Carthage Film Festival (Journees Cinematographiques de Carthage)

Overview

The Carthage Film Festival (Journees Cinematographiques de Carthage, or JCC) is the oldest film festival in Africa and the Arab world. Founded in 1966, the festival takes place annually in December in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. It is dedicated to cinema from Africa, the Arab world, and the Global South. The Tanit Award, named after the ancient Carthaginian goddess, is the festival's top prize.

The 36th edition ran December 13 to 20, 2025, screening films across three official competitions (feature fiction, feature documentary, and short film) plus the Cine Promesse section for emerging talent. The festival is organized under the supervision of Tunisia's Ministry of Cultural Affairs and operates across cinemas and cultural venues in Tunis, including the Opera Theatre at the City of Culture.

For filmmakers from Africa, the Arab world, and the Global South, JCC is the primary regional festival where their work competes for the Tanit awards alongside peers from the same cultural and geopolitical context. The festival also runs the Takmil post-production support program, which provides finishing funds and services to selected projects.

Key Sections

• Official Feature Fiction Competition - feature-length narrative films from Africa, the Arab world, and the Global South, competing for the Golden, Silver, and Bronze Tanit
• Official Feature Documentary Competition - feature-length documentaries from the same eligibility regions
• Official Short Film Competition - short films competing for Tanit awards
• Cine Promesse - section dedicated to emerging talent and first works
• Panorama - non-competitive screenings of films from outside the official selection
• Retrospectives and Tributes - programs honoring filmmakers and national cinemas
• Takmil - post-production support program providing finishing services to selected projects
• Industry Forum - co-production meetings and professional programming

Submission Details

Submissions for the official competitions open in July and close September 15. Films must be submitted through the JCC submission platform. The festival also lists on FilmFreeway.

Eligibility requirements:

• Films must be produced after January 1 of the festival year (for the 2025 edition, films produced after January 1, 2025)
• Open to filmmakers from Africa, the Arab world, and the Global South
• Feature films, documentaries, and short films are all eligible
• Films must be submitted via the official JCC submission platform

Submission timeline (2025 edition):

• Submissions opened: late July 2025
• Submission deadline: September 15, 2025
• Festival dates: December 13 to 20, 2025

Submission fees, if any, are minimal or waived compared to European and North American festivals, reflecting the festival's public-sector funding model. Verify current requirements on the official website before submitting.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Eligibility scope: JCC is not a general international festival. It is specifically for films from Africa, the Arab world, and the Global South. If your film does not originate from or have substantial creative ties to these regions, it will not be eligible for the official competitions. Check the festival regulations carefully before submitting.

Annual format: The festival was historically biennial (even-numbered years) but has shifted to an annual format. The 35th edition was held in December 2024, and the 36th edition followed in December 2025. The 37th edition is expected in December 2026.

The Tanit awards: The Golden Tanit (Tanit d'Or) is the top prize in each competition category. The 2025 Golden Tanit for feature fiction went to The Stories by Egyptian director Abu Bakr Shawky. The Silver Tanit went to My Father's Shadow by Nigerian director Akinola Davies Jr. (which also won the Tahar Cheriaa Prize for best first film), and the Bronze Tanit went to Sink by Jordanian director Zain Duraie. In the documentary competition, the Golden Tanit went to Liti Liti by Senegalese director Mamadou Khouma Gueye. In the short film competition, the Golden Tanit went to 32B by Egyptian director Mohamed Taher.

Regional networking: JCC is the primary meeting point for North African and Arab film industry professionals. The festival's industry forum connects filmmakers with regional co-producers, distributors, and funders. For filmmakers looking to build relationships in Arab and African cinema, attending JCC in person is more valuable than submitting from abroad without attending.

Tunisia accessibility: Tunisia is relatively accessible for international visitors, with direct flights from major European cities. The festival takes place in December, when the Mediterranean climate is mild. Screenings occur across cinemas and cultural venues in Tunis, with some outdoor programming.

Political context: The festival has operated through Tunisia's various political phases, including the 2011 revolution that overthrew longtime president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The festival has maintained its cultural mission through each transition, though organizational leadership changes frequently. The 2025 edition was led by Tarek Ben Chaabane, a film critic and professor at the Higher School of Audiovisual and Cinema (ESAC) in Carthage.

Major Awards

Feature Fiction Competition:

• Golden Tanit (Tanit d'Or) - best feature fiction film
• Silver Tanit (Tanit d'Argent) - second prize
• Bronze Tanit (Tanit de Bronze) - third prize
• Honorary Tanit - special recognition
• Tahar Cheriaa Prize - best first feature film
• TV5 Monde Prize - best first work
• Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Music, Best Editing, Best Set Design
• Audience Award

Feature Documentary Competition:

• Golden Tanit - best documentary
• Silver Tanit - second prize
• Bronze Tanit - third prize

Short Film Competition:

• Golden Tanit - best short film
• Silver Tanit - second prize
• Bronze Tanit - third prize

Cine Promesse:

• Cine Promesse Prize - best emerging talent work
• Special mentions

Festival History

JCC was founded in 1966 by Tahar Cheriaa, a Tunisian film critic and cultural official, with the explicit mission of supporting cinema from the African continent and the Arab world at a time when postcolonial cinemas were establishing their identities. The festival predates FESPACO (founded 1969) by three years, making it the oldest dedicated African and Arab film festival in the world.

