In the last 10 years, Palestinian films have achieved significant success and recognition in major international venues. In 2018, Palestine had its first-ever official pavilion at the Cannes Festival. While Palestine has no shortage of talented filmmakers or powerful stories, the country is in dire need of an improved legal environment to help the national film industry develop and thrive.

The project assists Palestine in developing the necessary legal framework to establish a Palestinian film institute. Its purpose is to manage and support the national film industry through funding and promotion of film productions across Palestine and among the diaspora population. Special focus will be on copyright protection, freedom of expression, and the empowerment of women and girls both behind and in front of the camera.

The project responds to the following needs and challenges identified by the Ministry of Culture:

• The lack of a legal framework that specifically aims at regulating and supporting the film industry
• The lack of data and archives on the Palestinian film industry, resulting from the absence of an official copyright law and national registration system
• Insufficient technical and financial support to the film industry
• The need for a physical structure to support filmmakers at all stages of their careers