Sharjah Art Foundation announces an open call inviting UAE-based scriptwriters, directors and lead/executive producers to apply to the Sharjah Film Platform Feature Fund. Formerly the Pitching Forum, the strengthened fund provides more comprehensive and robust support to filmmakers in the country than was available previously.
Offered in conjunction with Sharjah Film Platform—the Foundation’s annual festival of independent cinema and experimental filmmaking—the grant provides up to 500,000 AED for the completion of an English- or Arabic-language feature-length narrative film currently under production.
Shortlisted from a wider pool of applicants, five finalists will be invited to attend a closed, in-person meeting in 2025 to present their project to an industry jury. After the pitch, one winning project will be selected to receive funding.
The deadline to submit the application is 11:59 pm (UAE time) on 28 February 2025.
Eligibility and submission criteria
• The primary applicant—a scriptwriter, film director and/or lead/executive producer who currently resides in the United Arab Emirates—must submit all required materials.
• The film must be a feature-length narrative in either English or Arabic currently in some stage of production. Shot in the UAE or internationally, the final film must have a runtime of at least 50 minutes.
• Submitted projects must include a minimum of 15 minutes of recorded film rushes (unedited scenes from shooting), a partial or completed pilot, or a rough cut of the film to be considered.
• The applicant must submit a detailed production budget and indicate the specific costs for which the funding will be used. The Feature Fund can support up to 500,000 AED, depending on the budget requirements of the project.
• The film director must have at least one previous director’s credit, which must be demonstrated by submitting a web link or movie file for a completed film. The film can be either a short or a feature. No trailers will be accepted.
2025 Pitch Guidelines
In 2025, the five shortlisted applicants must present their projects in person to an industry jury. The exact dates will be announced at a later time. In this pitch, each applicant will have 20 minutes to present the project, either alone or with team members. A 10-minute Q&A session will follow the presentation.
If the applicant would like someone associated with the project to fly in from outside the UAE and pitch to the jury, that is permitted, but costs must be borne independently. It is up to each applicant to decide how many people will come together for the pitch to the jury.
Application requirements
All of the materials below can be submitted in either English or Arabic:
• Application form (downloadable on the website)
• At least 15 minutes of rushes, pilots or rough-cuts (streaming or download link should be included in the application form)
• Complete English or Arabic feature film script (at least 50 pages)
• Director’s statement (creative vision for the project, minimum 300 words)
• Producer’s statement (vision for the film and intended audience, minimum 300 words)
• Detailed production schedule
• Complete film budget (with a breakdown of how SFP funding will be used)
To apply and learn more about Sharjah Film Platform 7, visit sharjahart.org.
Sharjah Film Platform (SFP) is an annual festival of independent cinema and experimental filmmaking where audiences can discover new approaches to film and art. The 10-day event—which includes a range of regional and international films, talks by filmmakers and industry professionals, workshops and gatherings—is centred around Mirage City Cinema, the open-air theatre in Sharjah’s historical quarter.
Organised by Sharjah Art Foundation, SFP foregrounds recent cinematic achievements by international filmmakers and artists, noteworthy classics from around the region as well as experimental films that challenge the idea of what film practice is today.
Sharjah Art Foundation is an advocate, catalyst and producer of contemporary art within the Emirate of Sharjah and the surrounding region, in dialogue with the international arts community. The Foundation advances an experimental and wide-ranging programmatic model that supports the production and presentation of contemporary art, preserves and celebrates the distinct culture of the region and encourages a shared understanding of the transformational role of art. The Foundation’s core initiatives include the long-running Sharjah Biennial, featuring contemporary artists from around the world; the annual March Meeting, a convening of international arts professionals and artists; grants and residencies for artists, curators and cultural producers; ambitious and experimental commissions and a range of travelling exhibitions and scholarly publications.
Established in 2009 to expand programmes beyond the Sharjah Biennial, which launched in 1993, the Foundation is a critical resource for artists and cultural organisations in the Gulf and a conduit for local, regional and international developments in contemporary art. The Foundation’s deep commitment to developing and sustaining the cultural life and heritage of Sharjah is reflected through year-round exhibitions, performances, screenings and educational programmes in the city of Sharjah and across the Emirate, often hosted in historic buildings that have been repurposed as cultural and community centres. A growing collection reflects the Foundation’s support of contemporary artists in the realisation of new work and its recognition of the contributions made by pioneering modern artists from the region and around the world.
Sharjah Art Foundation is a legally independent public body established by Emiri Decree and supported by government funding, grants from national and international nonprofits and cultural organisations, corporate sponsors and individual patrons. Hoor Al Qasimi serves as President and Director. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.
Sharjah is the third largest of the seven United Arab Emirates and the only one bridging the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Reflecting the deep commitment to the arts, architectural preservation and cultural education embraced by its ruler, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Sharjah is home to more than 20 museums and has long been known as the cultural hub of the United Arab Emirates. In 1998, it was named UNESCO's 'Arab Capital of Culture' and has been designated the UNESCO ‘World Book Capital’ for the year 2019.
Alyazeyah Al Marri
alyazeyah@sharjahart.org
+971 (0)6 5444113
