ISLAMABAD: The 5th European Film Festival (EUFF) is returning to Pakistan this weekend, with programmes planned in Islamabad, Sialkot and Jamshoro/Hyderabad.
Presented by the European Union and curated by Olomopolo Media, the festival will bring together European and Pakistani cinema, live performances, interactive experiences and cultural exchange.
The programme will feature European feature films, documentaries and experimental shorts, along with a curated selection of Pakistani short films. It will also include live performances, a children’s segment, interactive installations and an industry session for filmmakers.
First held in Pakistan in 2021, the travelling festival has since been staged in Gilgit, Quetta, Peshawar, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, focusing on cultural exchange and dialogue through cinema.
The 2026 edition will begin in Islamabad on September 12 and 13 at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA). Alongside film screenings, the Islamabad programme will include a Stand-up Comedy & Improv Showcase and a Children’s Segment featuring a family-friendly European film, storytelling and a music session.
The festival will then move to Sialkot on September 16 and 17, where events will be held at Government College Women University and GRID by BLCK. It will conclude in Jamshoro/Hyderabad on September 29 and 30 at SABS University of Art, Design & Heritages, with a live musical performance included in the closing programme.
This year’s festival will also offer immersive installations, including the EUFF-Pakistan Express train installation, Wall of Fame, Human Slot Game, Reading Nook and Kids’ Corner. A Filmmakers’ Mixer, introduced as a new industry programme session, will also be part of the line-up.
The festival is aimed at young audiences, families, members of the film fraternity, film enthusiasts and diplomats. Its objectives include broadening cinematic experiences and conversations, using cinema to connect cultures, and creating spaces for collective activities and engagement.