The festival operated on a biennial schedule for most of its history, with editions in even-numbered years. In recent years, it has shifted to an annual format, with the 35th edition in December 2024 and the 36th in December 2025. The festival has operated through Tunisia's various political phases, including independence, the Ben Ali era, the 2011 revolution, and the subsequent democratic transition. Each period brought changes to the festival's organizational structure and leadership, but the core mission of supporting African and Arab cinema has remained consistent.

The festival is organized under the supervision of Tunisia's Ministry of Cultural Affairs, which appoints the festival leadership. The 2024 edition was led by Ferid Boughedir as honorary president and Lamia Guiga as artistic director. The 2025 edition was led by Tarek Ben Chaabane.

Past Winners (Golden Tanit)

Recent Golden Tanit winners and where the films landed:

• 2024: *Red Path* (Tunisia), dir. Mohamed Ben Attia. Won the Golden Tanit. A Tunisian drama about a man navigating personal and political upheaval.

• 2024: *To a Land Unknown* (Palestine/UK/Greece/France), dir. Mahdi Fleifel. Won the Silver Tanit. A Palestinian refugee film that also screened at Cannes Directors' Fortnight.

• 2022: Tug of War (Vuta N'Kuvute) (Tanzania), dir. Amil Shivji. Won the Golden Tanit. A Tanzanian film set during the independence struggle against British colonial rule.

• 2022: *Under the Fig Trees* (Tunisia), dir. Erige Sehiri. Won the Silver Tanit. A Tunisian film about summer workers in a fig orchard. Selected as Tunisia's Oscar entry for Best International Feature.

Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up

JCC has launched many significant African and Arab films. Selected premieres and their outcomes:

• The Silences of the Palace (1994) - Directed by Moufida Tlatli. Won the Golden Tanit at JCC, the Cannes Camera d'Or, the BFI Sutherland Trophy, and the Toronto International Critics Award. A landmark of Tunisian and Arab feminist cinema.
• Wedding in Galilee (1988) - Directed by Michel Khleifi. Won the Golden Tanit. Won the Cannes International Critics' Prize. Helped establish Palestinian cinema internationally. The first Palestinian film to screen at Cannes.
• Salut Cousin (1996) - Directed by Merzak Allouache. Won the Golden Tanit. A significant Algerian film that launched Allouache's international career.
• Making Of (2006) - Directed by Nouri Bouzid. Won the Golden Tanit. Notable for addressing extremism and radicalization in North Africa.

Submission Tips Specific to JCC

1. Africa, Arab world, and Global South only. Films must be from Africa, the Arab world, or the Global South. This is a strict eligibility requirement. If your film does not fit this geographic and cultural scope, do not submit.
2. Submit via official platform or FilmFreeway. The official platform is at inscription.jcctunisie.org. FilmFreeway is also accepted. Submissions are open until September 15 for the autumn festival.
3. Fee waivers for DAC list countries. Fee waivers are available for filmmakers from countries on the DAC (Development Assistance Committee) list. This makes JCC one of the most accessible festivals for filmmakers from developing nations.
4. Multiple categories. Feature fiction, feature documentaries, short films, and Carthage Cine-Promesse (for works in progress). Choose the category that best fits your film's stage and format.
5. No premiere requirement for non-competitive sections. Competitive sections require specific premiere status, but non-competitive sections are more flexible. If your film has already screened elsewhere, it may still be eligible for non-competitive programming.

Industry Reputation Notes

• Oldest film festival in Africa and the Arab world. Founded in 1966, JCC is the oldest film festival on both the African and Arab continents. It was conceived to highlight sub-Saharan African and Arab cinema and create South-South cooperation.
• Decolonial cinema mission. JCC has helped launch the careers of prominent filmmakers including Ousmane Sembene, Youssef Chahine, and Souleymane Cisse. The festival's mission is centered on decolonial cinema and amplifying Global South voices.
• Competition from Red Sea. JCC faces competition from newer, better-financed festivals like Saudi Arabia's Red Sea International Film Festival. However, JCC maintains its position as a historically significant festival with deeper roots in African and Arab cinema.
• Comparison to FESPACO and Durban. FESPACO (Burkina Faso) is the largest African film festival but focuses primarily on African cinema. Durban (South Africa) is the major festival for Southern African cinema. JCC is unique in bridging both African and Arab cinema, with a decolonial mission that connects the Global South.

See Also

Use the Festival ROI Calculator to model the total cost of submitting to and attending JCC, including submission fees, travel to Tunis, and accommodation. Use the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator to assess your likelihood of selection based on film type, runtime, and premiere status. For broader festival strategy, read Film Festival Strategy. For understanding African and Arab cinema markets, see International Film Markets.