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As part of the activities commemorating the 25th anniversary of AFLAMUNA which began in 1999 under the name Beirut DC, and in reaffirming our unwavering commitment to the freedom of Arab filmmakers, storytellers, and audiences to be the voices of change in our region, and our determinedness in challenging the status quo, and to imagine a better, more just world, we launched the AFLAMUNA Independent Resources Initiative.
In addition to supporting institutions that form the essential pillars of the vibrant cinematic ecosystem in the Arab region, the “Aflamuna Independent Resources Initiative” emphasizes backing innovative ideas that can offer new solutions to the sector. These models have the potential to create new ways of producing, distributing, making, archiving, and training in the film industry in our Arab region.
For the first year, we are working with 21 established and emerging institutions:
An independent production company with a portfolio of diverse media formats from documentary to fiction rooted in reality, photography, podcasts, and more. We engage the community through workshops, screenings, and discussions, fostering learning and critical dialogue. We nurture emerging talent and support filmmakers with our post-production studio and consultations. SEE MEDIA PRODUCTION is committed to crafting narratives that have been neglected and underrepresented in mainstream media.
Rahhala started in 2013 primarily as a film production and distribution company with a strong emphasis on community engagement. It has produced 5 short films and a feature-length documentary. Rahhala has collaborated with numerous civil society organizations such as GIZ, OXFAM, CARE, and ministries such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Health to share its film industry and education expertise.
Filmlab Palestine aims to revive Palestinian cinema culture, fostering creativity and quality through local film production, networking, professional training, and educating film professionals and talents, realizing diverse, high-quality films in general, and content for children.
The culmination of these efforts is celebrated in the annual Palestine Cinema Days festival, which connects Palestine with the global film industry and nurtures a local cinema audience.
Fig Leaf Studios was founded in 2005, targeting young filmmakers, and has become one of the leading independent production companies. It has produced numerous independent films, including “Stasher” by Sameh Alaa, which won the Palme d’Or in 2020 at the Cannes Film Festival.
The studio has produced several award-winning films selected in international film festivals such as Cannes, Berlinale, Karlovy Vary, San Sebastián, Sundance, London Film Festival, and others.
The company also established the “Cine Delta” documentary film program in collaboration with filmmakers providing youth support opportunities through worldwide experts.
Rufy’s Films was established in 2013 as an independent film production company based in Alexandria. It has produced numerous feature & short films; fiction, documentary, and experimental films, screened and awarded at various film festivals worldwide. The company also provides ongoing support for young filmmakers in the city, artistically, technically, and educationally, by conducting workshops to develop filmmakers in the city.
Rufy’s Films also offers production services for companies and films produced in Alexandria.
Coopérative des Métiers du Cinéma
The Cinema Cooperative is an initiative started by seven individuals working in the film industry to act as a meeting point for cinema professionals, as a collaborative network, and as a hub for knowledge and the promotion of cinema. Its home, in Furn in Chebbak, Beirut, is a space where members, and non-members, can collaborate, work on their projects using all the equipment available, and attend workshops and screenings.
An Independent Film Institute that acts as a dynamic hub for diverse voices and storytelling within independent cinema. Our commitment to democratizing filmmaking and nurturing emerging talent, diversity, and artistic freedom fuels our mission to harness film’s power as a catalyst for social change and global connection. SFF passionately supports and facilitates the growth of independent cinema, fostering a thriving community of filmmakers, artists, and film enthusiasts.
Founded in 2021, the Egyptian Film Producers Club is a collaborative community that empowers aspiring Egyptian producers to learn, network & gain exposure to the theoretical & practical sides of the film production process through a curated instructive program fulfilled by professional industry mentors, reliable production resources, analytical film screenings & constructive discussions.
A Cairo-based film house that produces and supports authentic and innovative film and media works.
Seen Films also organizes film industry and development activities and offers creative and production services, utilizing its storytelling expertise to reach a wider impact and interaction with society.
Scope of Work
Programs & Projects: Developing professionals & independent film industry.
Production: Creative works that push boundaries.
Services: Income-generating activities.
Zawya is a Cairo-based independent cinema platform aiming to showcase and circulate quality films.
Established in 2014, Zawya Cinema offers a diverse program of films from across the globe, including features, shorts, documentaries, and experimental works in the form of releases, retrospectives, and curated programs.
After 4 successful years in Cinema Odeon, Zawya relocated to Downtown’s Cinema Karim in 2018 to manage two screens with a combined capacity of 387 seats.
