Egyptian film initiative Kalam Aflam has just announced the launch of a new mentorship program in partnership with the European Union. Dubbed Kalam Aflam: A Program for Programmers, the fellowship aims to identify, support, and accompany the next generation of film and cultural curators in the region.
Open to applicants aged 18 to 35, in total, five participants will be selected to undergo several months of practical training and hands-on experience designed to equip them with all the required to operate, and thrive, within the contemporary film and cultural industries. Led by seasoned professionals — including festival directors, distributors, and other industry experts — the program will provide selected applicants with the opportunity to curate a complete film program which will eventually be presented publicly.
View this post on Instagram
“What I realized is that if our mission is to create a space for young, emerging artists in the region — in the long term, then we need to be equally investing in the people and infrastructure around the artists, not just the artists themselves,” Kalam Aflam founder Hayat Aljowaily told MILLE. “There are very few institutional or official pipelines in Egypt to become a programmer, so we wanted to start an informal and community-based one — linking aspiring programmers with the people and institutions that have managed to carve a space for themselves in the region in recent years,” she added.
From what we know, candidates will be chosen through an open call based on motivation, demonstrated interest in cultural programming, and alignment with the initiative’s community-driven ethos, with the selected cohort to be announced ahead of the programme’s January 2026 start.
To be eligible, prospective trainees must be based in Egypt and be fluent in both Arabic and English, not have extensive previous experience or formal training in film or cultural programming all while having some level of understanding of the industry’s dynamics.
Applications are open until Jan. 5, 2026.
