The Bahrain Film Festival has officially opened submissions for its fifth edition, marking another milestone in the Kingdom’s burgeoning cinematic movement. The festival, scheduled to take place from October 30 to November 3, 2025, invites Bahraini and Arab filmmakers to submit their works, with applications accepted from March 3 until June 20. Filmmakers — including directors, producers, and both amateur and professional creators — can submit their works through the official festival website (www. bahrainfilmfestival. org). To qualify, short films must have been produced after January 1, 2024, and must not have been previously screened in cinemas, on television, or online. Submissions Submissions must not exceed 30 minutes in length, and all non-Arabic films must include Arabic subtitles. Similarly, Arabic-language films are required to have English subtitles to ensure cultural accessibility and wider audience engagement. The festival allows multiple submissions from the same director or producer across five key competition categories: Bahraini Films, Short Narrative Films, Documentaries, Animation Films, and Student Films.