TORONTO, October 30, 2020 -&nbsp;Open Screenplay is delighted to announce that actress, comedian, writer, and disability advocate, Maysoon Zayid has joined their advisory board. The multi-talented Zayid is the co-founder/co-executive producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival. She was a full-time On Air Contributor to Countdown with Keith Olbermann and is a frequent guest on CNN's New Day. She is a recurring character on General Hospital and appeared alongside Adam Sandler in You Don't Mess with the Zohan. Maysoon was named 1 of 100 Women of 2015 by the BBC, she had the most viewed TED Talk of 2014, and is the author of the bestselling memoir, Find Another Dream.
Open Screenplay Founder and CEO, Khaled Sabawi, said&nbsp;"Simply put, Mayoon Zayid is a trailblazer. Her ability to rise to the challenge is an inspiration to us all. We are beyond excited to have Maysoon join Open Screenplay&rsquo;s advisory board. She has provided a powerful, much-needed, and long overdue voice for disabled artists in Hollywood and we stand to learn much from her on our mission to give a voice to the underrepresented."
About Open Screenplay Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform and marketplace that connects content buyers with a community of diverse storytellers and screenwriters looking to write, learn, and collaborate. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO Email:&nbsp;<a href="press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>
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Comedian & Actress Maysoon Zayid joins Open Screenplay’s Advisory Board

TORONTO, October 19, 2020&nbsp;&ndash; Open Screenplay has announced that it wrapped shooting its first short film, <a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/screenplay/the-poem-1/script">The Poem</a>, in Toronto today. The feel-good short-film is based on the winning screenplay by writer Murat Vargelci, from Open Screenplay&rsquo;s screenwriting contest on the topic of mental health, held in partnership with&nbsp;Layla Care,&nbsp;a mental health service that facilitates access to therapy&nbsp;
The contest was launched to encourage writers to use the immense power of storytelling to tackle the challenges of speaking openly about mental health.&nbsp;And it appears the topic has resonated strongly with writers who submitted an impressive 143 screenplays submitted over the 6-week contest period, from 10 countries.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The project showcases Open Screenplay&rsquo;s ability to help new, emerging screenwriters find opportunities to showcase their creativity while writing about important topics. When asked about the project, contest winner Murat said the following: &ldquo;I think everyone feels alone, isolated or left out at one point in their lives. I wanted to draw attention to the silent cries of others that we may be oblivious to while we are busy in our everyday routines. I am grateful to Open Screenplay and Layla Care for the wonderful opportunity. I am honored to be selected as the first prize winner and I would like to thank everyone involved in bringing this project to life.&rdquo;
The short film is directed by award-winning director Matt Handy, and stars up and coming actor <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7619289/">Nabeel El Khafif</a>, best known for roles in Netflix&nbsp;The Mist&nbsp;and Amazon Prime&rsquo;s&nbsp;The Expanse.&nbsp;&nbsp;
About Layla Care
Layla empowers you to take greater control of your mental health, bridging the gap between wanting care and getting it. We're a human-first, tech-powered service that makes it simpler to connect with the right mental health support. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.layla.care">www.layla.care</a>
Press Contact:&nbsp; Sophie Stuart-Sheppard Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sophie@layla.care">sophie@layla.care</a> 
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact:&nbsp;Sami Alsabawi, Co-Founder &amp; Chief Operating Officer Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>
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Open Screenplay Wraps Filming on Production of Mental Health Contest Winner

