Rotterdam Arab Film Festival (RAFF) dates, programme and tickets

What is the Rotterdam Arab Film Festival?

The Rotterdam Arab Film Festival, usually shortened to RAFF, is an annual festival for cinema from the Arab world. It shows new feature films, documentaries and short films from countries between Morocco and the Gulf, with Dutch or European premieres among them.

Its stated aim is to bring Arab and Western audiences closer through real stories and to move past stereotypes. The team chooses the films each year together with filmmakers and partners from the Middle East and North Africa.

RAFF began in 2000 and has been supported by the City of Rotterdam from the start. It is not the same festival as the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), which is held in winter (28 January to 7 February 2027).

When is RAFF?

The dates of the next edition have not been announced yet. The festival publishes them on its own website and news page; it announced the 2026 dates there on 5 November 2025.

The last two editions ran in late spring. The 25th edition closed on Sunday 1 June 2025, and the 26th edition ran from Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14 June 2026, five days from Wednesday to Sunday.

Once the new dates are out, this page lists the screenings and events that Evenitto finds for them.

What is in the programme?

Films come first. In 2026 there were competitions for feature fiction, documentaries and short films, and international juries gave a Golden, Silver and Bronze Hawk in each. Some screenings were followed by a Q&A with the makers.

Around the films there were talks and panels, concerts, and free music, art and activities in the LantarenVenster foyer. The programme also had themed days: Palestine Film Day and Women's Empowerment Day.

In 2026 RAFF also ran the Rotterdam Euro-Arab Industry Days for film professionals: project pitching, panels, networking and a short-film competition at Cultuur&Campus. All of it was free to attend.

The 2026 edition: 26th edition, Syria in focus

The 26th edition ran from 10 to 14 June 2026 with Syria as its theme: Syrians at home and abroad, war, migration and how people carry on, in films, talks and the Faces of Syria youth project.

It opened on Wednesday 10 June at LantarenVenster with Chronicles from the Siege by the Palestinian-Syrian filmmaker Abdallah Alkhatib, and live music from Mira & Dandana Band at the opening ceremony. Friday 12 June was Palestine Film Day, a programme of Palestinian stories that included The Voice of Hind Rajab, One More Show, Palestine 36 and American Doctor.

The festival closed on Sunday 14 June with the award ceremony and a concert by the TARAB Choir. The Golden Hawk went to The Cotton Queen by Suzanna Mirghani in the feature fiction competition, to One More Show by Ahmed Al Danaf and Mai Saad in the documentary competition, and to I'm Glad You Are Dead Now by Tawfik Barhoum in the short film competition.

How do tickets work?

Tickets for every RAFF screening and event go through LantarenVenster, either from the festival's programme and film pages or from its ticket page. The e-ticket arrives by email once you have paid.

In 2026 there were four options: a single film ticket, a Festival Day Pass at €25 for one day of films, talks and special events, a Passe-partout at €60 for all five days, and tickets for special events. Single films were priced per screening.

Cineville members could see RAFF films for free by reserving or validating their ticket under LantarenVenster's conditions. Students, CJP holders and children paid less, and a Rotterdampas also gave a discount. Part of the programme was free: the short-film competition screenings, the Industry Days and the foyer side programme.

Latecomers may not be let in once a film has started, so be there on time. The ticket page shows the prices of the next edition once it is announced.

Where is LantarenVenster and how do you get there?

LantarenVenster is on the Wilhelminapier at Otto Reuchlinweg 996, 3072 MD Rotterdam.

From Rotterdam Centraal take metro line D or E, or tram 3 or 5, to Wilhelminaplein; it is about five minutes on foot from there. The Wilhelminapier also has a water taxi stop, Hotel New York Wilhelminapier. Bikes can be left at the many racks on the pier, some right outside the venue, though none are supervised. Drivers are advised to use a Park + Ride and continue by public transport; Q-Park de Rotterdam sells visitors discounted parking online.

Every cinema hall can be reached by wheelchair, and each has three wheelchair spaces in the front row. To make sure your place is ready, email LantarenVenster's box office beforehand with the film, date and time.

Submitting a film or volunteering

Filmmakers enter their films through the festival's website. For the 2026 edition entries closed on 1 February 2026; for the next edition the call is announced on the festival's news page. Selection is by a team of international selectors, overseen by the artistic director.

The Industry Days have their own call for short film projects, open to Arab filmmakers based in Europe, with projects pitched to an international jury. The festival also recruits volunteers, and in 2026 it looked for interns too.