RIYADH: Is a new chapter beginning for women filmmakers in the region? Rima Mismar, executive director of the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, thinks so.
Mismar spoke with Arab News about the third “Women in Film: Training Through Practice” event, run in partnership with Netflix.
An open call, which ends on July 17, is inviting Arab women between the ages of 23 to 30 living in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait or the UAE to a hybrid — online and in person — residency later this year, in either the UAE or Saudi Arabia.
With multiple tracks to choose from, aspiring filmmakers can get in on the action with help from experts who will hone their skills through workshops, networking and more.
“What makes this edition particularly important is that it responds to a real shift in the needs of emerging filmmakers in the region,” she told Arab News.
The talent and ambition is there — now comes the logistics.
“There is no shortage of creative voices or compelling stories in the Arab world. What many young filmmakers need now is sustained access to practical experience, mentorship, and collaborative environments that help transform ideas into completed works,” she said.
During the previous event, “Bring Your Story to Life,” the focus was on developing stories and creative voices. This time around, the “Training Through Practice” hands-on approach builds on that foundation by creating a more immersive experience that reflects how filmmaking materializes across departments.
This dual-track structure also invests in technical talent and behind-the-camera roles, where women are still underrepresented.
While Mismar notes “meaningful progress” in recent years, and is pleased to see more women applying to AFAC as directors, producers and writers, the current structure still does not arm aspiring women filmmakers with all the necessary tools needed to ensure long-term career sustainability.
“For many emerging women filmmakers, the challenge is not only entering the industry, but remaining within it and continuing to grow professionally without having to compromise or to deal with the existing gender disparities,” she said. “Opportunities can still be unevenly distributed — especially for those outside established production circles or major industry hubs.”
Programs such as this one are important because they create entry points into the ecosystem.
“Cross-regional collaboration is essential,” she said. “Despite the diversity of our contexts and experiences across the Arab world, many filmmakers are navigating similar questions around identity, representation, production realities, and the future of storytelling in the region.”
Bringing these diverse talents together with their own point of views helps to create knowledge-exchange opportunities that go beyond technical learning.
“At AFAC, we have always believed that regional collaboration strengthens the arts and culture ecosystem as a whole. It creates networks that can continue beyond the duration of a program and helps foster a more interconnected industry where knowledge, resources and creative partnerships circulate more freely across the Arab region,” Mismar said.
Mentorship is a vital component and should not be underestimated.
“Talent alone is rarely enough to sustain a career in film,” she said. It takes a village.
“One of the most valuable aspects of programs like this is the creation of spaces where emerging filmmakers can engage directly with experienced professionals, while also building lasting relationships with their peers,” she said.
She is excited to see how the space will organically allow for exploration and experimentation to support home-grown talent to pull from their own realities; from the page to the screen.
“In the almost two decades since AFAC has been active in the region, we have seen how mentorship can accelerate both creative and professional development,” she said.
She praised “Cleanse the Streets” by Jordanian filmmaker Aysha Shahaltough — developed through the previous Women in Film program — which was recently selected for its Asian premiere at the prestigious Short Shorts Film Festival in Japan.
This global reach is a testament to the local desire for this field to expand. And she can’t wait to see it thrive.
“These stories help shape how we understand ourselves and how we are understood by others,” Mismar said.