TORONTO, Ontario, June 15, 2020&nbsp;&ndash; The Canadian Arab Institute (CAI) is pleased to announce a partnership with Open Screenplay for the launch of a short film screenwriting contest and production titled &ldquo;Arab Stories: Debunking Arab Myths&rdquo;. For decades, the mainstream media in the West has systematically stereotyped and vilified people of Arab origin. In over 900 Hollywood films, Arabs have been depicted as brute murderers, religious fanatics, oil-rich dimwits or abusers of women, not to mention quintessential villains. Such degradation of an entire people ultimately leads to their dehumanization. Today, Arabs in the West are constantly required to face racist stereotypes, profiling at airports, suspicious glares on the subway, and struggle to express a historic language, identity, and culture of immense depth and diversity. &ldquo;CAI&rsquo;s mission is to articulate the perspective of Arab-Canadians. It&rsquo;s time that we build a narrative about our identity and history in Canada ourselves. Thank you OpenScreenplay for allowing us to create this narrative at a time when mainstream media fails to demonstrate Arab excellence&rdquo; -&nbsp;Shireen Salti, Interim Executive Director of CAI.
&ldquo;Growing up as a Canadian-Palestinian, I witnessed first hand the racsist stereo-types perpetuated against Arabs by Hollywood and the mainstream media. We&rsquo;re delighted to partner with the visionaries behind the Canadian Arab Institute to see new narratives being created by Arabs across Canada and dispel the various stereotypes that have long unjustly followed this rich and diverse community. We invite all writers to join and write from the heart and help advance the discourse around this topic in a creative and meaningful way&rdquo; -&nbsp;Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO, Open Screenplay, Inc. The contest winner would be able to take away $1,000 CAD and have their film produced. For more information about the contest visit: <a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com/canadianarabinstitutecontest">www.openscreenplay.com/canadianarabinstitutecontest</a>
About The Canadian Arab Institute The Canadian Arab Institute is a national non-partisan organization that focuses on issues and interests of the Canadian Arab community through research, policy, programming and community engagement. CAI celebrates and encourages Arab Canadians' participation in all social, political, cultural and economic aspects of Canadian society Press Contact: Shireen Salti, Interim Executive Director of CAI
About Open Screenplay Open Screenplay is an online platform and marketplace that aims to bring democracy and diversity to storytelling in Film and television, using powerful screenwriting tools, online education, and a patented collaborative technology to help emerging voices in screenwriting tell original stories. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>
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CAI partners with Open Screenplay on a film screenwriting contest to debunk Arab Myths

<h1 style="text-align: center;">Important cause generates record number of submissions</h1>
<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/">Open Screenplay</a>, an online, collaborative screenwriting platform and community has announced the winners and finalists in their recent short film contest on the urgent topic of climate change.&nbsp; The contest topic seems to have resonated strongly with screenwriters as evidenced by the unprecedented response, resulting in a record 794&nbsp; screenplays.&nbsp; Female screenwriters on the platform took the top 3 winning spots in a time when female screenwriters are underrepresented in Hollywood by a ratio of five to one.
The winning screenplay went to Katlynn Sverko for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/screenplay/glass-box-february-25-2020/script">The Glass Box</a>, an insightful dystopian drama that emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility in combating the existential threat.&nbsp; Katlynn is a talented and visionary screenwriter who will be awarded the $2,000 first prize cash award and will have her screenplay promoted for possible production by Open Screenplay.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Climate Change contest marks an important milestone for Open Screenplay&rsquo;s innovative online platform as it signals the company&rsquo;s intent on harnessing the power of storytelling for important social causes. &nbsp; Since its launch in 2019, Open Screenplay has amassed a community of over 10,000 global members that are responding to the call of writing about important topics like climate change, or its most recent contest topic: mental health.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m thrilled to announce the winner and finalists for Open Screenplay&rsquo;s climate change contest.&nbsp; This contest is particularly and personally significant to me as I had an opportunity to witness firsthand the devastation of our arctic shelf being brought about by climate change during my trip to Greenland.&nbsp; It was this eye-opening experience that left an indelible mark on me and inspired the topic of this contest. After reading these screenplays and seeing the tremendous response, I am elated and hopeful that Open Screenplay can be a tool to inspire action through creativity and the power of stories&rdquo; -&nbsp; Khaled Sabawi, CEO &amp; Founder
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Learn more about winning screenplays and finalists:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/climatechangecontestwinners">https://www.openscreenplay.com/climatechangecontestwinners</a>
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Open Screenplay announces winners of their Climate Change Contest.

The collaboration of two Canadian start-ups aims to open a dialogue through the power of storytelling and creativity.
TORONTO, May 1st 2020&nbsp;&ndash; Layla,&nbsp;a mental health service that facilitates access to therapy, is delighted to announce its partnership with Open Screenplay to launch a screenwriting contest dedicated to facilitating an open dialogue about&nbsp; mental health.&nbsp;
The partnership signals a coming together of two innovators in their respective fields who share the common mission of empowering individuals.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;The contest encourages writers to use the immense power of storytelling to tackle the challenges of speaking openly about mental health,&rdquo; said Samer Abughannam, founder and CEO of Layla, &ldquo;working to replace stigma with empowerment and isolation with community&rdquo;.
Recent events have left many people feeling anxious, isolated, lonely and with a loss of independence and control over their own life. These are difficult feelings for certain, but the truth is that for people living with persistent mental health challenges, these feelings aren&rsquo;t new. Through the power of creativity and collaborative storytelling, we believe we can foster a greater sense of connection and community and begin to tackle the stigma that still too often surrounds the topic of mental health.&nbsp;
Coming off the heels of its successful Climate Change contest, Open Screenplay continues to focus its efforts on cause-based storytelling and putting its popular screen-writing platform and patented technology in the service of another worthwhile cause.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The contest submission period starts on May 1st, and runs until June 21st, 2020.&nbsp; Cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3 screenplays totaling $2,250 and the 1st&nbsp;place winner will have their screenplay produced by Open Screenplay!
Guidelines for the contest are available on Open Screenplay&rsquo;s contest page:&nbsp;
OpenScreenplay.com/LaylaCareMentalHealth. All writers are welcome!
About LAYLA Care
Layla empowers you to take greater control of your mental health, bridging the gap between wanting care and getting it. We're a human-first, tech-powered service that makes it simpler to connect with the right mental health support.&nbsp; Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.layla.care">www.layla.care</a>
Press Contact: Sophie Stuart-Sheppard, Head of Operations&nbsp;&nbsp;
Email: sophie@layla.care
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>
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Layla and Open Screenplay Launch OnlineScreenwriting Contest on Mental Health

