Overview
The AFAC Cinema Program provides grants to Arab directors working on fiction and experimental films. It is one of nine open-call programs administered by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC), the pan-Arab nonprofit established in 2007 to build independent arts funding infrastructure across the Arab world. AFAC is based in Beirut, Lebanon, and has grown into the most comprehensive funder of independent arts and culture in the Arab region, with 11 active programs as of 2025.
The Cinema program supports both feature-length and short/medium-length fiction films. For feature-length projects, grants are available at the development, production, and post-production stages. For short and medium-length films, grants are available for production and post-production only, and the director must not have previously made a feature film.
Grant amounts are substantial:
| Project Type | Stage | Maximum Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Feature-length | Development | $10,000 |
| Feature-length | Production | $50,000 |
| Feature-length | Post-production | $25,000 |
| Short/medium-length | Production | $20,000 |
| Short/medium-length | Post-production | $10,000 |
The 2026 application deadline is June 19, 2026 at 5:00 PM Beirut time (+3 GMT). The Cinema program is part of AFAC's second open call, which also includes Music, Documentary Photography, and Training and Regional Events grants. Each applicant can submit only one application per open call.
History
AFAC was established in 2007 as the first pan-Arab independent arts fund. Based in Beirut, Lebanon, the organization launched with a mission to build sustainable funding infrastructure for arts and culture across the Arab world. The Cinema Program was one of AFAC's founding grant programs. By 2025, AFAC had grown to 11 active programs and distributed over $1 million per cycle. Key milestones: AFAC-supported films premiered at Cannes starting in 2019 with Elia Suleiman's It Must Be Heaven. In 2022, 5 AFAC-supported films screened at Cannes. In 2025, 3 AFAC-supported films screened at Cannes across Un Certain Regard, Semaine de la Critique, and ACID. The 2025 Cinema cycle funded 25 projects, with jurors noting a surge in science fiction, thriller, and horror genres uncommon in Arab cinema.
What It Funds
The Cinema Program funds Arab fiction and experimental films at three stages:
- Development grants ($10,000 max for features): Scriptwriting, research, and early project preparation
- Production grants ($50,000 max for features, $20,000 max for shorts): Principal photography and key production costs
- Post-production grants ($25,000 max for features, $10,000 max for shorts): Editing, sound, color, and delivery
Applicants must choose one stage of support. AFAC does not fund multiple stages simultaneously. If a grantee has received two grants for the same film project, they cannot apply for post-production.
The program is explicitly for scripted and experimental fiction approaches. Films that are primarily observational, journalistic, or nonfiction should apply to the AFAC Documentary Film Program instead. For multidisciplinary projects, applicants should choose the program based on the final output of the project.
Payment Structure
AFAC disburses grants in installments tied to project milestones:
Development grants: 70% on signature of the grant agreement, 30% on submission and approval of final narrative and financial reports.
Production grants: 25% on signature, 60% after expenditure of at least 80% of the first transfer and approval of interim reports, 15% on approval of final reports.
Post-production grants: 50% on signature, 50% on approval of final reports.
Projects must be completed within a maximum of two years from the signature of the grant agreement. Extensions must be requested and approved in writing.
Eligibility
The Cinema grant program is open to:
- Arab directors and producers living in the Arab region or the diaspora
- A non-Arab producer can apply if the film director is Arab
- Both individual directors and cultural organizations are eligible
- Applications accepted irrespective of age, years of experience, country of residence, ethnicity, gender, or religion
- Applications can be submitted in Arabic, English, or French
A film producer may apply with a maximum of two projects per category per cycle, provided the two projects are not attached to the same director.
