Hada News: MENA Screen Industry

Closing nextSaudi Film Festival (Dammam) · 30/11/2026 (71 days)Best rebateSaudi Arabia up to 60%Announced this yearUS$250,000 · 72 projects

Latest industry news

Dubai International Film Festival set to return in 2027
Screen Screen Daily17/09/2026🇦🇪
Meet the 2026 Documentary Film Grantees
Screen AFAC — Arab Fund for Arts and Culture17/09/2026
Najat Al Saghira, Egyptian star of screen and song, honoured in Abu Dhabi
Screen The National (UAE) — Arts & Culture16/09/2026🇦🇪
Art as an act of reimagination and resistance: Introducing AFAC’s 2026 Visual Arts grantees
Screen AFAC — Arab Fund for Arts and Culture15/09/2026
Gaza how to survive a warzone director concedes serious mistake
Screen Broadcast (UK)15/09/2026🇵🇸
'Despicable creators': Israeli ministers attack directors of Gaza film Naza after Venice win
Screen The National (UAE) — Arts & Culture14/09/2026🇵🇸
Rethinking styles, spaces, and histories: Meet the Creative and Critical Writings 2026 grantees
Screen AFAC — Arab Fund for Arts and Culture10/09/2026
Communiqué : à l’attention des entreprises exerçant des activités professionnelles liées à l’industrie cinématographique
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain09/09/2026FR🇲🇦
A quarter to thursday wins el gouna film festival award at final cut in venice 2026
Screen El Gouna Film Festival08/09/2026🇪🇬
Sélection officielle des projets documentaires pour le MEDIMED 2026
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain08/09/2026FR🇲🇦
AFAC awards US$250,000 across independent digital media platforms
Screen AFAC — Arab Fund for Arts and Culture08/09/2026
Acquisition des droits d’exploitation des œuvres cinématographiques tunisiennes dans le circuit non commercial: Session 2026
Screen CNCI — Centre national du cinéma et de l'image (Tunisia)07/09/2026FR🇹🇳
Festival dışı prömiyer yapacak gösteriler için çağrı
Theatre İKSV Istanbul Theatre Festival04/09/2026TR🇹🇷
Communiqué: Oscar du Meilleur Film International 2027
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain02/09/2026FR🇲🇦
Report de la 26 e edition du Festival National du Film de Tanger
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain01/09/2026FR🇲🇦
Communiqué : À l’attention des professionnels du secteur cinématographique
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain27/08/2026FR🇲🇦
Jordan and China Strengthen Film Cooperation, Creating New Opportunities for Chinese Productions in Jordan
Screen Royal Film Commission Jordan25/08/2026🇯🇴
Fifth Edition of the Jordan Children and Youth Film Festival Concludes with Announcement of Winning Films
Screen Royal Film Commission Jordan21/08/2026🇯🇴
Call for Entries — New Wave, Second Edition | Cairo International Film Festival
Screen Cairo International Film Festival / Cairo Film Connection18/08/2026🇪🇬
Appel à contributions Colloque international de la 27ᵉ édition des Journées Théâtrales de Carthage
Theatre Journées Théâtrales de Carthage (Carthage Theatre Days)12/08/2026FR🇹🇳
New Opportunities to Earn and Changes to the YouTube Partner Program
Creators Google MENA blog (the region's edition, incl. YouTube creator programmes)11/08/2026
Cinegouna series announces the selected projects for participation in its inaugural round
Screen El Gouna Film Festival11/08/2026🇪🇬
Zurich film festival and el gouna film festival announce strategic partnership
Screen El Gouna Film Festival10/08/2026🇪🇬
Communiqué : Résultats de la première session de la Commission consultative chargée d’émettre un avis sur la délivrance de la carte du professionnel du cinéma
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain07/08/2026FR🇲🇦
Cyril aris a sad and beautiful world wins three including best film at amman 2026
Screen Daily05/08/2026🇯🇴
Communiqué des résultats de la Commission de soutien à l'organisation des festivals cinématographiques pour la session de juillet 2026
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain04/08/2026FR🇲🇦
Communiqué: Tenue de la première session de la Commission d’Aide à la Numérisation, à la Modernisation et à la Création des Salles de Cinéma au titre de l’année 2026
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain04/08/2026FR🇲🇦
Amman film industry days showcasing fresh projects from cannes award winners
Screen Screen Daily03/08/2026🇯🇴
Amman Film Industry Days Awards 23 Prizes to 19 Projects
Screen Amman International Film Festival02/08/2026🇯🇴
Bilan cinématographique de l'année 2025
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain27/07/2026FR🇲🇦
Meet ADPP 2026 Fellows: Tracing Memories, Preserving Legacies, Documenting Lives
Screen AFAC — Arab Fund for Arts and Culture22/07/2026
Communiqué : Relatif à la tenue de la première session de la Commission consultative chargée d’émettre un avis sur la délivrance de la carte du professionnel du cinéma
Screen CCM — Centre Cinématographique Marocain20/07/2026FR🇲🇦
Red Sea Film Foundation Announces 15 Teams And Mentors For The 2026 48HR Film Challenge
Screen Red Sea Fund / Red Sea Film Foundation16/07/2026🇸🇦
Two Saudi Projects Selected For Sud Ecriture International Workshop No. 44 In Partnership With The Red Sea Fund
Screen Red Sea Fund / Red Sea Film Foundation15/07/2026🇸🇦
Ameen nayfehs jo of montreal begins jordan saudi arabia shoot
Screen Screen Daily10/07/2026🇸🇦🇯🇴
El gouna film festival reshapes leadership appointments across cinegouna platform with new appointments and expanded roles
Screen El Gouna Film Festival05/07/2026🇪🇬
Gff renews partnership with al nahar tv as official broadcast partner
