or made available for public download.

Exceptions: Features that have premiered at other festivals/series/events and have been part of an online component at those events may be exempted from this rule, provided that the organizers of those events are not based within Iraq.

Please ensure that your feature or short film complies with these screening restrictions and eligibility guidelines.


SUBMISSIONS GUIDELINES:

• All submissions MUST be made via Festhome. We do not accept submissions made by email.


Updating Screener Link and Password:

While you have the option to update your submitted video link with a revised cut of your film, please be aware that we generally review only one cut of each submission.

If your update occurs after we have already reviewed the previous cut of your film, we cannot guarantee that we will watch the revised cut during the evaluation process.

Please keep these guidelines in mind to ensure smooth communication and accurate information regarding your film submission to Babylon Docs.

• Please keep in mind that we do not accept DVDs as submission formats. All entries must be submitted via the URL provided in your FestHome entry.

• Materials mailed will not be returned. DCPs, film prints, master tapes, or other originals should not be sent.

• All entrants will be advised of their status by email on or around September 1, 2025.


Changes to Contact Information:

It is important to keep Babylon Docs informed of any changes regarding your contact information.


Feedback on Entries:

Due to the high volume of submissions received, Babylon Docs, unfortunately, cannot provide individual feedback on entries.
Usage of Babylon Docs' Name or Logo:

Unless your film is officially selected for inclusion in the festival, the use of Babylon Docs' name or logo in any of your film's marketing and promotional materials is not permitted.

Section Placement and Competitive Categories:

Filmmakers cannot submit their features to specific competitive or thematic sections. The Babylon Docs programming team determines section placement after film selections have been made.