Patent has far-reaching applications beyond screenplays in literature, academic texts, music and architectural designs
TORONTO, February 18, 2020&nbsp;&ndash; Open Screenplay is proud to have successfully patented their innovative collaborative authoring system that provides a novel, fair, and meticulous approach to managing the creation of content by an unlimited number of contributors. The patent facilitates the collaboration of multiple authors on a single work, and provides a process for the selection of the best contributions
In an increasingly interconnected world, with a growing gig-economy sector, the patent provides a way for an unlimited group of people to provide their diverse contributions and create something coherent together. Although Open Screenplay currently utilizes this system on its online platform for screenplays, it can be used on many collaborative works ranging from essays, novels, textbooks to music and architectural designs
When advised of the news, founder and CEO of Open Screenplay, Khaled Sabawi had this to say: &ldquo;Knowing how difficult it is to be awarded a software patent these days, I honestly did not expect to receive this patent, especially as a tech start-up. We knew we had developed something special and very disruptive especially towards industries where their product is the creative or intellectual work of a single author that has been allowed access to an exclusive walled-garden. Such industries must now compete with the awesome power of the collective and diverse minds of the people from across the globe with different background and perspectives. We set out to bring democracy and diversity to screenwriting, and now we can add a novel technology to that list. I am so humbled and grateful that the US Patent Office has granted me this patent. This is a huge win for Open Screenplay.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30996793/www.openscreenplay.com?p=eyJzIjoiN3pBRlJiSEF4S08tR3hwejdQLWZEb05MajRjIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDk5Njc5MyxcInZcIjoxLFwidXJsXCI6XCJodHRwczpcXFwvXFxcL3d3dy5vcGVuc2NyZWVucGxheS5jb21cXFwvXCIsXCJpZFwiOlwiYjc1NmUxNTkyMDU2NGY3Y2I2OTM0ZDBhOTg5ODU1ZGRcIixcInVybF9pZHNcIjpbXCJjMTYzMGIwZjJlYzVmMjhmNGVkYTNjNDBlZTg3ODRlYzJjY2M0ZjI2XCJdfSJ9">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO Email: press@openscreenplay.com
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Open Screenplay awarded Patent for Innovative Collaborative Authoring System

