ALFILM Festival

ALFILM Arab Film Festival Berlin is organized since 2009 by the non-profit association Zentrum für arabische Filmkunst und Kultur e.V. (formerly Freunde der arabischen Kinemathek, Berlin e.V.) It is the largest platform for the promotion of the diverse Arab cinematography in Germany. ALFILM takes place in Berlin in cinema Arsenal and City Kino Wedding, as well as other venues. It is a founding member of Festiwelt e.V., the independent network of Berlin film festivals.

ALFILM is organized and run by a team of freelancers and volunteers, currently led by Pascale Fakhry (Executive Director) and Iskandar Abdalla (Artistic Director).

The aim of ALFILM is to highlight films from the Arab world and its diaspora that have a high artistic value and present challenging perspectives on contemporary cultural, social and political issues. With its two main pillars ALFILM SELECTION, ALFILM SPOTLIGHT, the festival offers a lively platform for critical discourse, intercultural exchange, engagement with other cultures and future synergies and cooperations.

Discussions with filmmakers and experts take up socially and artistically relevant topics while offering new and stimulating views on the coexistence of cultures, diversity, and the portrayal and representation of minorities in mainstream society. Panel discussions on current themes, film talks and a specials complete the programme.

ALFILM Team 2026

The Association

ALFILM is organized by makan – Center for Arab Film Art and Culture e.V. The non-profit association was founded in 2004 and is an ideologically and politically independent association for the promotion and appreciation of the cultural work of Arab filmmakers, the communication of Arab culture in its diversity, as well as intercultural dialogue through the medium of film. Since its founding, the association has organized various screenings and film series, until in 2009 it launched Berlin’s first Arab film festival, which has taken place annually ever since. The work of the association and the festival is carried out by volunteer staff and helpers who are enthusiastic about film and culture. People from different professional and personal backgrounds are involved in order to put together a diverse program each year for the international Berlin film audience and to enable new perspectives on the Arab world and the work of Arab filmmakers. Board of the Center for Arab Film Art and Culture e.V. Chairman: Fadi Abdelnour Deputy Chairwoman: Pascale Fakhry Treasurer: Dr. Najat Abdulhaq