Through its website, the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) has opened the call for applications for Arab film projects to participate in the MAFF - Málaga Film Festival Fund & Co-production Event and the Málaga Work In Progress, which are held on the sidelines of the Málaga Film Festival in Spain (April 13-22, 2018). The ACC is going to select two Arab film projects from each category, as per an agreement between the ACC and the festival. Deadline for applications will be on January 15, 2018.

To be eligible to apply for the MAFF - Málaga Film Festival Fund & Co-production Event, projects must have secured 20% of the financing for production. Each production company can apply with a maximum of two film projects. As for the Málaga Work In Progress, projects must be the first or second works of their directors.

The two winning film projects of the MAFF - Málaga Film Festival Fund & Co-production Event are going to have the opportunity to connect with the international funding institutions attending the festival and producers from Spain and other European countries. The Málaga Work In Progress focuses on financing film production, facilitating its completion and international distribution.

To apply, please visit: http://acc.film/maff-open-call.php

Applications for both categories must be made through the online form and must include the documents specified in the respective forms. Documents to be submitted for selection should include an advanced professional outline or detailed treatment in the case of a documentary (No more than 20 pages), director's personal motivations, director's and producer's bio-filmography, a detailed production budget form and financing plan form, the script must be signed by the director, producer and scriptwriter, letters of confirmation of secured financing, links to teaser trailers and director's previous work. All documents must be enclosed in PDF format in one document, which must appear as Name of the Project_Country.pdf in English language.

Under this agreement, the Málaga Film Festival is going to cover the accommodation and accreditation for the producers or directors of the film projects taking part in both the co-production fund event and the workshop. The selected projects for the MAFF - Málaga Film Festival Fund & Co-production Event and Málaga Work In Progress are going to be announced at the 68th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). This is the first initiative dedicated to the Arab film industry in the history of the Málaga Film Festival.

The Málaga Film Festival was launched in 1998. Through its 19th edition, the festival helped support and boost Spanish films on both national and international levels, along with promoting the Spanish city of Málaga as a cultural city open to different cultures. The Málaga Film Festival aims to promote film culture and reach audiences from all over the world.

Organized by MAD Solutions in 2015, the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) is an international promotional platform for Arab cinema as it provides the filmmaking industry with a professional window to connect with their counterparts from all over the world through a number of events that it organizes. The ACC also provides networking opportunities with representatives of companies and institutions specialized in co-production and international distribution, among others. The Center's activities vary between film market main wings, introduction and networking sessions for Arab and foreign filmmakers, welcome parties, as well as meetings with international organizations and festivals, and the issuance of the Arab Cinema Magazine to be distributed at the leading international film festivals and markets.

Furthermore, newsletter subscription is now available on the ACC's website, allowing users to obtain digital copies of the Arab Cinema Magazine, as well as news on the ACC's activities, notifications of application dates for grants, festivals and offers from educational and training institutions, updates on Arab films participating at festivals, exclusive news on the Arab Cinema LAB, and highlights from the ACC partners and their future projects.

The ACC also launched an English-language Arab Cinema Guide, available on its website, which is a comprehensive cinematic guide that comprises a variety of tools presented collectively for the first time to offer information on Arab cinema to filmmakers inside and outside of the Arab world. It also aims to facilitate filmmakers' access to international markets and help film industry representatives to easily identify Arab film productions.

Since the beginning of 2017, the ACC has made 22 stops at international festivals and markets. The festivals attended are the International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR), Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), Beirut Cinema Platform (BCP) held within the Beirut Cinema Days, Istanbul Film Festival, Tripoli Film Festival, the 34th WIPO SCCR in Geneva, Cannes Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Eurasia International Film Festival, Festival del film Locarno, Venice International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Film and Television Careers Connection (FTCC), San Sebastian International Film Festival, Malmo Arab Film Festival, Cape Town International Film Market & Festival (CTIFMF), Days of Cinema in Palestine, MedFilm Festival in Italy, LatinArab Co-Production Forum, Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Arab Cinema Week in New York and the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).