Sofia MENAR Film Festival (18)

Festival start: 15 January 2027      Festival end: 15 January 2027

Sofia MENAR Film Festival makes Bulgarian audience familiar with the culture and traditions of the Islamic world.

The programme of Sofia MENAR Film Festival presents the best of Middle East, Central Asia and North Africa cinema productions, including feature films, documentaries and short projects. A lot of accompanying events are organised within the frames of the festival. These events are particularly selected and bound up with the countries of this region, representing traditions and customs of the ethnic groups that inhabit its lands.

The festival is held every year in January. MENAR is organised by "Pozor" as one of a kind Balkans` largest cultural event representing Muslim world and its traditions.

With its eighteen editions from 2009 to 2026 the festival has presented more than 1200 titles to the Bulgarian audience – film productions shot in Asia and Africa.

The term MENAR, for "Middle East and North Africa Region", is an acronym often used to cover an extensive area, stretching from Morocco to Iran, including the majority of both the Middle Eastern and Maghreb countries.

Menár /منار , pronounced also manár/ in Arabic language means lighthouse, light tower, guiding light. It is derivative from the Arabic word nur /نور/, meaning light. It has got into use into Bulgarian language, by means of Ottoman Turkish language by way of minare word, meaning the tower, which illuminates the path.

Screening Fee Shorts: 10$
Screening Fee Features: 10$

The audience applause is the most precious award we can offer!

Eligible for entry are feature films, documentary films and short films released not earlier than January 1st, 2024. The films should be productions from Middle East, Central Asia and Africa region or elsewhere, but concerning the Islamic culture.

The festival has it's online edition as well. Some of the selected films can be available online for the time of the festival. The access to the online edition is via subscription.

English subtitleS ARE OBLIGATORY!