The fourth edition of the Sobh Media Festival, directed by Ehsan Kaveh, calls for media productions in two sections: the main section and the special section for Palestine. The deadline for registration and submission of works is January 21, 2026.

About the Festival:

Sobh Media Festival began in 2023 with the aim of introducing international content creators and fostering collaboration among them in the global media arena. The festival seeks to identify and honor talents in the media field, providing a platform to sustain artistic creativity and cultivate a strong international media movement.

Furthermore, through training workshops and seminars, the festival strives to familiarize artists with the vast world of media and help them nurture independent thinking and creative vision. 

Still, this year’s event features three special awards:

The “1500th Birth Anniversary of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH)” Award will be granted to the best media work or initiative that introduces the life, teachings, and message of the Prophet.

The “Sahar Emami” Special Award honors a journalist who courageously tells the truth. Nominations for this award can be submitted by the journalists themselves, another individual, or a media organization.

The “BRICS” Award will be presented to a media work or initiative that best showcases the capacities, relationships, and collaborations among BRICS member countries, promoting convergence and unity. Given BRICS’s influential role in global affairs—spanning sustainable development, trade, and international policy—the award seeks to highlight works that accurately portray the economic, political, and cultural interactions among the member states and contribute to global understanding of the alliance and its impact on international developments.

Festival Pivots:

The main theme of the Sobh Media Festival is “Media and the New World Order,” which emphasizes the value of local and regional identities, spirituality, the integrity of family, resistance, and opposition to global arrogance.

Festival Categories: 

Основной раздел: 

1. Television Series

2. Talk Show Format TV Program

3. Mixed-Format TV Program

4. Documentary (cinematic and television)

5. News Report – A type of report that uses images and videos to quickly and accurately cover a news event.

6. Narrative Report – A report that tells a story or describes an event using visuals and sound, often with minimal text, conveying a specific message or information.

7. Motion Graphics

8. Written Content

Feature Story, one that deeply explores a specific topic, focusing on storytelling and engaging details. Its goal is to attract readers through compelling narratives and accessible analysis. These articles often address current and significant issues, aiming to create emotional or intellectual connections with the audience. They are typically written by journalists and reporters.

Viewpoint Article, one that presents the author’s personal perspective or analysis on a particular subject, often aiming to persuade readers to accept the writer’s stance. Compared to research articles, it relies less on data and more on reasoning to support the argument. Topics usually relate to impactful societal or contemporary issues, presented from a fresh and unique angle. The tone is assertive and emphasizes the author’s viewpoint. These articles are generally written by experienced experts.

Investigative Report, one that is based on thorough and comprehensive research, using credible evidence and data to support its claims. It aims to uncover hidden truths or examine significant issues, with its findings deeply analyzed. The purpose of such articles is to drive change, raise awareness, or promote reform within society. All stages of the investigation are conducted with scientific rigor and ethical standards, and the article follows a clear and organized structure. These articles are typically written by professional and experienced journalists.

9. Radio: Productions and Podcasts:

Podcast – Serialized audio programs produced on various topics, available online for streaming or download.

Radio Documentary – A program that deeply investigates a specific topic or event, including research and interviews.

Radio Drama – An audio story that uses dialogue, music, and sound effects to create an immersive experience.

Talk Show Format – Programs focused on conversations and interviews with various guests.

Mixed-Format Program – Shows that combine different types of content such as interviews, music, and news.

Technology and AI-Based Program – Programs that utilize modern technologies and artificial intelligence for content production and analysis.

10. Social Media Section:

Animation – Narrative, educational, or promotional works created using various animation techniques such as 2D, 3D, stop motion, and others. Recommended duration: up to 10 minutes.

Short Film – A video production with a narrative, documentary, or experimental structure. Recommended duration including: up to 15 minutes.

Videocast – A visual podcast focused primarily on the topic of discussion rather than the individuals on screen. Typically, more professional, longer, and structured than vlogs, videocasts are presented episodically with hosts and guests, and are commonly published on platforms like YouTube or dedicated channels. Recommended duration: 10 to 90 minutes.

Vlog – Personal and informal video content created by individuals, emphasizing their personality and perspective. Usually short and shared on social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok, in vertical (9:16) or horizontal (16:9) formats. Recommended duration: up to 20 minutes.

Palestine Section:

1. Feature Film

2. Music

3. Best Documentary

4. Best TV Program

5. Music Video, one that primarily focuses on the fusion of music and visuals. In this type of video, the song or musical piece serves as the central element, while images and graphics are used to enhance the message or emotion conveyed by the music.

