The HAFA Screenwriters Residency is a selective virtual screenplay development program presented by the Hollywood Arab Film Association (HAFA) to discover and support exceptional Arab and Arab diaspora screenwriters.

As an official partner of the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, HAFA will recommend up to two feature screenplays for consideration in the 2026–2027 Academy Nicholl Fellowships. Recommendations are based solely on artistic merit through a fair, transparent, and independently administered evaluation process informed by the Nicholl Fellowships' published evaluation principles.

Applicants submit an original English-language feature screenplay for review by two independent readers. The five highest-scoring writers are invited to participate in the HAFA Screenwriters Residency, where they receive professional feedback, live virtual workshops, and the opportunity to revise their screenplay before final recommendations are made.

The residency is designed to help writers strengthen their craft while preparing their work for one of the world's most prestigious screenwriting competitions.

Residency Benefits

Acceptance into the 2026 HAFA Screenwriters Residency
Two live virtual screenplay development workshops
Professional script development discussions
Opportunity to revise and strengthen your screenplay
Recognition by the Hollywood Arab Film Festival
Eligibility to become one of HAFA's two official recommendations to the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

HAFA is committed to a merit-based, confidential review process. Writers retain all rights to their work at all times. Submission does not grant HAFA any ownership, option, first-look rights, or any other interest in the screenplay.

Awards & Prizes

Residency Selection (5 Writers)

Five screenwriters will be selected to participate in the 2026 HAFA Screenwriters Residency and will receive:

Acceptance into the 2026 HAFA Screenwriters Residency
Two live virtual screenplay development masterclasses
Professional script development discussions
The opportunity to revise and strengthen their screenplay with guidance from the residency program
Official recognition as a HAFA Screenwriters Residency Fellow

Official Academy Nicholl Fellowships Recommendation (2 Writers)

Following the residency, two writers will be selected as the Hollywood Arab Film Association's official recommendations to the 2026–2027 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.

Selected writers will receive:

Official recommendation by HAFA to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Eligibility to submit their screenplay through the Academy's official partner pathway
Instructions from the Academy to complete the official Nicholl Fellowships application
Recognition by the Hollywood Arab Film Association as HAFA's official Academy Nicholl Fellowships recommendations

Selection is based entirely on artistic merit through HAFA's independent evaluation process. Recommendation to the Academy does not guarantee advancement to finalist status or selection as an Academy Nicholl Fellow.

Rules & Terms

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO AVOID DISQUALIFICATION!

Please create a filmfreeway project titled (2026 HAFA Screenwriters Residency) and attach the following submission documents in PDF format as attachment or in a google drive link with NO WRITER IDENTIFIERS no later than the listed deadline.

Submitted screenplays must:
-Be written originally in English.
-Be between 80 and 125 pages.
-Follow standard industry formatting (12-point Courier).
-Be submitted as a PDF.
-Include a logline.
-Include a one-page synopsis.
-Include a writer statement.
-Not contain the writer's name or identifying information anywhere within the screenplay PDF.
-Not include any dialogue, scene description, characters, or story elements generated by Artificial Intelligence.
-Be entirely the original work of the applicant.

Screenplays may be adapted only from the writer's own original material.

Screenplays based on another author's work, public domain works, or third-party intellectual property are not eligible.

Television pilots, episodic scripts, short films, and multi-part projects are not eligible.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Collaborative Screenplays

Collaborative screenplays are eligible only when:
-There are exactly two writers.
-Both writers contributed equally to the screenplay.
-Both writers meet all Academy eligibility requirements.

Projects involving three or more writers are not eligible.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:
-Be 18 years of age or older.
-Meet all Academy Nicholl Fellowships eligibility requirements.
-Have earned no more than $25,000 USD in lifetime compensation for motion picture or television writing, including screenplay sales, options, writing services, adaptations, teleplays, books, stories, treatments, or similar source material.
-Submit one original feature-length screenplay written originally in English.
-Own all rights to the submitted screenplay.
-Submit only one screenplay.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ineligible Applicants

The following are not eligible:
-Previous Academy Nicholl Fellowship winners.
-Writers previously referred by a Nicholl Partner within the past two years.
-Writers who submitted through a Nicholl Partner during the previous program cycle.
-Individuals who exceed the Academy's professional earnings limit.
-Writers using AI-generated screenplay content.
-Individuals ineligible under Academy Nicholl Fellowship rules.