International Film Festival Governance: From Rules to Legitimacy

General Introduction
Since the second half of the twentieth century, international film festivals have become central
actors within the global cinematic ecosystem. No longer limited to spaces for film exhibitions
or celebratory events recognizing artistic achievements, festivals have evolved into powerful
cultural institutions endowed with strong symbolic authority. They actively participate in the
production of artistic value, the shaping of aesthetic taste, the orientation of production and
distribution pathways, and the construction of cinematic heritage and collective visual memory.
Within this context, the functioning of film festivals raises complex questions that go far beyond
artistic considerations to encompass legal, political, economic, and diplomatic dimensions, as
well as ethical decision-making, equitable access, and the representation of identities. Despite
their growing influence, there is still no unified international legal framework governing film
festivals. Instead, a plurality of regulatory systems coexists, including internal regulations,
professional charters, historical conventions, and international accreditation and classification
networks. This fragmentation makes governance a key analytical concept for understanding
how festivals operate.
This edited volume is situated within the field of Film Festival Studies, while seeking to broaden
its scope through a critical, multidisciplinary approach. It aims to interrogate the relationship
between written rules and effective legitimacy, as well as the gap between the official discourse
of festivals and their actual practices, particularly in Arab, African, and Global South contexts.
Problematization and Research Context
The central issue addressed by this volume lies in the tension between the proclaimed
"international" character of film festivals and the absence of a binding international legal
framework regulating their activities, selection mechanisms, jury appointments, conflict-of-
interest management, and transparency procedures. How do festivals construct their
legitimacy? On what foundations is the credibility of their outcomes built?
These questions include, but are not limited to:
 Who oversees the preliminary selection of films, and according to which aesthetic or
institutional criteria?
 What are the limits of jury authority in relation to artistic direction or festival
management?
 Does the appointment of former award winners as jury members constitute legitimate
practice or a breach of impartiality?
 Is the repeated membership or presidency of juries across successive editions
compatible with principles of fairness?
 What is the position of parallel committees (programming, viewing, funding) within the
decision-making hierarchy?
These issues have become even more complex with the proliferation of parallel competitions
(film schools, animation, debut films, 48-hour film challenges) and funding schemes dedicated
to writing, development, or post-production, transforming festivals into production actors rather
than mere exhibition platforms.
Festivals, Heritage, and Identity
Film festivals play a decisive role in transforming films into heritage references. Official
selections and awards contribute to the inclusion of certain works in processes of archiving,
academic study, and circulation, thereby integrating them into national or transnational cultural
narratives.
However, this role raises critical issues in cases of international co-productions, where cultural
and heritage affiliations intersect with funding strategies and global circulation dynamics. This
intersection reveals tensions between:
 the preservation of cultural specificity and local reference frameworks, and
 the demands of international markets and major festivals.
The trajectories of certain filmmakers provide particularly relevant case studies for analyzing
this tension between international recognition and identity affiliation, along with the
reconfiguration of heritage within a dominant global discourse.
Politics, Soft Power, and Symbolic conflict
Film festivals cannot be dissociated from the concept of soft power. They function as tools of
cultural diplomacy, image-building, and symbolic repositioning of states on the global stage.
At times, they also become arenas of political and cultural struggle, whether through film
programming choices, jury composition, or the nature of awards granted.
These dynamics are especially significant in relation to:
 political conflicts between states and their reflection in festival decisions,
 emancipatory and humanitarian causes, particularly the Palestinian issue, examined
through festival models with explicit political and cultural positioning.
Economy, Funding, and Unequal Access
The crisis of independent film financing and the dominance of major production companies
have led festivals to become partial alternatives for funding through development and support
programs. This transformation has reshaped the filmmaker-festival relationship, turning
festivals from exhibition spaces into professional necessities.
Conversely, submission conditions (fees, international electronic payments, costs of copies and
travel) raise serious concerns regarding economic justice, particularly in countries facing
financial and technical constraints. Virtual festivals have contributed to the emergence of
symbolic participation formats aimed more at cultural visibility and artistic positioning than at
competition for awards.
Technological Transformations: Animation and Artificial
Intelligence
The integration of animation and artificial intelligence into cinematic production introduces
new challenges for festivals, particularly with regard to:
 evaluation and jury criteria,
 ethics of creation,
 the boundaries of human authorship, and
 the composition of juries capable of understanding and assessing these transformations.
Central Research Question
How do international film festivals construct their cultural and artistic legitimacy in the absence
of a unified international legal framework, and how does this legitimacy intersect with politics,
economics, heritage, identity, and technological transformations?
