Image Nation Arab Film Fund
A development and production fund supporting Arab filmmakers through financial grants, mentorship, and industry access, administered by Image Nation Abu Dhabi.
Overview
The Image Nation Arab Film Fund supports emerging and established Arab filmmakers through development and production grants for feature-length narrative and documentary films. Administered by Image Nation Abu Dhabi, one of the region's leading media and entertainment companies, the fund provides financial support alongside mentorship, industry connections, and festival positioning for funded projects.
The Arab world has a growing and increasingly internationally visible film industry, with filmmakers from Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE producing work that appears at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Toronto. The Image Nation Arab Film Fund contributes to this momentum by providing the financial resources that allow Arab filmmakers to develop and produce ambitious projects.
Image Nation Abu Dhabi has co-produced and financed films that have achieved international success, and the Arab Film Fund extends this commitment to emerging talent within the region. The fund has supported films that have premiered at major international festivals and received critical acclaim.
What It Covers
- Development grants for screenplay development, research, and pre-production
- Production grants of up to $100,000 for feature film production
- Mentorship from experienced producers and filmmakers
- Industry access through Image Nation's network of international partners and festival connections
- Festival strategy support for completed films
Eligibility
The fund is open to filmmakers from the Arab world (defined broadly to include countries of the Arab League). Projects must be feature-length narrative or documentary films. Both emerging and established filmmakers are eligible. Projects at the development and production stages are considered. Specific eligibility criteria are published for each funding cycle.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted through Image Nation's portal or a designated platform. Submissions typically include a project proposal, screenplay or treatment, director's statement, budget, production plan, and filmmaker bio. Deadlines vary by funding cycle.
Who Should Apply
Arab filmmakers at various career stages who have feature film projects in development or ready for production. The fund is particularly valuable for filmmakers whose projects need financial support to reach the scale and quality required for international festival consideration.
See Also
For understanding international co-production, see International Film Markets. To plan your feature film budget, use the Production Budget Calculator.
