The Baghdad International Theatre Festival is presided over by Jabbar Joudi, president of the Iraqi Artists Syndicate and director general of the Cinema and Theatre Department at the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities.
The opening ceremony featured a musical operetta titled Helwa Baghdad (Beautiful Baghdad), produced by the Iraqi Artists Syndicate in collaboration with the Cinema and Theatre Department.
The event also included a tribute to the renowned Iraqi artist Maimoun Al-Khalidi, with this year’s edition dedicated to his name in recognition of his remarkable artistic legacy and enduring influence on Iraqi and Arab theatre.
Following the opening, the Iraqi play Matam Al-Sayyid Al-Walad (The Wake of the Master’s Son), directed by Mohannad Hadi, was performed at Al-Mansour Theatre, officially launching the festival’s theatrical programme.
Egyptian delegation
This year, the festival welcomes a dynamic Egyptian delegation with representatives from the creative, institutional, and critical spheres of theatre. Among the notable attendees is theatre director Nasser Abdel-Moneim, who joins the jury overseeing the festival’s main competition.
Chaired by Iraqi director and playwright Jawad Al-Assadi, the jury panel also includes actress and academic Awatef Naeem (Iraq), actor Habib Ghuloom (UAE), director Ali Alayan (Jordan), actor Khaled Bouzid (Tunisia), and Turkish writer Bilge Emin.
Also attending as honoured guests from Egypt are Khaled Galal, head of the theatre production sector at Egypt’s Ministry of Culture; Ayman El-Shewy, director of Egypt’s National Theatre; and renowned director Essam El-Sayed.
The delegation includes acclaimed actor Riyad El-Khouly, whose prolific career spans more than 200 works on stage and screen.
Joining the group is playwright and theatre critic Basem Sadek, who heads the theatre section at Al-Ahram, one of Egypt’s leading newspapers.
Baghdad International Theatre Festival
Over its past editions, the Baghdad International Theatre Festival has established itself as one of the vital platforms for exchange between Arab and international theatre communities.
This year’s programme features 15 plays from across the globe—including three Iraqi, six Arab and six international productions—staged across Baghdad’s main venues: the National Theatre, Al-Rasheed Theatre, and Al-Mansour Theatre.
With contributions from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Spain, Italy, Poland and Germany, among others, the selection ranges from narratives deeply rooted in national creative traditions to bold, contemporary explorations, reflecting a diversity of genres, voices, and aesthetics.
Beyond performances, the festival offers a rich cultural programme that includes daily critical seminars featuring Arab and Iraqi critics, as well as specialized workshops in acting, directing, and improvisation. Highlights include a workshop led by renowned Syrian actor Fayez Kazak and a masterclass by acclaimed Tunisian director Fadhel Jaïbi.
The programme also features book signings, the release of new theatrical publications and a daily bulletin documenting the festival’s events.
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