The 74th Venice Film Festival (La Biennale) invites filmmakers from African and Arab countries to submit their projects to the selection committee that is responsible for selecting films to compete in the festival's sections. Alessandra Speciale, African and Arab Countries Correspondent for the Venice Film Festival, will be attending the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) from February 10 to 14, 2017, and is going to nominate feature and documentary films to the selection committee of the La Biennale.

Only feature films that are World Premieres are eligible for submission to the Venice Film Festival, taking place from August 30 to September 9, 2017.The festival also welcomes work-in-progress films that shall not be completed before the festival to participate in its 5th Final Cut in Venice that offers prizes in kind or in cash, intended to financially support the winning films through post-production phase.

The 5th Final Cut in Venice workshop offers support for films from Africa (all African countries) and Arab films (only Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria)in post-production phase through screening the selected films in the presence of a group of producers, buyers, distributors and programmers of international film festivals. The workshop concludes with an award ceremony to honor the winning films that will be supported through post-production phase.

The aim of Venice Final Cut is to develop the role of the Venice Film Festival to become a bridge that supports independent filmmaking in these countries by providing effective production support and promoting the films on the international market level.