With children's and teenagers’ lives remaining vastly underrepresented on screen, Cinephilia Productions and Filmlab Palestine are pleased to announce the return of The Story Lab, a program designed to inspire filmmakers to explore the significance of storytelling for young audiences.
The Story Lab provides a structured and intensive five-month training and development process, during which selected filmmakers will refine their projects in three key areas: screenwriting, directing child actors, and producing. The program is designed to support up to six projects, equipping each filmmaking team with the skills, industry knowledge, and production strategies needed to advance their projects toward production. At the conclusion of the program, an industry jury will evaluate the participating projects, awarding one project a $20,000 production prize along with in-kind post-production support to help bring the selected films to completion.
Program Key Dates:
Application Deadline: May 6, 2025
Finalist Interviews: May 16 & 17, 2025
Agreements Signing: May 20, 2025
Selection announcement: May 21, 2025
Filmmakers Meet & Greet: June 5
Program Start: June 9, 2025
Eligibility Requirements
The Story Lab is open to professional Arab filmmakers, including those residing in the Arab world and in the diaspora. Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Must be the writer or writer-director of the submitted project. Writers without a director attached are encouraged to apply but must attach a director by the directing segment. Co-writing teams are eligible to apply, but a producer must be attached to complete the program.
Must be developing a narrative short film screenplay intended for children and youth audiences (ages 7-15).
Must submit a three-page treatment and a script draft.
Must have written and/or directed at least two short films that have premiered at international film festivals.
Must commit to full participation in all program sessions and activities. Failure to attend will result in disqualification from the award selection.
If awarded the production prize, the applicant(s) must adhere to the production timeline set by FilmLab Palestine and Cinephilia Productions.
Must agree to credit the completed film as: “Developed and produced in Filmlab Palestine and Cinephilia Productions, The Story Lab.”
If awarded, must agree to credit the completed film as "Produced by Filmlab Palestine and Cinephilia Productions"
If awarded, must share the completed film with Filmlab Palestine and Cinephilia Productions before its release.Participation in the program requires a participation fee of $200
Project Criteria
The project must be a narrative short film with a runtime of 15-20 minutes.
The film’s primary language must be Arabic.
The main character must be a child or teenager (age 7-14).
The film must qualify as a children’s film intended for a youth audience. Projects about children that are not intended for young audiences are not eligible.
The film must be produced within a budget of $20,000.
To apply, filmmakers must submit the following materials:
Logline (2 sentences)
Synopsis (150 words)
Intention Note (200 words) – Why do you want to make this film? Why is this story important?
Creative Statement (200 words) – What is your vision for this film?
Short Essay – A reflection on a film that impacted you as a child and why.
Concept of Children’s Cinema (200 words) – Your perspective on storytelling for young audiences.
Treatment (3 pages)
Script Draft (work in progress)
Visual Deck (if available)
Biographies of all team members (150 words each)
Links to previous work – At least two short films (or an unproduced screenplay for writers only)
Professional Resume
Program Structure and Timeline
Selected participants will engage in a multi-phase program that includes mentorship, hands-on training, and industry networking.
-Screenwriting Segment Part 1 (June 9 - July 18, 2025)
Participants will work closely with screenwriting mentors to develop their story structure, refine characters, strengthen dialogue, and enhance the dramatic arc of their screenplay. By the end of this segment, participants are expected to have an advanced script draft.
-Directing Segment (August 4 - 29, 2025)
The directing segment will focus on visual storytelling, lookbook development, shot listing, and working with child actors. Participants will also identify and address technical challenges related to their projects.
-Masterclasses Segment (August 15 - 31, 2025)
During this segment, filmmakers will attend masterclasses led by industry professionals, covering key aspects of filmmaking such as editing, sound design, music composition, cinematography, and directing actors.
-Producing Segment (September 1 - 26, 2025)
Participants will work with experienced producing mentors to develop a financial plan, create a detailed budget, and establish a strategic distribution approach.
-Pitch Training and Final Screenwriting Revisions (October 1 - 15, 2025)
Participants will undergo pitch training with mentors to prepare for the final jury presentation. They will also receive last-stage feedback on their screenplays before presenting their projects.
-Jury Pitching and Award Announcement (November 2025)
The program will conclude with a jury pitch event during a (partner film festival), where participants will present their projects to an industry panel. The award-winning project will be announced at the festival’s closing ceremony.
For questions and any further information, email [email protected]