Egypt-based Aswan film festival calls for submissions

AIWFF aims to recognize female achievement in filmmaking, as well as guide and teach young women through workshops, seminars and screenings. (Supplied)
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Updated 19 August 2022
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Egypt-based Aswan film festival calls for submissions

  • Deadline to submit films is Nov. 30

DUBAI: The Aswan International Women Film Festival is welcoming submissions for its seventh edition, which will take place in March 2023.

The deadline to enter submissions is Nov. 30.

Each entry must be either written or directed by a woman. Although the stories can be based on any theme, AIWFF encourages films tackle subjects around womanhood and female empowerment.

Participating films can be entered in one of two categories: Long or feature films (more than 60 minutes) and short films (less than 60 minutes). The films can be animated, documentaries or fictional.

AIWFF aims to recognize female achievement in filmmaking, as well as guide and teach young women through workshops, seminars and screenings.

This year, for its sixth edition, AIWFF screened 34 short films and feature films. It also gave awards to Egyptian actress Sawsan Badr, director Inaam Mohamed Ali, award-winning French actress and director Marilyne Canto, and Somali political strategist Hibaaq Osman.


Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

Updated 24 December 2025
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Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

  • Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month

RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.

The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience. 

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.

“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”

With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.

The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.

Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”

The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”

Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”

He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”