[Arab Fund for Arts and Culture](https://www.arabculturefund.org)

July 15, 2021

$2,000 per individual grant; total fund size $500,000

Emergency relief for below-the-line film and TV crew in the Arab region impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lebanese and Lebanon-based workers were not eligible for this round; see guidelines for national eligibility.

--- ## Description The AFAC-Netflix Hardship Fund was established as an emergency relief initiative to support individuals in the Arab region’s film and TV community who were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This fund, a partnership between the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) and Netflix, provided direct financial assistance to below-the-line crew, craftspeople, and freelancers working in the television and film industries. The intent was to alleviate the economic hardships caused by halted productions and reduced opportunities during the pandemic, with a particular focus on those not in senior or above-the-line roles. --- ## Due Dates - July 15, 2021: Full application submission deadline (by 17:00 Beirut time) *All dates are final for this fund cycle; check the [program page](https://www.arabculturefund.org/Programs/41) for any future or related initiatives.* --- ## Funding Amount - Total fund value: $500,000 USD - Individual grant amount: $2,000 USD per eligible applicant --- ## Eligibility - **Eligible applicants:** Below-the-line crew, craftspeople, and freelancers active in the TV and/or film industry in the Arab region (excluding Lebanese and Lebanon-based workers for this cycle). - **Roles not eligible:** Directors, producers, directors of photography, sound engineers, art directors (i.e., senior positions). - **Nationality/residency:** Must be of Arab nationality and working in the Arab region (Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen). Lebanese workers outside Lebanon but within the Arab region were eligible. - **Professional experience:** Minimum of 5 projects worked on; active in the industry for at least the past 3 years. - **Priority:** Given to below-the-line workers (assistants, coordinators, technicians, operators in departments like production, camera, sound, art direction, make-up, costume, props, post-production, locations, transportation, etc.). --- ## Application Process - Applications were submitted online through a dedicated form (now closed). - The application window was open from June 9, 2021, to July 15, 2021, at 17:00 Beirut time. - Incomplete applications or those not meeting eligibility criteria were not considered. - An independent evaluation committee of industry professionals reviewed applications and selected recipients. --- ## Additional Information - This was the second AFAC-Netflix hardship fund, following an earlier round dedicated to Lebanon’s film and TV community. - The fund is part of Netflix’s global $150 million hardship initiative for creative communities affected by the pandemic. - For future opportunities or similar relief initiatives, monitor the [AFAC programs page](https://www.arabculturefund.org/Programs). --- ## External Links - [AFAC-Netflix Hardship Fund Program Page](https://www.arabculturefund.org/Programs/41) - [Arab Fund for Arts and Culture Main Website](https://www.arabculturefund.org) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | Grants management team | [soleil.gharbieh@arabculturefund.org](mailto:soleil.gharbieh@arabculturefund.org) | ---

The AFAC-Netflix Hardship Fund in Support of the Arab Region’s Film and TV Community

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