The first-ever MUSLIM INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL will take place from May 30th to June 2nd in London’s Leicester Square. This festival champions the narratives of international Muslim filmmakers and highlights their compelling stories, serving as a platform for productions inspired by Muslim culture and faith, and welcoming filmmakers from all backgrounds.

At a time when public opinion is polarised and negative portrayals of Muslims are common in mainstream media, MIFF aims to celebrate and amplify diverse voices exploring the rich world of Muslim experiences through film. This first edition features premieres of acclaimed new films from the UK, Morocco, Turkey, Tunisia, Jordan, and Sudan, presenting the breadth of Muslim storytelling.

Supported by UK Muslim Film (UKMF), a charity that champions underrepresented talent and voices both onscreen and behind the camera, MIFF seeks to change perspectives. UKMF has recently consulted on projects like C4’s Screw, ITV’s Good Karma Hospital, C4’s Hollyoaks, and Columbia Pictures’ Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, ensuring accurate portrayals of cultural and faith-based storylines.

We’re thrilled to bring this festival to London. MIFF is a vibrant celebration of cultures and stories from across the Muslim world, spotlighting talented emerging and seasoned filmmakers. Our line-up features courageous and creative minds whose stories resonate deeply and remind us of our shared humanity. – Sajid Varda, Festival Director of MIFF

OPENING AND CLOSING FILMS MIFF opens on May 30th with the London Premiere of HOUNDS / LES MEUTES (dir: Kamal Lazaraq, Morocco/France/Belgium), a multi-award-winning film about a father and son in Casablanca navigating a botched kidnapping. The festival closes on June 2nd with a special pre-release screening of IN CAMERA (dir: Naqqash Khalid, UK), an award-winning film about a young actor facing nightmarish auditions and rejections.

FEATURE PROGRAMME Highlights include:

HESITATION WOUND (dir: Selman Nacar, Turkey/France/Romania), a London Premiere and Best International Feature Film winner at Zurich FF.

GOODBYE JULIA (dir: Mohamed Kordofani, Sudan/Sweden/Germany), a critically acclaimed film about a northern Sudanese woman seeking redemption.

BEHIND THE MOUNTAINS (dir: Mohamed Ben Attia, Tunisia/Belgium/France), a supernatural drama.

INSHALLAH A BOY (dir: Amjad Al Rasheed, Jordan/France/Saudi Arabia/Qatar/Egypt), a multi-award-winning film about a widow fighting patriarchal inheritance laws.

SKY PEALS (dir: Moin Hussain, UK), an intriguing sci-fi film about a man searching for answers after his father’s death.

SPECIAL EVENTS The festival will include panels and networking events such as “BFI New Talent,” “Meet The Funders,” “Meet The Filmmakers,” and “Breaking Barriers,” along with a “BBC Writers” networking session.

SHORTS PROGRAMMES Special presentations include DAMMI (dir: Yann Mounir Demange, France), featuring Riz Ahmed, and other short films in two programs: “ECHOES OF RESISTANCE” and “A RECKONING OF HEARTS.”

JURY AWARDS Festival films will compete for Best Feature and Best Short awards, judged by a panel including Claudia Yusef, Neila Butt, Leon Oteng, Tas Brooker, and Youssef Kerkour.

TRAILBLAZER AWARD MIFF will present its inaugural Trailblazer Award to Asif Kapadia, an Academy Award, Grammy, and four-time BAFTA-winning Director/Writer/Producer known for his emotionally engaging films about ‘outsiders.’

Receiving the Trailblazer Award from MIFF is a great honour. It’s important to show that people from all backgrounds can succeed and that there should be no boundaries in our creative expression. – Asif Kapadia

Kapadia will be honoured during the festival’s opening gala at the Odeon Luxe West End on May 30th, followed by a reception sponsored by the Aziz Foundation.