How To Apply

Dubai Entertainment and Media Organization (“DEMO”), the owner and organizer of both the Dubai International Film Festival (“DIFF”) and the Gulf Film Festival (“GFF”) extends its support through the Dubai Film Market to DIFF and GFF through its Enjaaz Program. Filmmakers have the opportunity to apply for post production support for their feature film or documentary film and in addition 2011 saw the expansion of the Enjaaz Program with the introduction of a separate fund that has been made available to support filmmakers from the Gulf region with the production of their short film

Enjaaz (Post Production support for Features & Documentaries)

Enjaaz: A program and initiative launched by the Dubai Film Market, specifically designed to support films in the post production phase.

Financial Support: The program currently aims at supporting a maximum of fifteen (15) projects per year; successful applicants will be eligible to receive funding up to a maximum of one hundred thousand United States dollars ($100,000).

Enjaaz will focus on two categories:

(A) Fiction feature films and
(B) Documentary feature films

Application Timelines:

In 2012:

There will be two application cycles:

Cycle 1: Applications close February 1st
Cycle 2: Applications close August 1st

Eligibility

Projects must:

Either be a fiction feature film (Minimum length: sixty (60) minutes) intended for theatrical distribution Or a documentary feature (Minimum Length: fifty (50) minutes)
Be directed by a filmmaker of Arab nationality or origin as defined hereunder Be centered on the Arab world, Arab history and/or Arab culture
Be nearing completion and can provide a minimum of thirty (30) minutes (for fiction feature films) or twenty five (25) minutes (for feature documentaries) of edited material

Arab Nationality or Origin shall mean people from one or more of the following countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

Applicants must:

Be the right holders/ owners of the project
Have proven production experience

Notes:

The script must be registered copyright material
If the script is based on another individual’s life the applicants must attach a statement attesting the author(s) rights to make such an adaptatio
The script must not have been previously selected, purchased or producedApplication and Contractual Processes
Please complete the Enjaaz application form and send electronically scanned documents and materials listed in the required documents section along with the entry form. DVD and/or sample footage must be submitted as hard copies via mail or drop-off.
Applicants will be informed of the Selection Committee’s decision eight (8) weeks after the closing date of the application
Only complete applications as per the instructions listed on the application form and the required documents section will be eligible. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
Successful applicants must enter into a contract within four (4) weeks of notification.
Contracts cannot be made with individuals but with companies who can prove their ownership and approved signatories

Recognition and compliance

The under mentioned organization needs to be recognized as a co-producer of the project and is to be acknowledged with a prominent logo on the credits of the film as well as on publicity and all promotional materials relating to the production.

Dubai Entertainment and Media Organisation ( DEMO) which will be represented by Enjaaz, Dubai Film Market logo

More specific credit and compliance requirements will be described in the relevant long form agreement to be entered into with DEMO.

For the avoidance of doubt and unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by DEMO, DEMO shall have the first right of refusal on the world premiere of the submitted film for the subsequent edition of DIFF or GFF

Eligibility for Re-Applications

Projects that have been unsuccessful in their initial application to Enjaaz are eligible for re-application provided the producers can demonstrate substantive changes since the initial application.
Enjaaz is run separately to the Dubai Film Connection co-production initiative and a project can be submitted to Enjaaz even if its application to the Dubai Film Connectionwas unsuccessful at an earlier stage.
The Selection Committee for Enjaaz may invite a project to be resubmitted for a later deadline. This decision is made solely by the Selection Committee. The selected candidates will be notified directly.

Agreement, Drawdowns, and Reporting Requirements

Successful applicants will receive a conditional commitment letter. The applicant must provide for approval, proof of full financing for the project. The conditions will have to be met before the ‘Agreement’ will be entered into. If the conditions have not been met within thirty (30) days of the date of the commitment letter, the financing maybe rescinded.
The film will need to be completed at the latest within twelve (12) months of signing the Agreement.
The drawdown schedule will be more clearly described in the Agreement, but following is a general description that should help successful applicants to plan their cash flow
The first payment, of eighty percent (80%), will be issued sixty (60) days after the execution of the Agreement. The second and final payment, of twenty percent (20%), will be issued upon submission and acceptance of:
The final delivered version of the production;
Fulfillment of all contractual obligations
and, a final cost report with supporting documents and bills.

Deadlines: Entries must be submitted before February 1, 2012, by completing the .doc Submission Form in both Arabic and English. A minimum of thirty (30) and twenty five (25) minutes of edited material for fiction feature films and feature documentaries respectively should be submitted in five (5) DVD copies and must reach Enjaaz together with a signed copy of the submission form before February 1, 2012. Any submission and/or material received after the herein mentioned deadline will not be accepted except with prior approval from the Enjaaz committee

Submitted Material: The submitted material consists of signed copies of the .doc submission form, five (5) copies of edited material on DVD and all the additional information listed in the Submission Form. If the original version of the film is not in English, the submitted DVD(s) must be subtitled in English. DVD(s) is the only accepted submission format

Please label the cover of the DVD(s), with the following details

Title of the film
The full name of the Director(s)
The anticipated duration of the film
The original language(s) of the film
Anticipated date of completion of production

Please ensure that the film title and all other requested information are provided in English

In addition to the above, the application must be accompanied by the following materials:

Final script / Screenplay (dated)
Synopsis (1 page) and logline (25 words)
Treatment of film
Biographies and Filmographies of director, producer, writer and any other major contributors to the project
Production company profile
The sum of money required for project completion and how much you are requesting for together with full details of any other funding applications made
All financial information including a complete project budget and a detailed plan of what the fund money will be used for if the application is successful
Project timeline and expected date of completion as well as date funds
Company registration and Letter of incorporation of the company that owns the rights of the Film and will be entering into an agreement with DEMO together with a passport copy of the authorized signatory who would sign the contract should the application be successful. In addition, an official document that proves that this person is authorized to sign on behalf of the company.
Any other materials that you deem would support your application

Submission Shipping: All shipping costs of the Submitted Material must be borne by the submitter/sender. For the avoidance of doubt, the Submitted Material will not be returned to the submitter/sender. All submissions should be sent directly to the hereunder address with “For cultural use only” and “Without commercial value” clearly marked on the envelope.

Enjaaz, Dubai Film Market

Dubai Media City, CNN Building

1st floor - Management Office

P.O. Box 502600

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Attention: Manager Enjaaz

RE: [film name]

Tel: +971 4 391 3378 Fax: +971 4 367 2892

Email: enjaaz@tecom.ae

Participation at DIFF and DFM:

All films will be invited to participate at the Dubai Film Market for further year round promotion and reach
The festival will try and include as many films as possible in its final film programme selection

Click here to download the application form