Ineligible candidates include:
- Members of the AFAC board of trustees, their business partners, or family members
- AFAC staff members, their business partners, or family members
- Members of the current year's reader and juror committees
- Applicants with a current open grant from AFAC
- A director who already has an open grant from AFAC (regardless of whether the contract is in their name or the producer's name)
- Recipients of grants in two consecutive years (must wait two years before reapplying)
Typical Award Size Range
| Project Type | Stage | Maximum Grant |
|---|---|---|
| Feature-length | Development | $10,000 |
| Feature-length | Production | $50,000 |
| Feature-length | Post-production | $25,000 |
| Short/medium-length | Production | $20,000 |
| Short/medium-length | Post-production | $10,000 |
Most awarded grants fall below the maximum. AFAC does not publish average award sizes, but the program distributes across approximately 25 projects per cycle, meaning typical awards range from $5,000 to $35,000 depending on stage and project scope.
Past Recipients and What They Made with the Money
AFAC-supported cinema projects have premiered at major international festivals:
- Mediterranean Fever (directed by Maha Haj, Palestine) - AFAC Cinema grant recipient. Premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard 2022. Won the Un Certain Regard Best Screenplay award. Palestine's entry for the 2023 Academy Awards for Best International Feature.
- Harka (directed by Lotfy Nathan, Egypt) - AFAC Cinema grant recipient. Premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard 2022. Adam Bessa won Best Actor in the Un Certain Regard category. Also screened at TIFF and the Red Sea Film Festival, where Nathan won Best Director.
- The Dam (directed by Ali Cherri, Lebanon) - AFAC Cinema grant recipient. Premiered in Cannes Directors' Fortnight 2022. A political fable about a Sudanese brickyard worker set against the backdrop of the Sudanese revolution.
- Aisha Can't Fly Away (directed by Morad Mostafa, Egypt) - AFAC Cinema grant recipient. Premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard 2025. The first Egyptian film in Cannes' Un Certain Regard in nearly a decade. Follows a Sudanese caregiver in Cairo navigating tensions between African migrants and local gangs.
- Ashkal: The Tunisian Investigation (directed by Youssef Chebbi, Tunisia) - AFAC Cinema grant recipient. Screened at Cannes Directors' Fortnight 2022. Won the Special Jury Mention at FIFF Namur and the Etalon d'or de Yennenga at FESPACO 2023.
What Makes an Application Competitive
AFAC's Cinema jury evaluates submissions on several concrete signals:
- Artistic ambition: The jury favors projects that break from familiar Arab cinema molds. The 2025 jury specifically noted science fiction, thriller, fantasy, and horror genres as refreshing additions to the regional landscape.
- Director's voice: AFAC assesses whether the director has a distinct perspective rooted in Arab cultural experience. Work samples and previous films carry significant weight.
- Production feasibility: For production and post-production grants, AFAC highly recommends a producer be attached. Applications without a producer are at a disadvantage.
- Stage appropriateness: Applicants must choose one stage. AFAC does not fund multiple stages simultaneously. If a grantee has received two grants for the same film, they cannot apply for post-production.
- Language and format: Applications can be submitted in Arabic, English, or French. Projects must be fiction or experimental fiction. Documentary projects should apply to the Documentary Film Program instead.
What Filmmakers Should Know
AFAC is the most comprehensive independent funder of Arab cinema. The Cinema Program funds fiction and experimental films only. If your project is documentary, apply to the AFAC Documentary Film Program instead. The key trade-off: AFAC grants rarely cover a full production budget. For grants above $10,000 that do not cover the full project, you must show proof of securing at least 50% of the remaining budget. This means AFAC works best as one piece of a co-production financing stack, not as a sole funder. Projects must be completed within 2 years of signing the grant agreement. If you receive a grant in two consecutive years, you must wait 2 years before reapplying. The program runs on two open calls per year: the first includes Cinema in the second call (June deadline), alongside Music, Documentary Photography, and Training. Each applicant can submit only one application per open call.
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See Also
For the AFAC Documentary Film Program supporting Arab nonfiction filmmakers, see the AFAC Documentary Program directory entry. For the AFAC Performing Arts Program supporting Arab theater and dance, see the AFAC Performing Arts Program directory entry. For understanding how grants fit into a funding strategy, see Film Grants and Funding. To estimate production costs for a grant-supported project, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator. For grants that do not require US citizenship, see Film Grants No US Citizenship Required.
