KUWAIT: In a dazzling finale, the 4th Kuwait International Film Festival (KIFF 2025), hosted by the American International University (AIU), concluded Saturday night with a spectacular award ceremony celebrating the finest in Arab and international cinema. Distinguished guests included Secretary-General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), Dr Mohammed Al-Jassar, alongside university leadership, filmmakers, industry professionals, media representatives, students and attendees. The week-long festival showcased more than 80 films from around the world, reaffirming Kuwait’s ambition to position itself as a regional hub for cinema, creativity and artistic exchange.
The biggest applause of the evening erupted when the Best Arab Feature Fiction award was announced, honoring The Boy Inside the Cocoon, directed by Ahmed Al-Terkait. The filmmaker also took home the Best Kuwaiti Director award for the same film.
Mohammed Al-Mansour (second right) with organizers.
Ahmed Al-Terkait receives the award.
KIFF 2025 award winners
Best Arab Feature Fiction: The Boy Inside the Cocoon — Director Ahmed Al-Terkait
Best Kuwaiti Short Fiction: Toxic — Director Abdulaziz Al-Blam
Best Actor: Ahmed Iraj — Al Kaid
Best Actress: Hiba Al-Mutairi — Fragmentation
Best Kuwaiti Screenplay: Al Kaid — Written by Dr Ahmed Hamada
Best Kuwaiti Director: Ahmed Al-Terkait — The Boy Inside the Cocoon
Best Kuwaiti Short Documentary: Without Doors — Director Lateefa Ahmed Al-Qatami
Best Arab Short Documentary: The Resilience of the Poppy — Mona Hammoud (Lebanon)
Best Arab Short Fiction: An Orange From Jaffa — Mohamed Al Mughni (Palestine)
Best Arab Feature Documentary: The Final Scene — Eyas Al-Moqdad (Syria)
Best International Short Fiction: The First Film — Piyush Thakur (India)
Best International Short Documentary: Write My Name — Deya Ar & Begum Aksoy (Turkey)
In his remarks, Dr Mohammed Al-Jassar emphasized that creativity often emerges from unexpected places and that the future belongs to those willing to explore, experiment and tell their stories in new ways. “At this festival hosted by AIU, we celebrate exactly that spirit — the spirit of young creators who look at the ordinary and discover the extraordinary,” he said. Dr Al-Jassar reaffirmed NCCAL’s commitment to supporting emerging talent, especially as Kuwait celebrates its designation as the Capital of Culture and Media in the Arab World. He stressed that the council will continue enabling young filmmakers to access platforms, opportunities and visibility for their work.
Areej Al-Ghanem, Vice Chair of AIU’s Board of Trustees, expressed pride in the festival’s success and its role in bringing together leading voices from the regional and global film industries. “We are proud to have given young filmmakers a platform to present their work — many for the first time,” she said. “All participants delivered impressive work, and while only a few receive awards, every filmmaker deserves appreciation.” She also thanked festival sponsors and praised the partnership with the National Cinema Company (Cinescape), which dedicated its screens to showcasing festival films — a gesture that elevated the audience experience and amplified student voices.
Dr Mohammed Al-Qattan, Vice President of AIU, noted that the fourth edition marked significant growth, supported by new regional and international partnerships. He highlighted the strong presence of Kuwaiti identity among the films and the artistic value added through NCCAL’s collaboration. Dr Al-Qattan reiterated AIU’s commitment to empowering students personally and academically, including offering workshops led by global industry professionals and advancing the university’s vision to launch a dedicated Film Studies department.
Renowned Kuwaiti actor Mohammed Al-Mansour praised AIU’s efforts in hosting a festival of such caliber, recommending that future editions dedicate a primary category exclusively to youth and university filmmakers to nurture the next generation of cinematic talent. Chair of the Jury, Director Mohammed Dham Al-Shammari, noted that the committee evaluated a distinguished and diverse selection of entries, selecting only 80 films out of nearly 3,000 submissions — a testament to the exceptional quality of the festival lineup. He emphasized that KIFF continues to evolve with each edition, with strong contributions from women filmmakers and bold new creative visions. He added that Kuwaiti cinema is capable of achieving global recognition, with local talents showing remarkable promise despite production challenges.
“Winning both ‘Best Arab Feature Fiction’ and ‘Best Kuwaiti Film Director’ has left me deeply humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude. This recognition is not just for me, but for every person who gave their soul to this film and believed in its message. I’m endlessly proud of my cast and crew for their patience, trust and heartfelt performances,” Al-Terkait told Kuwait Times.
