Supporting Filmmakers: A New Award in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Film Festival

Two dynamic women, Izzy Abidi and Aliaa Zaky, have launched the Freshly Ground Stories Award at the Red Sea Film Festival in Saudi Arabia. This is a special prize that offers a year-long support package worth approximately $5, 000 for business and legal affairs to independent filmmakers. The goal is to help them navigate the complex world of deals and negotiations. The first winners, Moroccan director Asmae El Moudir and Lebanese-French filmmaker Dahlia Nemlich, will receive guidance on contracts, co-production agreements, and distribution deals. This will be a huge help, especially since they are both working on their first fiction features. Zaky points out that many filmmakers in the region aren't familiar with how critical it is to have legal support. She notes that there's a misconception that lawyers only cause problems, while in reality, they help make things run smoothly.

Abidi and Zaky met while Abidi was leading business and legal affairs at Netflix MENA. They found a common passion for supporting filmmakers early in their careers. Abidi believes that filmmakers shouldn't wait to seek legal advice until they reach a certain level. She highlights how the right vocabulary and early guidance can make a big difference in landing deals. Abidi is known for her entrepreneurial spirit. She started Freshly Ground Sounds in 2013 and later joined OSN and Netflix MENA, gaining extensive experience in legal and business affairs. Now, she's dedicated to helping independent creatives through Freshly Ground Stories and its collective.

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