OPPORTUNITIES BULLETIN #236 January 2023

OPPORTUNITIES BULLETIN #236 January 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. Call for submissions: 3rd round of Mosalsalat Screenwriters Lab (Extended Deadline)
2. Call for submissions: 76th Edition Cannes Film Festival
3. Call for applications: 4th Edition Read Sea Lodge
4. Call for submissions: Malmo Arab Film Festival opens Industry Days
5. Call for applications: Film Independent Episodic Lab 2023
6. Call for submissions: The Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival

Submissions for the 3rd round of Mosalsalat Screenwriters Lab are open. The Lab will take place in May 2023.

Mosalsalat Screenwriters Lab is an annual five-day series script development workshop aimed at independent Arab screenwriters working on their narrative series projects.

Screenwriters joining the Lab will experience one-on-one mentoring sessions with international accomplished screenwriters (Mosalsalat’s Creative Advisors). The goal of the program is to guide and strengthen the writers’ understanding of story concept, structure, and character development with the intention of producing a pilot script and supporting materials.

Extended deadline for submissions: Saturday 21 January 2023, at midnight (Jordan time).

For submissions and more details about the Lab, please visit this  link.

Submissions are open for the 76th Edition of Festival de Cannes, the festival will take place from 16 - 27 May, 2023.

To submit a film, you need to: comply with the preselection conditions, fill out the online entry form, upload your film online (for short films), send your film (for feature films) to the address indicated at the bottom of the entry form if your film is selected, you must comply with the festival's rules and regulations.

Films may be accepted in the official selection for competition, out of competition or uncertain regard. The selection committee is the sole decision-maker of the category in which a selected film is screened.

Only feature films that meet the following conditions may be chosen for invitation to the official selection:

• Films that have been produced during the twelve months preceding the festival.

•  Films whose distribution is limited to their country of origin.

• Films that have not been presented at any international motion picture event. If the film has been selected for an international section (competitive or not) of a festival, it becomes ineligible for the Festival de Cannes. A selection is international if it presents films from different countries.

• Films that have not been shown on the Internet or released on DVD.

•  Every feature film invited to be in competition must be released theatrically in France in accordance with French legislation pertaining to media chronology rules. Any beneficiary, producer or authorized representative submitting a feature film commits to honoring this clause.

Film Duration:
In order to be selected as a feature film, your film must be more than 60 minutes long. The Festival de Cannes does not accept films with a duration of between 15 and 60 minutes.

Deadline for submissions: March 17, 2023.

Open to teams of Saudi, Arab and African Filmmakers and Producers.

The Red Sea Lodge, in partnership with the TorinoFilmLab, selects projects for creative and professional mentorship, development, and next-level industry opportunities. Submit your project for your chance to be part of the ten-month program.

In 2023, the Lodge expands across ten months and six workshops – the first one exclusively addressed to selected Saudi teams, and the other five to all the selected projects – to give you a broad overview and strong grounding to explore your projects full dramatic and production potentials. You’ll be mentored by a Head of Script Development and a Head of Production, with guidance from international specialists across all segments of cinema and its the industry.

Alongside ongoing script development sessions, the program features a producer’s coaching program and covers professional development in artistic aspects and also production, financing, sales and marketing. During the workshop, participants will also have the opportunity to work with internationally experienced experts from the fields of directing, cinematography, editing, sound and post-production, sales, etc.

Following development and meetings with industry professionals, winners will share a pot of $ 200.000in award prizes, based on merit. The awards will be announced during the festival.

To apply and for more information, please visit: https://redseafilmfest.com/en/red-sea-lodge-2023/

Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF) is one of the leading and largest film festival dedicated to Arab cinema outside the Arab world. Around 60 features, short films, and documentaries from all over the Arab world are screened during the festival. The program offers competition sections, panoramas, special screenings, workshops, seminars, and celebrations.

Parallel to the festival is MAFF Industry Days (MID). MID is an industry forum for collaboration and co-production between the Nordic and Arab film industries that was initiated in 2015.

MAFF Industry Days offers several funding initiatives for Nordic-Arab co-productions. The initiatives present an excellent opportunity for film professionals to pitch their projects to film experts and a jury chosen from a selection of prominent filmmakers and critics.

