Call for projects
Regional Residency
Published
Villa Hegra Regional Scriptwriting Residency – Stories for the Screen : Feature Film Development Lab
Launched by Villa Hegra in partnership with Film AlUla and Afalula, and delivered by LIM² | Less is More & Le Groupe Ouest.
AlUla, Saudi Arabia
The Villa Hegra Regional Scriptwriting Residency , is an artistic residency program for filmmakers/screenwriters, dedicated to the earliest phase of narrative creation for feature films.
The residency is designed for Saudi Arabian-based and MENA-based filmmakers/screenwriters seeking to develop original projects. It provides a structured, supportive, and highly creative environment for exploration of story possibilities and narrative elaboration for film.
The program brings together a cohort of 8 professional filmmakers/screenwriters and unfolds across two highly complementary workshops:
- Workshop 1: hosted at Villa Hegra, AlUla (Saudi Arabia) September 18th – 22nd, 2026
- Workshop 2: hosted at Villa Hegra, AlUla (Saudi Arabia), November 30th – December 4th, 2026
This residency is made possible in partnership with Film AlUla and delivered by Le Groupe Ouest & LIM² (Less is More).
Purpose
The residency aims to:
- Support the emergence and consolidation of unique feature film projects.
- Enable in-depth reflection on premises, story foundations, creation of meaning and resulting emotional impact.
- Introduce new methodologies for the ideation phase and strengthen the project’s narrative power.
- Foster consistent dialogue and exchange among experienced Saudi Arabian-based and MENA-based scriptwriters and filmmakers.
Structure
The residency is composed of two sequential workshops:
- Workshop 1 – in AlUla, Saudi Arabia (Villa Hegra): 5 days onsite – Focus on initial concept exploration & narrative framing.
- Workshop 2 – in AlUla, Saudi Arabia (Villa Hegra): 5 days onsite – Further development and consolidation of the project’s narrative architecture in a distinct & highly creative context.
Participation in both workshops is mandatory.
Eligibility
This Call for Projects is open to professional filmmakers and screenwriters based in Saudi Arabia and the MENA region.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a professional filmmaker or screenwriter working in feature films.
- Have at least one previous project (film or series) that has been internationally exhibited (festival selection, broadcast, or platform distribution)
- Submit an original feature film project intended for development during the residency
- Demonstrate a clear authorship approach and commitment to advancing the submitted project
- Applicants must be based in Saudi Arabia or in one of the following MENA countries
- The working language of the National Residency is Arabic and English (thus a good knowledge of English is essential to participate)
Project Requirements
Applicants must submit one project that:
- Is in an early stage of development
- Is intended as a feature film
- Demonstrates a strong narrative premise and/or research basis
- Is suitable for development through exploratory and conceptual work
- Projects that are already in advanced script development stages are not eligible.
Application Materials
Applicants are required to submit:
- A Summary (850 characters maximum, spaces included = 10 lines)
- A Short treatment (6,000 characters maximum, spaces included = 2 pages)
- A Director’s intention note stating your purpose, the kind of film you have in mind, and explain why you want to develop this project now? (3,000 characters maximum, spaces included = 1 page)
- A Biography / Experience (850 characters maximum, spaces included (= 10 lines)
- A Filmography and/or other works (Maximum of 3 films + links to watch these 3 films)
- Link to one previous film/artwork the most representative of your writer/director’s touch
- A “Tell Me” video (4 to 5 minutes maximum): in addition to the documents you are sending for your application, we would like you to send us what we call a “Tell Me” which is a short video of yourself pitching your project. This video should be:
- A Webcam shot in one take, as simple as possible, no editing.
- Should be you simply telling us the story you have in mind, bringing us close to your main character(s) struggle.
- Give as much as possible a vision of where the story goes (beginning, middle and end), what will be the drive, as well as the atmosphere. Please, try to take/catch us even if you’re in a very beginning stage of development.
- Click here for more about the “Tell Me” →
Fill the form bellow.
Tip: Prepare your answers in a separate document beforehand (the form cannot be saved).
All documents must be submitted in English.
Selection Process
Applications will be reviewed based on:
- Artistic quality and originality of the proposed project
- Relevance of the project to an early stage of development framework
- Applicant’s professional track record and authorship
- Potential for meaningful advancement during the residency
A maximum of 8 participants will be selected.
Residency Conditions
Selected participants will receive:
- Participation in both residency workshops
- Accommodation and meals in AlUla
- Travel and logistical support
Further logistical details will be provided to selected participants.
Application deadline: July 6, 2026
About Villa Hegra
Villa Hegra is the first joint Saudi–French cultural foundation in AlUla. Inaugurated in October 2025 by His Highness Prince Badr bin Farhan Al Saud, it supports contemporary creation and cross-cultural exchange across multiple artistic disciplines.
Located in the central Sukhairat neighborhood of AlUla, Villa Hegra is hosted within two buildings over 1,600 sqm, with artist residencies and studios, workshop and exhibition spaces, as well as a cultural hub including AlUla’s first indoor cinema and performing arts studio.
Villa Hegra is part of the international network of residencies Viva Villa, alongside institutions such as Villa Medici (Rome), Villa Kujoyama (Kyoto), Casa de Velázquez (Madrid), Villa Albertine (USA), and Villa Swagatam (India).
https://www.instagram.com/villahegra
https://www.linkedin.com/company/villa-hegra
About Film Alula
Film AlUla is the film agency of the Royal Commission for AlUla, supporting international film and television productions in the AlUla region.
Located in northwest Saudi Arabia, AlUla offers diverse natural landscapes and heritage sites. Its natural beauty and production infrastructure, including the AlUla Studios, positions AlUla as a pristine filming location.
https://filming.experiencealula.com
About AFALULA
AFALULA, the Agence Française pour le Développement d’AlUla is the French partner of the Royal Commission for AlUla.
It supports the development and transformation of the AlUla region through cultural, tourism, and economic cooperation between France and Saudi Arabia.
About Le Groupe Ouest
Le Groupe Ouest is a unique place in Europe, established on the northern coast of Brittany, known for its unique approach in accompanying and coaching writers and filmmakers from all over the world during their writing phase.
Created in 2006, Le Groupe Ouest team has been coaching over 2500 writers and filmmakers in their script-development phase, making it the N°1 place in Europe in that field.
Among its best-known programs, “The Annual selection“, created in 2007 for francophone writers, selecting 8 projects a year, and “LIM – Less is More,” European program launched in 2015, propels international films every year into A-List Festivals. And since the creation of its European Think Tank in 2017 (“StoryTANK”), Le Groupe Ouest has been launching the first applied research platform in Europe for the creation of new methodological frameworks for the creation of fictional work.