Screen El Gouna Film Festival05/07/2026🇪🇬
The Red Sea Fund and Film AlUla Strengthen Strategic Partnership to Support Film Projects Shooting in AlUla
Screen Red Sea Fund / Red Sea Film Foundation02/07/2026🇸🇦
Mohamed kordofani and mohammed alomda projects among doha film institute spring selection
Screen Screen Daily29/06/2026🇶🇦
16. Almanya-Türkiye Ortak Yapım Geliştirme Fonu için başvurular başlad
Screen İKSV — Istanbul Film Festival / Meetings on the Bridge25/06/2026TR🇹🇷
How manga productions is telling authentic saudi stories through world class animation
Screen Screen Daily25/06/2026🇸🇦
New Turkish Drama ‘Ugly’ Lands in MENA
Screen Calinos Entertainment (Turkish distributor)18/06/2026🇹🇷
Six Arab Series Projects Participate in the 6th Edition of Mosalsalat Screenwriters Lab in Petra
Screen Royal Film Commission Jordan17/06/2026🇯🇴
Cairo International Film Festival Opens Submissions for the Second Edition of the Extended Reality Program — Cairo's XR
Screen Cairo International Film Festival / Cairo Film Connection14/06/2026🇪🇬
Cairo Film Connection Hosts Session for Selected Alumni Filmmakers with Sundance Documentary Fund
Screen Cairo International Film Festival / Cairo Film Connection07/06/2026🇪🇬
Inter Medya expands Latin American footprint with DECEPTION licensing deal in Uruguay
Screen Inter Medya (Turkish distributor)01/06/2026🇹🇷
In pictures cannes panel hears how saudi arabia is ramping up efforts to attract international productions
Screen Screen Daily19/05/2026🇸🇦
Once upon a time in gaza leads palestinian sweep of 10th critics awards for arab films
Screen Daily17/05/2026🇵🇸
President of Cairo International Film Festival from Cannes: The General Mood Has Changed and We No Longer Know the Audience's Identity
Screen Cairo International Film Festival / Cairo Film Connection16/05/2026🇪🇬
In pictures beyond the rebate panel hosted by film alula at cannes
Screen Screen Daily16/05/2026🇸🇦
Saudi arabia boosts film incentive to headline 60 rate
Screen Screen Daily16/05/2026🇸🇦
Mohamed Tarik from the Egyptian Pavilion in Cannes: Cairo Film Festival is a Lifeline for Filmmakers and the Arab Film Journey
Screen Cairo International Film Festival / Cairo Film Connection15/05/2026🇪🇬
Basement films calls out bbc again as gaza doc wins bafta
Screen Broadcast (UK)15/05/2026🇵🇸
What are the investment opportunities in saudi arabias rapidly expanding film sector
Screen Screen Daily15/05/2026🇸🇦
İstanbul Tiyatro Festivali’nin 2027 ve 2028 küratörleri Naz Erayda ve
Theatre İKSV Istanbul Theatre Festival14/05/2026TR🇹🇷
Calinos Entertainment and Pixcom Have Announced a Strategic Partnership with France’s TF1 Group
Screen Calinos Entertainment (Turkish distributor)30/04/2026🇹🇷
Arthood picks up sales for iranian thriller living twice dying thrice ahead of cannes acid premiere
Screen Screen Daily29/04/2026🇮🇷
Gaza set documentary american doctor acquired for uk ireland distribution
Screen Screen Daily28/04/2026🇵🇸
Franco german fund to support films by female directors from ukraine india and lebanon
Screen Screen Daily21/04/2026🇱🇧
Iranian government accused of confiscating exiled filmmakers assets
Screen Screen Daily20/04/2026🇮🇷
AFAC Announces the 11 Projects Selected under the Creative Labs Pillar of Ecologies of Culture
Screen AFAC — Arab Fund for Arts and Culture17/04/2026
Red Sea Film Foundation Continues Partnership With Film Independent For A Third Year
Screen Red Sea Fund / Red Sea Film Foundation13/04/2026🇸🇦
El gouna film festival promotes andrew mohsen to artistic director
Screen Screen Daily02/04/2026🇪🇬
Genç yapımcı ödülü için başvurular açıldı
Screen İKSV — Istanbul Film Festival / Meetings on the Bridge26/03/2026TR🇹🇷
Iranian filmmakers condemn arrest of documentary director mozhgan ilanlou
Screen Screen Daily19/03/2026🇮🇷
Iran war restricts filmart attendance for middle east film industry
Screen Screen Daily19/03/2026🇮🇷
American doctor director poh si teng explains why she spent her life savings on making the gaza doc
Screen Screen Daily18/03/2026🇵🇸
Red sea labs selects 12 projects for the new edition of the feature films program
Screen Red Sea International Film Festival / Souk11/03/2026🇸🇦
Qatars qumra lab moves online only due to iran war
Screen Screen Daily11/03/2026🇮🇷
Berlin film festival director tricia tuttle responds to gaza open letter
Screen Screen Daily23/02/2026🇵🇸
Marianne khoury steps down as el gouna film festival artistic director
Screen Screen Daily21/02/2026🇪🇬
Int laliga goes after vpns footballco opens riyadh studio viaplay grabs efl rights
Screen Broadcast (UK)20/02/2026🇸🇦
Spains fasten film finds european partners for doc about government violence against women in iran
Screen Screen Daily15/02/2026🇮🇷
Calinos Entertainment Licenses ‘Second Chance’ and ‘That’s My Life’ to SPI International
Screen Calinos Entertainment (Turkish distributor)10/02/2026🇹🇷
Iffrs displacement fund films receive rapturous reception as mohammad rasoulof makes plea for iranian protestors
Screen Screen Daily03/02/2026🇮🇷
Bassel ghandour hinde boujemaa projects among doha film institutes autumn selection
Screen Screen Daily26/01/2026🇶🇦
Inter Medya licenses VALLEY OF HEARTS to Bolivia and El Salvador
Screen Inter Medya (Turkish distributor)22/01/2026🇹🇷
Red sea fund announces open call for 2026 post production support cycle 1
Screen Red Sea International Film Festival / Souk22/01/2026🇸🇦
45. İstanbul Film Festivali başvuruları sona erdi
Screen İKSV — Istanbul Film Festival / Meetings on the Bridge11/01/2026TR🇹🇷

