15th Luxor African Film Festival

This event has ended. The next edition is 16th Luxor African Film Festival, 28 Mar – 3 Apr 2027.

The Luxor African Film Festival (LAFF) is Egypt’s main festival of African cinema, founded in 2012 by the Independent Shabab Foundation and backed by the Ministry of Culture. Its 15th edition took place in Luxor at the end of March and beginning of April 2026, with competitions for feature, documentary and short films from across the continent, plus workshops for young filmmakers and a tribute marking the centenary of director Youssef Chahine. Screenings are spread across cultural venues in the city and are generally free or very low cost, so it is easy to combine a film evening with a day of temple visits. Official announcements gave slightly different spans (29 or 30 March to 5 or 6 April); the final press release cited 29 March to 5 April.

Official website

What to expect

Each edition usually opens and closes with a ceremony, and the days in between are filled with competition screenings, talks and masterclasses. Many screenings are followed by discussions with the filmmakers. Films are generally shown with subtitles, but check the programme for the language of each title.

Audiences include local residents, students, filmmakers and critics from across Africa, and the festival is a good opportunity to meet people working in African cinema.

Getting there

Luxor has an international airport and is linked to Cairo by daytime trains and an overnight sleeper train. Within the city, taxis and horse-drawn carriages are easy to find, and many festival venues are close to the Corniche on the East Bank.

Planning tips

• Late March and early April are warm in Luxor, so carry water and a hat for sightseeing.
• Bring a light layer for air-conditioned halls and cooler evenings.
• Book hotels early, as this is a popular time to visit Upper Egypt.