The Robert Bosch Stiftung (RBS) has announced the 11 nominated film projects of the Film Prize for the different sections of Short Fiction Film, Documentary, and Short Animation, according to a press release received today from Arab Cinema Center / MAD Solutions (Cairo based, Egypt). The Film Prize comprises grants worth up to 60,000 Euros. The three winning film projects will be announced on Sunday, the 18th of February, within the events of the Berlinale Talents 2018, a summit and networking platform of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale 2018), February 15-23, 2018.
Along with filmmakers from Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, UAE and Germany, writer & director Yassine El Idrissi (Morocco) is the only African Nominee. His short narrative, Bottles tells the story of Said, a 7 years old boy, living in the old Medina of Rabat with his mother. He has a side job, collecting empty beer bottles and selling them to a shop. One time his closest friend tells him that It is'haram' (forbidden) to do that. He has to take the decision to stop. Gessie George is producing the Moroccan short film with her company Gap Doc, founded in 2014 and based in Cologne, Germany.

The first edition of the Film Prize for German-Arab projects was launched in 2013. Offering a yearlong training programme, the Film Prize primarily aims to support young emerging talents from Germany and the Arab world in the film business, provide expert knowledge in the development of their projects and open a door to the international film markets.

The teams should have a balanced mix of German and Arab filmmakers fostering the idea of intercultural exchange. The productions of the Film Prize recipients take place in both partner countries, allowing the team members to reflect their own working styles.

The awards granted by the Robert Bosch Stiftung may be used to completely fund the films. Furthermore, the foundation provides consultancy services during the production period.

Short Fiction Film Section Projects
- Bottles (Morocco, Germany) | Writer and Director: Yassine El Idrissi | Producer: Gessie George
- Lowest Point on Earth (Palestine, Germany) | Writer and Director: Laila Abbas | Producer: Dirk Simon
- Maradona's Leg (Palestine, Germany) | Writer and Director: Firas Khoury | Producer: May Odeh

Documentary Section Projects
- Displaced in Heaven (Palestine, Germany) | Director: Khaled Jarrar | Producer: Thomas Kaske
- Embodied Chorus (Lebanon, Germany) | Writers and Directors: Mohamed Sabbah, Danielle Davie | Producer: Julia Wagner
- Isthmus (Syria, Germany) | Directors: Khaled Abdulwahed, Amel Alzakout | Producer: Ines Meier
- We are Inside (Lebanon, Germany) | Writer and Director: Farah Kassem | Producer: Nicola Sangs

Short Animation Section Projects
- Encountering Samir (Jordan, Germany) | Writer and Director: Rand Ramzy Beiruty| Producer: Flavia Oertwig
- How My Grandmother Became A Chair (Lebanon, Germany) | Writer and Director: Nicolas Fattouh | Producer: Fabian Driehorst
- R.I.W. (Rest in War) (Syria, UAE, Germany) | Director: Antoine Antabi | Producer: Katharina Weser

Thierno I. Dia