AFAC: Cinema Grants

The AFAC Cinema Grants support Arab filmmakers by providing funding for feature-length films in development, production, or post-production phases. Grants can range from USD 10,000 for development to USD 50,000 for production. Short films are also eligible for funding, with amounts up to USD 20,000 for production. The program aims to foster creative projects in the Arab region, encouraging diverse applications from directors and producers.

Since its launch, AFAC’s programs have steadily expanded to cover cinema, photography, visual and performing arts, creative and critical writings, music, documentary film, in addition to funding research, trainings and cultural events.
The Cinema program supports fiction films in the Arab region. The program welcomes submissions by Arab directors of feature-length film projects that are in development, production, or post-production phases.
For short films, you can only apply in production and post-production, provided that the director doesn’t have a feature film.
For feature-length films, the Cinema program provides up to USD 10,000 in development grants, up to USD 50,000 in production grants, and up to USD 25,000 in post-production grants.
For short and medium-length films, the program provides up to USD 20,000 in production grants and up to USD 10,000 in post-production grants.
What Does The Grant Cover
AFAC grants are intended for project production, including research and development phases. They may cover project-related expenses, including but not limited to materials, space or equipment rentals, and fees for artistic and technical labor and collaboration.
A Director and producer fee of not more than 30% of the total grant amount is also an allowable expense. If you are hesitant about how this works, you can always contact us with questions before submitting your final budget.
Given the high demand for production support, AFAC cannot guarantee that all selected grantees will receive their requested amounts in full. We encourage applicants to diversify their sources of funding whenever possible.
AFAC does not offer mobility grants, but travel expenses that are part of a project’s implementation and/or research may be covered by the grant.For projects that have already started, we cover only expenses occurring after the agreement's signature date.

Eligibility

The Cinema grant program is open to applications from Arab directors and producers living in the Arab region or the diaspora. A non-Arab producer can apply for a grant provided that the film director is Arab. It is highly recommended that film projects applying to the production and post-production grants have producers attached to them.Project applications are accepted irrespective of age, years of experience, country of residence, ethnicity, gender, or religion.A film producer is eligible to apply with a maximum of two projects per category per cycle, provided the two projects are not attached to the same director.

Ineligibility

AFAC will not consider applications submitted by:Members of the Board of Trustees, their business partners or family members.AFAC staff members, their business partners or family members.Members of the current year’s readers and jurors’ committees.Recipients of two consecutive grants unless two years had passed since the last grant.A director who already has an open grant from AFAC (whether the contract is in her/his name or in the producer’s name).If a director has an application that is in process, s/he cannot submit another application in any category until the result of the current application in process is announced.A film producer that has two open grants.
S/he is not eligible to apply before closing one grant at least.If a grantee had received two grants one for development and one for production to the same film project, she/he cannot apply for post-production.Neither running operating costs nor purchase of equipment can be covered by the grant.AFAC does not offer scholarships.AFAC does not offer mobility grants.Travel costs can be covered by the AFAC grant only when they are part of the implementation of a project.In the event that the grantee does not sign the grant contract within 60 days upon receipt thereof, the grant will be canceled. AFAC will not provide support retroactively to projects that have already been completed.Recipients of grants in two consecutive years will not be eligible to apply for the next two consecutive years. For example, if you received a grant in 2021 and another one in 2022, you will only be eligible to re-apply in 2025.