The initiative is designed to support Arab women filmmakers working on fiction or documentary projects at any stage of production.
Applications are now open for the fifth round of the Film Consultancy Programme, organised by Between Women Filmmakers’ Caravan, which offers support to filmmakers across the Arab world. The deadline for submissions is May 5, and applications can be made via an online form.
This programme provides technical support and specialised advice from professional female filmmakers to creators working on documentary or fiction projects at various stages of production. It runs three times a year, with each three-month cycle selecting three projects to participate.
The advisory committee for this round includes six prominent female filmmakers from the Arab world: Palestinian editor Ruba Haj Yahya, Lebanese producer Jana Wehbe, French-Lebanese editor Gladys Joujou, director of photography Jocelyne Abi Gebrayel, sound designer and director Rana Eid and Egyptian director Amal Ramsis, who is also the founder and director of Caravan Between Cinemas.
Amal Ramsis explained that since the programme’s launch in January 2024, it has uncovered numerous exceptional film projects that had not received the attention they deserved, despite their artistic and narrative potential. Many of these projects come from filmmakers across the Arab world who lack access to the limited support available in the market. Ramsis emphasised the need for new mechanisms to support Arab cinema and help filmmakers establish themselves in a competitive industry.
The programme also tracks the progress of projects from previous rounds, allowing filmmakers to reapply and receive ongoing support for their development over a longer period. Ramsis noted that the primary aim is to ensure filmmakers feel they have a protective body that supports their projects and gives them a real opportunity to succeed.
The Film Consultancy Programme is part of the broader activities of the Between Women Filmmakers’ Caravan, which was founded in 2008 in Egypt as an independent initiative managed by female filmmakers. The organisation works to amplify women’s roles in the film industry by hosting screenings of films made by women from around the world, building an international network of female filmmakers, and providing education and training in documentary filmmaking. It also supports women’s film projects throughout the production process.
