AFAC & Netflix MENA Open Applications for Women in Film

For the third year running, The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) and Netflix MENA are investing in the next wave of Arab women filmmakers.

The third edition of their Women in Film initiative seeks to offer 35 emerging Arab women filmmakers access to mentorship, professional training, and hands-on production experience.

The program is open to women from Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, with a deadline of July 17th, 2026. Applicants must be between 23 and 30, and have directed or worked on no more than one short film outside of an academic context.

The program will run two parallel tracks. The first is aimed at writer-director and producer teams, guiding them through script development, budgeting, pitching, and packaging. The second is a technical track for individual cinematographers, editors, and sound designers looking to gain practical experience on active projects.

Both tracks combine weekly online sessions with a five-day in-person workshop, where participants from all departments collaborate.

Founded in Beirut in 2007, the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture is an independent foundation supporting artists, writers, and cultural organisations across the Arab world. Its programs span cinema, music, visual and performing arts, photography, and more. Applications are accepted online only via the program's official form.