Courtesy of Netflix
Streaming giant Netflix has just announced its collaboration with the Arab Fund for Arts & Culture (AFAC) to create an emergency relief fund supporting Lebanon’s film and TV industry.
“The Lebanese creative community and Beirut’s thriving cultural scene form the backbone of entertainment across the Arab world. We are so grateful to be working with the Arab Fund for Arts & Culture and hope this fund supports the creative community during this difficult period,” stated a spokesperson for Netflix.
Rima Mismar, executive director of AFAC, explained how the multiple crises that Lebanon has been facing over the past year further expose the vulnerability and insecurity of the arts and culture sector, thus magnifying long-standing inequalities and the lack of social safety nets.
“There is a real fear of loss of livelihoods for freelance artists, professionals, and practitioners, which may eventually lead to migration and creativity drain,” she added. “We hope that this support will offer the community of practitioners a sense of solidarity and something to hold on to while fighting its way out of this emergency situation.”
The port of Beirut after the blast. Photo: Unsplash
The fund intends on offering financial support in the form of individual US $2,000 grants. Moreover, it will cover victims of the devastating Beirut-Port explosion on August 4 as well as victims of the pandemic. This includes crew, craftspeople, and freelancers in the industry.
Those interested in applying, including members of Lebanon’s film and TV community, need to fill out an online application form that will be available on the AFAC website from Monday, October 26. Eligible applicants must provide supporting documentation, including a list of the five most recent projects worked on, two references, and an overview of any other emergency support received this year. Applicants also need to write a brief description of the challenges they’ve had to face, such as canceled or delayed projects.
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