6. Short Film

7. Short Animation

8. Illustration and Visual Arts that include conceptual illustration, posters, caricatures, artistic photography, motion graphics, typography, and calligraphy.

Festival Awards – Main Section:

Best TV Series: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €5,000

Best Talk Show Program: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €2,000

Best Mixed-Format Program: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €2,000

Best Cinematic Documentary: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €4,000

Best Television Documentary: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €3,000

Best News Report: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Narrative Report: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Motion Graphics: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Radio Productions:

Best Podcast: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Radio Documentary: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Talk Show Program: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Mixed-Format Program: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Technology and AI-Based Program: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Social Media Posts:

Best Animation: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Short Film: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Videocast: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Vlog: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Written Content:

Best Feature Story: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Viewpoint Article: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Investigative Report: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Special Palestine Section Awards:

Best Feature Film: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €5,000

Best Documentary: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €3,000

Best TV Program: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €2,000

Best Music: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Music Video: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Short Film: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Short Animation: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best News Blogger: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Best Illustration: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €1,000

Awards:

“1500th Birth Anniversary of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH)” Award: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €3,000

“Sahar Emami” Award: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €3,000

“BRICS” Award: Festival Trophy, Certificate of Honor, and €3,000

Раздел «Рынок»

The Market Section in the festival serves as a platform for showcasing and presenting the media works, products, or projects to audiences, investors, and enthusiasts. It offers an opportunity for artists, producers, and companies to connect and form new business collaborations. The section also helps participants promote and sell their works while providing a space for networking and brand development

Правила участия:

Registration and submission of all information must be done exclusively through the festival’s official online platform.

Submitted works must comply with ethical and legal standards. Content that is offensive, violent, or contrary to the festival’s public and cultural values will not be accepted.

It is the producer or distributing company who is solely responsible for any claims regarding the material, moral, or civil rights of individuals. The festival bears no responsibility in this regard.

The producer or distributing company is responsible for registering the work in the festival, and the award will be granted to the producer.

Works previously submitted to other festivals or media outlets are eligible to participate in the Sobh Festival.

Works submitted in previous editions of the festival are not eligible for re-entry.

All responsibilities related to promotional, legal, and copyright matters based on the information provided in the submission form lie with the form’s signatories.

According to the festival’s regulations, if any submitted documents are found to be inaccurate or if the attribution of the work is proven invalid by the secretariat, the work will be disqualified, and the applicant will be held responsible for all consequences.

Each individual or organization can submit up to two entries per category. For series or multi-part productions, a maximum of two episodes may be submitted in the relevant category.

All submitted works must have been published since the beginning of 2025, except for the Music category, which accepts entries released after October 7, 2023.

A single work cannot be submitted simultaneously to both the Main Section and the Special Palestine Section.

Completing and submitting the festival entry form implies full acceptance of all festival terms and conditions.

Rights are preserved for the festival committee to use 3 to 5 minutes of selected entries for promotional and informational purposes.

A copy of each submitted work will be stored in the festival’s Bank of Works for non-commercial use.

If a prize in any category is awarded to multiple recipients, the cash prize will be distributed among them.

For all categories, submission of the final version of the work in a clean format without subtitles is mandatory after selection and entry into the competition.

The required format for submissions in each category is specified in the registration form for that category.

Submitted works must be free of watermarks and logos of the broadcasters.

Non-English entries in all categories must include English subtitles. For audio works such as podcasts and radio programs, an English transcript must be attached.

In the Social Media section, submissions are only accepted via the link of the post published on the relevant platform along with complete post details.

For this edition of the festival only, there is no time limit for feature films in the Palestine section and TV series in the Main section.

Submissions with incomplete documentation or technical failures will not be put in the competition process.

Submission Mechanism

Television entries must be produced in one of the following formats: 4K, 2K, Full HD, HD, or SD.

For review purposes, TV entries should be submitted as files in H264 or MP4 format, with a bitrate of 6 to 8 Mbps, and video dimensions of 1080i or 1080p. For SD format, the required resolution is 576p.

Final versions of selected TV entries must be submitted as data files in one of the following formats: MOV, MPEG2, MXF, AVI, or H.264 (MP4), either via link submission or in-person delivery to the festival secretariat.

Audio entries must be submitted in WAV or MP3 format.

Participants in the written content section must submit their works in either WORD or PDF formats.

Submission Deadline: January 21, 2026 

Festival Secretariat Address: First Floor, No. 4, Shahid Heydarniya Street (Second East), Mohammad Ali Keshavarz Boulevard, Farhang Square, Tehran, Iran

Почтовый индекс: 1997754746 

Телефон: +98-21-23066166 

Website: www.Sobhfestival.com

Email: info@sobhfestival.com