The Arab Documentary Film Program (ADFP) is currently accepting applications for its third call for submissions

The Arab Documentary Film Program (ADFP) is currently accepting applications for its third call for submissions

Application deadline: 7 May, 2012

The Arab Documentary Film Program (ADFP), a partnership with the Sundance Institute, aims to be a launch pad for documentary filmmakers, providing them with the financial and professional resources to create influential work that is globally recognized. 

During each cycle of the ADFP, around 15 feature-length documentary projects in thescript/development (up to US$15,000 per project)and production/post-production (up to US$50,000 per project) stages are awarded grants worth up to $500,000. In addition to providing direct funding, Sundance and AFAC cooperate with renowned international festivals or institutions to bring together grantees with experts and industry professionals to provide tailored support, consultation and networking opportunities.

ADFP grantees have had a number of successes. Ahmed Fawzi Saleh’s first feature-length film Living Skin was awarded Jury Special Mention for Best Narrative Film by a New Director from the Arab World at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Film Festival and “Best First Documentary” at the Festival International du Cinéma Méditerranéen de Tétouan. Habib Attia and Kaouther Ben Hania’s Challat of Tunis was granted the Arte International Prize at the Berlinale Project Market 2011 and the Best International Showcase Projects award in the Investigative Category at Sunny Side of the Doc festival in La Rochelle, France in June 2011. Laila Hotait Salas' The Crayons of Askalan was among ten projects selected to participate in the Editing Studio at the 2011 Berlinale’s Talent Campus, as well as the 2011 DoxBox film festival in Syria. Rania Stephan’s The Three Disappearances of Soad Hosni was awarded the Artist’s Prize at the 10th Sharjah Biennial (2011).

Building on the success of its first and second cycles, the ADFP will continue to support Arab filmmakers with their feature-length documentary projects and garner visibility for their projects, through a number of workshops and events planned for the coming year.

The call for submissions for the third ADFP is now open (launched on February 7, 2012). The deadline for applying for ADFP 2012 is May 7, 2012. 

For ADFP guidelines, click here.

For submitting an application, please create an account on AFAC’s website here.

For more information on the ADFP grantees, visit 'Our Grantees' and check the Calendar for upcoming call dates and events.