Open calls

Saudi Film Festival (Dammam)Closes 30/11/2026

Recently closed

Karama Human Rights Film FestivalClosed 01/09/2026
Palestine Cinema DaysClosed 31/08/2026
El Gouna Film Festival + CineGounaClosed 26/07/2026
AFAC — Arab Fund for Arts and CultureClosed 15/06/2026

Insights

US$250,000in grants and prizes announced, 2026
72projects selected or funded
60%top filming rebate: Saudi Arabia

All insights

Award-winning productions

House Of The Wind
Film · Saudi Arabia
Special Orizzonti Jury Prize; “Luigi De Laurentiis” Venice Award For A Debut Film — 83rd Venice International Film Festival
A Few Moments Of Happiness
Film · Lebanon
Orizzonti Award For Best Short Film — 83rd Venice International Film Festival
A Quarter to Thursday
Film
El Gouna Film Festival award — Final Cut in Venice 2026
A Sad and Beautiful World
Film · Lebanon
Best Film (and two more awards) — Amman International Film Festival 2026

All awards

Award-winning people

Najat Al Saghira
Singer and actress · Egypt
Honoured in Abu Dhabi
Laleh Marzban
Actress
Orizzonti Award For Best Actress — 83rd Venice International Film Festival
Mohamed Rashad
Screenwriter
Best First-Time Scriptwriter — Arab Feature-Length Narrative Film Awards — Amman International Film Festival 2026
Hasan Akil
Actor
Best First-Time Lead Actor — Arab Feature-Length Narrative Film Awards — Amman International Film Festival 2026

All awards