Cimatheque is a multi-purpose space offering training, services, and programming for the independent film community in Egypt. Our facilities include a 20,000-item cinema archive equipped with a multi-format film scanner, an analog film lab, and a post-production unit providing grading, mixing, and image repair services. Since 2012, Cinematheque has screened over 300 films worldwide, and over 500 film practitioners have benefited from our capacities-building program.
Hassala Film founded in 2011, is an independent production cooperative based in Cairo. It is a founding member of the Euro-Mediterranean Distributors Network formed in 2012 under the Euro-Med program and a founding member of the “”Arab Film Market”” initiative launched in 2013.
It has organized film industry training workshops in Cairo and remote governorates, hosting the first workshop for training young producers. Hassala Film is active in the rights aspect, raising awareness among filmmakers about the unfair laws governing the industry and the need to address them.
Wekalet Behna is an art institution that focuses on cinema, contemporary arts, archive practices, education, and artistic research. It endeavors to dissect and critique discourses surrounding prevailing cultural practices and the dominant systems governing cultural and artistic production, as well as cognitive reception, all while actively contributing to public discourse. It was established in 2019 on the premises of Behna Film Selections; which is regarded as the first film distribution company around the Middle East from the 1920s to the early 1960s.
The Jesuit Cultural Center of Alexandria (J.C.C) is an independent non-profit institution, founded in November 1954. The main purpose of the Jesuit Cultural Center is the human formation of those (especially young adults) who are willing to contribute positively to the human development of society with all the challenges of modern culture. Therefore, the Center offers a broad formation program with artistic, intellectual, and cultural leadership training activities that concern the balanced development of the whole human being. This program promotes the values of beauty, citizenship responsibility, equality, peace, and justice without any religious, social, political, or gender segregation.
Preserving Arab Film Heritage: Enhancing Archival Practices for the Independent Film Ecosystem
Organizations can greatly benefit from comprehensive archiving, including administrative records, historical archives, and film databases. To understand initiatives in the Arab region, mapping independent film collection, preservation, and dissemination efforts is crucial. So is the understanding of their operational model. The Arab Independent Film Ecosystem faces challenges like inadequate archival practices, poor infrastructure, and insufficient governmental support, leaving cultural practitioners to preserve heritage. Archivists should engage stakeholders, provide training, foster collaboration, and use technology to improve archival practices and protect the region’s film heritage.
Khallata is a training program for emerging animators who wish to learn and deepen their skills in Blender, an open-source community-driven 2D/3D creation suite.
Through this program:
The Arab Producers lab
Based on the challenges and opportunities of independent Arab cinema and its global co-production environment, the Arab Producers Lab initiative aims to design a comprehensive proposal for an annual workshop project across the region. The workshop will include the experiences of active players in the region and target emerging Arab producers. It aims to facilitate an innovative space for film production and creative exchange within the Arab world.
The Archive Circulation Initiative, comprising the” Jocelyne Saab Association”, “Muja Films”, and the “Digital Archives of Algerian Cinema”, is dedicated to training film practitioners in digital restoration. Following successful workshops in Beirut in 2021 and 2024, the initiative plans its next project in Tunis for 2025. This collaboration aims to enhance skills in digital film restoration, ensuring the preservation and circulation of Arab cinematic heritage.
Libya Film Institute (LFI) is a cultural organization dedicated to supporting filmmakers and fostering cultural awareness in Libya. LFI believes that films are a powerful medium that reflects Libya’s diversity, creativity, and cultural identity, driving social change and protecting rights.
LFI is working on the “Khotwa” project to empower a new generation of Libyan storytellers, using films as a tool for positive change. The project includes training, mentorship, and production opportunities, culminating in a screening of the produced films to promote cinema as a means of expression and social impact.
Gaza Film Unit is an independent initiative of researchers, artists and filmmakers from Palestine who aim to preserve the Palestinian narratives and building an archive. GFU is a result of the genocide taking place in Gaza. It focuses on rebuilding Gaza through establishing a storytelling training program for young people in Gaza, giving them the tools to tell their own stories, and make a content out of it.
It also works to provide an open access to an archive of video and images of war diaries, and of the people’s collective memory that is being destroyed day after day. GFU is working with other initiatives, networks and institutions from the filmmaking scene, and outside, to achieve their goals.
YEMRSH is a digital art archiving initiative, dedicated to documenting and digitizing creative and cultural works in Aden, Yemen. Through collaboration with arts and culture experts, YEMRSH aims to create a bilingual archive, safeguarding Yemeni cultural heritage for future generations. It seeks to provide global researchers with access to these forgotten artistic treasures. By partnering with regional institutions, it aspires to establish itself as a distinguished academic resource for cultural research world wide.
