Although the Arab world is rich in talent, it does not get enough representation on the global screen, so we are keen to redouble our efforts to be able to bring their voices to a global audience. Because we care about showcasing stories that have never been shown before, we need to work with the creative community in the region to empower new talent and give them a platform to tell the best version of their stories.
Collaboration with the National Group for Creative Industries (Naseej) last year came as a culmination of this end, when we launched the Lab 6x6 program to help six screenwriters from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia go through a comprehensive experience in creating content from the text book to presenting it to producers.
This program culminated, with the conclusion of this week, with the participation of six writers: Dania Waseem Al-Tayeb (Saudi Arabia), Faisal Al-Balushi (Kuwait), Jassem Al-Qums (Kuwait), Muhammad Nidal Jalal Salam (Kuwait), Osama Ali Shar (Saudi Arabia), and Roland Hassan (Saudi Arabia), who have completed writing six scenarios, writing the story and plot, drawing the characters, and building whole unique and honest worlds, close to many in the Arab world, but with standards that rise to universality. They are currently presenting their ideas to the Netflix team.
Over the course of its six weeks, participants in the program received extensive training from the renowned New York Film Academy, where award-winning writers and directors such as Dan Kaye and David O'Leary helped them hone and acquire critical skills in the field. Christopher Mack, Head of Grow Creative at Netflix, gave participants extensive virtual lessons. Among the supervisors who helped writers during this trip to enable them to present the best version of their work were Egyptian writer and director Farida Zahran, Egyptian writer and film and television script consultant Wael Hamdi, Saudi writer and producer Hisham Fakih, famous Kuwaiti novelist and television writer Mona Al-Shammari, and screenwriter Egyptian award-winning Maryam Naoum. The passion and enthusiasm they demonstrated for the program have inspired the six participating supervisors, setting an excellent example of how the industry can come together to enhance our ability to grow and develop.
We've worked with amazing storytellers, writers, producers and talents over the past few years to be able to tell more authentic Arabic stories to the world. This is only the beginning. We want to provide more support to this sector and to all who wish to enter and work in it.
Netflix Newsroom - Ahmed Al-Sharqawi / Head of Arab Productions at Netflix
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