OPPORTUNITIES BULLETIN #240 May 2023

OPPORTUNITIES BULLETIN #240 May 2023

N.B. The information below is provided directly by the organizers of events, festivals, audio-visual organizations or independent film projects. The Royal Film Commission - Jordan (RFC) cannot be held accountable for it.

In this bulletin:

1. Jordan Film Fund: Call for Submission Extended.
2. The Red Sea International Film Festival:  Call for Submission.
3. ‎‏The Cairo Film Connection: Call for Submission.
4. Arab Fund for Arts and Culture Second Grant Cycle: Call for Application.
5. Marrakech International Film Festival: Call for Submission.
6. The Atlas Workshops / Marrakech International Film Festival: Call for Submission.
7. The Bertha Fund for Documentary Filmmakers / Call for Funding.
8. Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival / Call for Submission.
9. (Egg)Celerator Lab / Call for Application.

The deadline for submission has been extended to Monday 29 May 2023, at midnight, Jordan time (+3GMT).

With a budget of JOD 450,000 (approx. 630,000 USD), the Jordan Film Fund (JFF) supports the development, production, and post-production of cinematic feature-length narrative and documentary projects; the production of short narrative, documentary, experimental including animated films; the marketing and distribution of Jordanian feature-length narrative and documentary films further to the development of TV Series. In addition, the JFF offers production support to Arab feature-length narrative projects that are co-produced with Jordan, be it in Jordan or abroad.

To apply, please visit the JFF’s page and review the JFF’s Guidelines and Regulations for important details regarding eligibility, categories, obligatory submission material, the online application, assessment and granting process.

The Red Sea International Film Festival welcomes applications from Arab, Asian, and African filmmakers.

Give your film the chance to be part of the Arab world’s most anticipated cinematic event, and the opportunity to win one of the Festival’s Yusr Awards.

Both established and emerging filmmakers from Arab, Asian and African countries across the globe are invited to submit their films to the Red Sea Competition, and the Red Sea Shorts Competition.

 General Rules & Regulations:
• Deadline: Entries of online submission forms in English and/or Arabic and film viewing copies must be completed and submitted by 18th August 2023.
• All films must be submitted in their original language. If the original language of the film is not in English, the viewing copy must be subtitled in English.
• If the film is a “work-in-progress”, please ensure that this is clearly stated on the submission form with the final title of the film and not the working title.
• All viewing copies and/or material should be added to the submission form only. Please note The Red Sea International Film Festival will not accept DVDs or any physical format as a viewing copy for submissions purposes.
• The viewing copies (screeners) are shared with the relevant selection committee for viewing and assessment purposes.

If you have any queries about the film submissions, please email RSIFF submissions team: submissions@redseafilmfest.com

Submissions are now open, and the deadline is on 18th August 2023
For more information, please visit: https://redseafilmfest.com/en/film-submissions/

The AFAC is welcoming applications for the music, cinema, training and regional events programs. Each of the three programs in this cycle has a dedicated landing page where you can see all the details, including the eligibility criteria, how to apply and the types of projects supported by each program.

When to apply: Applications are open until July 4 at 17:00 Beirut time (+3GMT).  
Where to apply: Exclusively online, via the AFAC website.

For more information, please visit: AFAC’s Second Grant Cycle

Submission and Regulations:
Deadline for submissions, using the online entry form, is set to July 28th, 2023.

There is no entry fee. All films must be submitted for selection via a streaming link. All non-
English or non- French language films must be subtitled in English or in French.

Announcement and Selected Films
The official announcement for the selection will be made by the end of October 2023. Those who are. Selected to participate will be notified by e-mail prior to the official announcement.

For questions or to obtain further information, please contact:
selection@festivalmarrakech.org

The Atlas Workshops, the industry and talent-development programme initiated by the Marrakech International Film Festival in 2018, launches its call for projects in development and films in production/post-production by filmmakers from the Arab world and the African continent who are working on their first, second or third feature-length film.

The sixth edition of the Atlas Workshops will take place November 27th—30th 2023. The event offers participants the opportunity to present their projects in development and films in production/post-production via a co-production market that allows them to meet with international professionals. Participants benefit from personalized mentoring, tailored to the individual needs of each project regarding scriptwriting, production, distribution, editing and/or scoring.

To be eligible for the 2023 Atlas Workshops, filmmakers must:

● Reside in or be a member of the diaspora of the Arab world or the African continent

● Have a project in development or a film in production/post-production that is a first, second or third feature-length narrative, documentary or animated film (minimum length 60 minutes), and have previously made at least one short or feature-length film

● Have a production company attached to the project at the time of application.

Regulations:

The deadline for Projects in Development is July 20^th, 2023.

The deadline for Films in Production or Post-Production is September 21st, 2023.

For more information, please visit: Home - Marrakech international film festival (marrakech-festival.com)

Projects can be submitted in two categories:
1) Project development: The maximum contribution for project development is 7,500 euros, which must be spent in a country on the IBF Classic Country List.

2) Production & post-production: The maximum contribution for production & post-production is 25,000 euros, which must be spent in a country on the IBF Classic Country List.

Deadline for Project development: June 10^th , 2023

Deadline for Production & post-production: December 10^th, 2023. 

The 32nd Annual Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival is the longest running non-fiction festival in North America. HSDFF offers multiple awards categories and is a designated Academy-Award qualifying festival for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Documentary Short Subject.

*Short Films: 40 minutes or less.
*Features: Over 40 minutes.
*Episodic Series.
*Fees are non-refundable.
*Competition is open to U.S. and International entries.
*Films not in English must be subtitled with English subtitles.

Submissions will be received between December 2022 and June of 2023, with notification of acceptance no later than September 30th, 2023.

Feature and Short films that are available on VOD or a streaming platform may not be eligible for competition at the festival. HSDFF will decide on a case-by-case basis about competition status.

Feature length films that have been released theatrically or broadcast on television nationally prior to the festival will be considered for non-competitive sections only under special circumstances determined by the festival.

You may submit multiple entries but must fill out a separate entry form and provide an entry fee for each.
For more information on the application deadline, please visit: Applications - Film Independent

This current open call is geared only toward nonfiction feature-length films. Projects must be currently in early production (with at least 10% of their footage shot) or up to mid-production (with no more than 60% of their footage shot) by the date of application. Projects must be aiming toward feature-length films (48 minutes or longer). Note: The program will take place from February to December 2024. If you are planning to have a rough cut by the end of 2023 or by the first quarter of 2024, your project is too advanced and not eligible to apply.

Subject Matter: In alignment with the vision of an equitable and just world shaped by the power of documentary films, priority will be given to films that address equity and social justice, defined broadly by issues ranging from the global to the personal, and exploring a variety of artistic approaches (e.g. personal story, experimental, animated, essayistic, etc.).

International Applications: International filmmakers are encouraged to apply, with some exceptions. Due to US comprehensive sanctions, filmmakers residing in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and the following regions of Ukraine (Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk) are not eligible to apply.

The application deadline is Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at 12:00 pm (noon) ET.