# Sahara International Film Festival

The Sahara International Film Festival, also known as FiSahara, is an annual event which takes place in the Sahrawi refugee camps, at the southwest corner of Algeria, near the border with Western Sahara. It is the only film festival in the world held in a refugee camp. The first festival was in large part organised by Peruvian film director Javier Corcuera.
For its first three years, FiSahara was held alternately in the Wilaya of Smara, the Wilaya of Ausserd, and the Wilaya of El Aaiún. Since 2007, the festival has been staged in the Wilaya of Dajla. The event is backed by the Polisario Front, but largely organised and funded by donors from Spain, the former colonial power in Western Sahara. The festival has attracted support from Spanish film celebrities, including Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem, and Pedro Almodóvar. Musicians like Fermín Muguruza, Manu Chao, Macaco, Iván Ferreiro, El Chojin and Tomasito have performed in concerts during the festival.
FiSahara is billed as an initiative to bring film as an entertainment and cultural form to the thousands of Sahrawis who live in the Algerian desert. It also aims to provide cultural entertainment and educational opportunities to the refugees.
In 2010, a twinning agreement was signed between the FiSahara and the San Sebastian Human Rights Film Festival.

## White Camel winners

The White Camel (Arabic: الجمل الأبيض) is the festival's top prize, awarded for the best film by election of the spectators. It consists of a white female camel, which is traditionally donated to the refugee family who hosted the actors or director of the winning film during the festival. The winners receive a trophy depicting a white camel and a desert rose.
| Year | Date | Film | Nationality | Director |
| 2003 | 20–23 November | The Living Forest | Spain | Ángel de la Cruz |
| 2003 | 20–23 November | The Living Forest | Spain | Manolo Gómez |
| 2004 | December (Not Held) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 | 3–6 March | Madame Brouette | Senegal France Canada | Moussa Sene Absa |
| 2006 | 5–9 April | The Story of the Weeping Camel | Mongolia Germany | Byambasuren Davaa |
| 2006 | 5–9 April | The Story of the Weeping Camel | Mongolia Germany | Luigi Farloni |
| 2007 | 10–15 April | Azur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest | France Belgium Spain Italy | Michel Ocelot |
| 2008 | 17–20 April | It's a Free World... | United Kingdom | Ken Loach |
| 2009 | 5–10 May | Che: Part 2 | United States Spain France | Steven Soderbergh |
| 2010 | 26 April-2 May | The Problem | Spain | Jordi Ferrer |
| 2010 | 26 April-2 May | The Problem | Spain | Pablo Vidal |
| 2011 | 2–8 May | Entrelobos | Spain Germany | Gerardo Olivares |
| 2012 | 1–6 May | Sons of the Clouds: The Last Colony | Spain | Alvaro Longoria |
| 2013 | 8–13 October | Mayibuye I | South Africa | Milly Moabl |
| 2014 | 29 April–4 May | Legna: Habla el Verso Saharaui | Sahrawi Republic Spain | Juan Robles |
| 2014 | 29 April–4 May | Legna: Habla el Verso Saharaui | Sahrawi Republic Spain | Bahia Awah |
| 2014 | 29 April–4 May | Legna: Habla el Verso Saharaui | Sahrawi Republic Spain | Juan Carlos Gimeno |
| 2015 | 28 April-3 May | Granito: How to Nail a Dictator | United States | Pamela Yates |
| 2016 | 11–16 October | Ladjouad | Sahrawi Republic | Brahim Chegaf |
| 2022 | 11–16 October | Wanibik, the people who live in front of their land | Algeria | Rabeh Slimani |
| 2024 | 29 Abril – 5 May | 200 meters | Palestine | Ameen Nayfeh, Ahmad Al-Bazz |

## Guest country

In some years, the festival has chosen a country to be a guest in the event. In such cases, films from the guest country are screened, and related events take place along with the other acts in the festival.
| Year | Guest Country |
| 2006 | Cuba |
| 2009 | Algeria |
| 2010 | South Africa |
| 2011 | Venezuela |
| 2012 | Mexico |
| 2013 | United States |
| 2014 | South Africa |
| 2023 | Spain |