The 13^th  edition of Malmö Arab Film Festival will be held April 28 - 4 May, 2023.

The 9^th  edition MAFF Industry Days will be held April 29 - 1 May, 2023

MID – MAFF Industry Days is a pioneering initiative that aims to promote exchange and cooperation between Sweden and the Arab world within the film industry. The objective of MID is to bring together producers, financiers, filmmakers, and distributors and create opportunities for pitching and networking through various programs and events, bringing Sweden and the Arab world closer together. MID Development Funding was created to support feature films (narratives, documentaries, animation, hybrid) and short films in the development phase.

For feature film projects to be eligible, it should be a planned co-production between Arab and Swedish partners.

As for short film projects, the applicant must be a citizen or resident of a Nordic country (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland) or a Baltic country (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia).

Deadline for applications:   January 31, 2023.

The 2023 Episodic Lab is a full-time, two-week program that will take place in September 2023. The program is designed to provide story and career development for emerging television writers with an original pilot script.

Applicants will be notified 2-3 weeks before the start of the program. If you don't receive a notification, please check your spam folder.

Designed to support writers with original long-form episodic projects, Film Independent’s Episodic Lab will accept a diverse group of 6–8 writers or writing teams and provide them with critical support and mentorship. Through personalized feedback from experienced showrunners, creative producers and executives, Fellows will gain the tools to revise and refine their pilots and navigate a changing industry landscape.

The Episodic Lab helps to further the careers of its Fellows by introducing them to industry veterans who can offer guidance on both the craft and business of writing episodic content. Each Fellow will be paired with a Creative Advisor with whom they’ll work one-on-one and in group sessions to develop their project during the month of September. Additionally, guest speakers will screen and discuss their own work to offer insights into the creative process and industry best practices. A final networking and pitch event will offer Fellows the opportunity to introduce themselves and their work to studio and network executives. 

Please read over the application form before preparing your materials. Applicants must submit the following for consideration:

• A cover letter introducing yourself and your interest in the Episodic Lab.

• One complete, original pilot.

• A series logline and pilot synopsis.

• A series description describing the story engine and series arc of the show.

• Project status and history, including any industry exposure.

• A series proposal document that includes brief descriptions of the world of the series and its premise and genre, as well as breakdowns for the show’s primary characters and their first season arcs.

Deadline for applications:  February 10, 2023.

The Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival (CCI-IFF) is now accepting submissions for its 2023 festival, to be held July 20-23 during Comic-Con International at the San Diego Convention Center.

Judged by a panel of industry luminaries, the CCI-IFF accepts genre-related films in the following categories: Action/Adventure, Animation, Comics-Oriented, Documentary (Pop Culture–Related), Horror/Suspense, Humor, and Science Fiction/Fantasy. Awards and prizes will be given out at Comic-Con, with film screenings all four days of the event.

General rules for entry:

1. Films submitted should be in one of the following categories: • Action/Adventure • Animation • Comics-oriented • Documentary (limited to genre and pop culture topics) • Horror/Suspense • Humor • Science Fiction/Fantasy.

2. All films must be appropriate for an all-ages audience. No nudity, excessive violence or swearing.

3. All films must be no longer than 95 minutes in length.

4. One submission per filmmaker. Films previously submitted to the CCI: IFF, whether accepted or denied, cannot be entered again. Films submitted must have a completion date no earlier than 2021.

The submission must be accompanied by the official, signed, entry form. Submit a link of your film to iffsubmissions@comic-con.org OR mail a DVD of your film and the completed form to the provided P.O. Box.

5. To be accepted, submitted films must be completely edited and in their final completed form. Rough cuts or unfinished material will not be considered.

6. It is the responsibility of the filmmaker to obtain, in writing, all necessary consents, licenses and clearances from any trademark, copyright or other proprietary interest holder (such as, but not limited to brands, music, characters, etc.) for content used in the submitted film. A copy of any such consents, licenses and clearances shall be included with the submission of the film. By submitting a film, filmmaker licenses CCI to screen and otherwise use the film as part of the CCI: IFF.

7. Films submitted cannot have distribution deals or distribution deals pending.

Deadline for submissions:  February 1, 2023.