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The programme of the 9th Izmir International Women Filmmakers Festival is now out!

69 films from 29 countries,
5 workshops, 2 masterclasses, and talks
await you in Izmir between April 24–29.

“Through the Lens of Conscience”
Let’s explore the transformative power of cinema together.

📍 Institut Français Izmir
📍 Italian Cultural Center
📍 Ahmed Adnan Saygun Art Center

Click here for the festival program...
Play

The promo film of the 9th Izmir International Women Filmmakers Festival is now out!

Organized by the Women Filmmakers Association, under the main sponsorship of Turkish Tuborg Inc., and with the support of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and the European Union Sivil Düşün Programme, the 9th Izmir International Women Filmmakers Festival will meet its audience at Institut Français Izmir between April 24–29, 2026.

In our promo film, created by our festival team, our Iranian team member Atena Abdollahzadeh takes part with her performance.

The “Creating Characters from Izmir – Project Development Workshops” will also take place at the Italian Cultural Center, organized in collaboration with Megapol Culture Center, Institut Français Izmir, Goethe-Institut, and the Italian Friendship and Culture Association.

The promo film includes excerpts from the International Golden Reel finalist films.

9th Izmir International Women Filmmakers Festival

Promo Film Credits

Production: Taranç & Taranç Film

Director: Gülten Taranç

Screenplay: Buğçe Çalışkan

Director of Photography: Ozan Yılmaz

Editing: Fatoş Yapıcı

Music: Berrak Taranç

Music Arrangement: Taner Kaya

Voice Over: Aysim Türkmen

Art Director: Ragıp Taranç

Atena Abdollahzadeh

Social Media & Poster Design: Zeynep İpek

Camera Assistant: Ahmet Eren Özkan

The poster of the 9th Izmir International Women Filmmakers Festival has been released!

Designed by Zeynep İpek, the poster features our Iranian team member Atena Abdollahzadeh.

Organized by the Women Filmmakers Association, under the main sponsorship of Turkish Tuborg Inc., and with the support of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and the European Union Sivil Düşün Programme, the festival will take place at Institut Français Izmir between April 24–29, 2026.

As part of the festival, the “Creating Characters from Izmir – Project Development Workshops” will be held at the Italian Cultural Center, in collaboration with Megapol Culture Center, Institut Français Izmir, Goethe-Institut, and the Italian Friendship and Culture Association.

69 films from 28 countries are included in the program.

Among them, 27 films will have their world premieres, and 30 films will have their Turkish premieres in Izmir.

9th Izmir International Women Filmmakers Festival

April 24–29, 2026 | Izmir, Turkey

The Izmir International Women Filmmakers Festival (IIWFF) is an international gathering that celebrates creative courage, feminist storytelling, and cinematic solidarity. Founded with the aim of increasing the visibility of women’s cinema, the festival provides a powerful platform for women directors and female film professionals from around the world. Every year, the festival brings together bold films, inspiring conversations, and boundary-breaking narratives in İzmir—one of Turkey’s cultural capitals.

Slogan for 2026: Through the Lens of Conscience
The festival is open to productions in which at least one of the directors is a woman.
(Except for the Feminist Perspective category.)

In addition to film screenings, the festival will host a series of workshops, panels, and project development labs—including the "Creating Characters from Izmir" program, which supports emerging storytellers working on female-driven narratives rooted in local culture and identity.

Fem Reel Awards – Competition Categories

National Competition

• Best Feature Film
• “Biket Ilhan” Best Director Award
• Special Jury Award*
• Best Short Film
• Short Film Special Jury Award*
• Best Documentary

International Competition

• Best Feature Film
• Special Jury Award*
• Best Short Film
• Short Film Special Jury Award*
• Best Experimental Short Film
• Best Animation Film
• Best Documentary
• Feminist Perspective Award (Male directors are eligible to apply for this category.)

Rules & Terms

Conditions for Participation, Selection Committee & Working Principles

1. Directors may apply to the festival with more than one film.
2. In films with multiple directors, at least one of the directors must be a woman. (The Feminist Perspective category is excluded from this rule.)
3. There is no production year limit for submissions. However, films submitted for competition must be produced in 2024 or later.
4. All films that have not been previously screened at IIWFF are eligible to apply.
5. The final submission deadline is February 15, 2026. Applications must be submitted online via: https://filmfreeway.com/iwffturkey
6. All submissions will be viewed and evaluated by the pre-selection committee. Selected films will be announced on March 22, 2026 via the official website: www.kadinyonetmenlerfestivali.com.tr
7. All films must include English subtitles. Selected films will be screened with Turkish electronic subtitles. If embedded English subtitles are not available, an English SRT file must be provided by the director.
8. The selection committee consists of women directors and professionals working in the field of cinema.
9. Directors whose films are not selected may request online or in-person feedback from the committee during the festival dates.
10. Films cannot be withdrawn from the festival program after the submission deadline.
11. The selection committee evaluates films based on their artistic value and relevance to the festival’s content.
12. The invoice and bank account information for copyright payments must match the information of the legal rights holder declared in the application form.
13. Copyright fees for screenings will be paid no later than June 15, 2026.
14. Copyright and screening fees will only be paid to films in the national selection. Due to currency regulations, international films are not eligible for payment.
15. The accuracy of the information in the application form is binding for the applicant. All legal responsibility arising from this information belongs to the applicant.
16. The applicant must be able to prove that they have obtained all necessary permits and rights for public screening. If selected, a signed screening authorization and declaration of legal ownership must be submitted. These documents are required for official auditing by public institutions supporting the festival.
17. Films will be screened at venues deemed appropriate by the festival management. No changes to the venue or program will be accepted.
18. If a television network requests a screening, the festival management may assist in facilitating communication between the broadcaster and the film’s producer/director.
19. The legal copyright holder is solely responsible for any dispute that may arise concerning music, visuals, text, or other copyrighted materials used in the film.
20. The festival will cover accommodation and travel expenses for one team member of each national finalist film only.
21. All producers who apply to the competition are considered to have accepted these terms and conditions.