Proposed Thematic Axes (Open to Development)
1. Legal and regulatory frameworks of international film festivals
2. Selection, programming, and aesthetic legitimacy
3. Jury appointment, recurrence, and conflicts of interest
4. Film festivals and the construction of cinematic heritage and identity
5. International co-production and identity affiliation
6. Soft power and political conflict between states
7. Film festivals and the Palestinian cause: models and analysis
8. Funding competitions (writing, development, completion)
9. Economy, equity, and unequal access
10. Animation and artificial intelligence in film festivals
11. 48-hour film competitions: time, creativity, and legitimacy
12. Toward an ethical charter for the governance of international film festivals (open
discussion axis)
Scientific Committee (Peer-Blind Review)
Pr. Ikbel Charfi Tunisia, University of Sfax, Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts, Sfax
Pr. Hamid Tbatou Morocco, University Ibn Zohr, Multidisciplinary Faculty of Ouarzazate
Pr. Jolanda Guardi Italia, University of Unilimec Milan
Pr. Abdelghani Brija
Morocco, Mohamed V University of Rabat, Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social
Sciences-Souissi
Pr. Assia Marfouq Morocco, Hassan I University of Settat, Institute of Sports Science
Pr. Abdelaziz Amraoui Morocco, Cadi Ayyad University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Pr. Houcine Ben Sliman Tunisia, University of El Manar, Higher Institute of Humanities of Tunis
MC Safaa Bendhiba Morocco, Ibn Tofail University-Faculty of Languages, Literature and Arts - Kenitra
MC Murat Akser Ireland, Ulster University-School of Communication and Media - Belfast
MC Omar EL Ghazi
Morocco, Hassan II University - National Higher School of Art and Design-
Casablanca
MC Bessma Bsir Tunisia, Mannouba University, Higher Institute of Documentation, Mannouba
MC Rym Zayani Tunisia, Mannouba University, Higher Institute of Multimedia, Mannouba
MC Ali Chamseddine Tunisia, University of Gabes, Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts Gabes
MC Salma Ktata
Tunisia, Mannouba University, Higher School of Design Science and Technology
Denden
MC Boukary Sawadogo USA, City College of New York
MC Mohamed Marzaqui Morocco, Cadi Ayyad University Marrakech, Faculty of Science Semlalia Marrakech
MC Mohamed Hedi Tahri
Tunisia, University of Jendouba, Higher Institute of Applied Studies in Humanities
Le Kef
MC Samira Ouelhazi
Tunisia, University of Jendouba, Higher Institute of Applied Studies in Humanities
Le Kef
MC Mohamed Berrached
Tunisia, University of Jendouba, Higher Institute of Applied Studies in Humanities
Le Kef
MC Ouafa Ouarniki Algeria, Ziane Achour University of Djelfa
MC Manoubia Ben
Ghedhahem Tunisia, Carthage University, Higher Institute of Linguistics - Tunis
MC Sadek Touil Tunisia, Gabes University, Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts -Gabes
MA Amira Turki Tunisia, University of Jendouba, Higher Institute of Arts and Crafts Siliana
MA Mohamed Anis
Ferchichi
Tunisia, University of Jendouba, Higher Institute of Applied Studies in Humanities
Le Kef
MA Rym Mansour Tunisia, University of Sousse, Higher Institute of Music Sousse
MA Imen Samet Tunisia, University of Jendouba, Higher Institute of Music and Theatre Le Kef
MA Nouheil Salloum Sultanat d'Oman, University of Sultan Qaboos, College of Art & Social Science
MA Mohamed Ghazela KSA, Effat University, Effat College of Architecture & Design, Cinematic Arts School
MA Sherif Galal
Mahmoud Sultanat d'Oman, Scientific College of Design, Mascate
MA Nadia Ghrandi
Tunisia, University of Jendouba, Higher Institute of Applied Studies in Humanities
Le Kef
MA Sana Abdelhamid Tunisia, University of Sousse, Faculty of Arts and Humanities Sousse
MA Stefanie Van De Peer Irland, the University of Dublin, Trinity College Dublin
Participation is open to:
 University professors and academic researchers working on topics related to the book's
themes
 Research Master's and PhD students
 Film and cultural professionals (directors, producers, programmers, festival directors)
through analytically grounded critical testimonies
 Film critics and independent researchers
(Professional and critical testimonies will be integrated within a clearly defined academic
framework and methodologically distinguished from scholarly research chapters.)
Timeline
 Abstract submission deadline: 30 June 2026
 Notification of acceptance: 30 July 2026
 Final chapter submission deadline: 31 December 2026
 Double-blind peer review: 1 January - 31 March 2027
Publication: July 2027
Submission Address
Abstracts should be sent to:
faten.ridene@iseahkef.u-jendouba.tn

Several proposals have already been received. To ensure the scientific diversity and balance of the volume, we particularly encourage contributions addressing:
🎬 Festival governance and legal frameworks
⚖️ Jury systems, ethics, and conflicts of interest
🌍 Soft power and cultural diplomacy
🇵🇸 Film festivals and the Palestinian question
🏛️ Audiovisual heritage, memory, and identity
🤝 International co-productions and cultural belonging
💰 Funding, access, and inequalities of participation
💻 Virtual festivals and digital transformations
🎞️ Animation in international festival circuits
🤖 Artificial intelligence and film evaluation
⏱️ 48 Hour Film Project and emerging creative practices