<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/">Open Screenplay</a>, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for global screenwriters that launched in January with the vision to bring socially significant stories to life and make the world depicted in film more diverse, is launching a short film screenplay contest to focus attention on the most important issue of our time: climate change. The launch coincides with Thursday&rsquo;s International Day of Climate Action in an effort to help build critical awareness for this crucial issue.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHlmOiPVfRY" target="_blank"><img src="https://d36v1eselsqlxb.cloudfront.net/images/CCC-video-email.png" alt="" width="1201" /></a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHlmOiPVfRY" target="_blank">Climate Change Contest Video (1:53 min)</a>
Earlier this year, Open Screenplay Founder &amp; CEO Khaled Sabawi was selected by the World Economic Forum as one of 20 Young Global Leaders to join a climate change expedition to Greenland. The experience reinforced how severe and real a threat climate change is. In 2019 alone, the melt-extent of the Arctic glaciers reached over 40%, nine times higher than the 1981-2010 median. In May, the United Nations released a scientific report warning that around a million species are threatened with extinction due to human activity, including climate change.
&ldquo;My expedition to Greenland was a sobering experience. I found myself asking &lsquo;What can I, as one individual, do when faced with a problem that appears so vast, collective, and insurmountable?&rsquo; After months of soul searching, I realized that it all boils down to the role of the individual. Whether we like it or not, our individual day-to-day actions are collectively harming our planet. As I watched gigantic melting glaciers crumble helplessly into the sea, I knew I needed to act. Open Screenplay gives me the opportunity to engage professional and aspiring screenwriters from around the world to write and create stories that will give the leading global issue of our time a voice that can&rsquo;t be ignored. After all, stories are the most powerful way of communicating a message, especially when told through film. &rdquo; &ndash; Khaled Sabawi, CEO &amp; Founder
It&rsquo;s increasingly clear that the world we live in is a fragile structure and its integrity can be positively affected by human behavior. Every resident of our world will either contribute to its demise or continued health, which is why Open Screenplay is inviting screenwriters to help tell the universal story about the importance of individual responsibility in protecting our planet. Open Screenplay is in a unique position to leverage its patent pending platform by hosting a short film screenplay contest and mobilize screenwriters from around the world to write stories about the mission critical topic that threatens our endangered environment.
Writers can enter the contest for free by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com/climatechangecontest">www.openscreenplay.com/climatechangecontest</a>. All entries must be created and written on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/welcome">openscreenplay.com</a>&nbsp;and must be 10 minutes or less. Screenplay entries can be any genre, must be fictional and focus on climate change. The winning screenplay will be considered for production by Open Screenplay and the top three screenplays will receive license fee cash awards. Members of the Open Screenplay community will also have the chance to collaborate on screenplays together and can qualify for cash awards for referring other writers to the contest.
Open Screenplay provides expertise and learning, access to a proven screenwriting process and collaborative tools, and helps screenwriters get paid and produced in an industry where getting from ideas to funding and filming is extremely difficult. Open Screenplay&rsquo;s first short film screenplay contest was a resounding success with 531 screenplays entered into the contest with eight of the top finalists being women. Considering that in Hollywood today female screenwriters are underrepresented by a ratio of 5 to 1, Open Screenplay is proving to be a platform that truly helps new talented writers emerge. In addition to positively disrupting Hollywood, Open Screenplay was also created to serve as a platform that encourages writing screenplays and spreading stories about important causes and social justice issues.
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO Email: press@openscreenplay.com
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Open Screenplay launching global short film screenplay contest to bring awareness to – and drive an important conversation about - the crucial role of individuals in combating climate change.

<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform and community for global screenwriters that launched in January to provide access and tools to writers struggling to break into the business, announced the winner and finalists in their short film contest. The winning and top five screenplays represent diverse genres and were written by women, at a time when female screenwriters are underrepresented in Hollywood by a ratio of five to one. The winning screenwriter is Maddison Tebbutt for The Arrears, a horror set in the desolate Canadian Prairies in the 1800s. Maddison is a self-taught, passionate filmmaker and screenwriter who will be awarded the $2,000 first prize cash award and will have her screenplay produced for the first time in her career. As part of winning the contest, Madison will also gain valuable learning from a private session with Golden Globe nominee and Open Screenplay Advisor Richard Kletter. The second prize winning script is Foundation, a dramatic love story through the ages. It was a public screenplay collaboratively written by three writers who had never met before. This highlights how the talented, global community of screenwriters on Open Screenplay can come together to create award-winning content as diverse as the world we live in. The second place writing team includes: Katlynn Sverko, Ross Lang, and Christopher Kerr. The third prize winning script is Forbidden Beasts by Tina Marie Singh, which tells the story of how love can be both selfish and selfless, good and deadly. The winners were selected by an advisory board of Hollywood film executives and award-winning screenwriters. Open Screenplay&rsquo;s free, innovative online platform offers a new way of writing that provides expertise, learning, collaboration and access to a proven story-writing process and tools for screenwriters. Since January, 855 screenplays are being written on the platform and the community has grown to 5,300 global members. Open Screenplay has now introduced Reviews, so members can benefit from real-time feedback while they&rsquo;re writing and once their screenplay is complete. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m thrilled to announce the winner and finalists for Open Screenplay&rsquo;s first short film contest. The breadth and diversity of entries received and screenplays written highlight the power of our platform to open doors for emerging talent and help bring much needed fresh stories to life. I&rsquo;m inspired by the global community we&rsquo;re building and the calibre of talent coming together on Open Screenplay.&rdquo;&ndash; Khaled Sabawi, CEO &amp; Founder &ldquo;I&rsquo;m honoured and humbled to have won. It represents a pivotal moment as I now have the chance to have my short film produced and gain invaluable learning from expert screenwriter Richard Kletter. The process, community and opportunities available on Open Screenplay really make it an exceptional platform for aspiring screenwriters.&rdquo; - Madison Tebbutt, Winning Screenwriter for The Arrears Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. In addition to positively disrupting Hollywood by helping new voices emerge, Open Screenplay was also created to serve as a platform to help ensure the world we see depicted in television and film is as diverse as the world we live in.
 Learn more about winning screenplays and finalists: <a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/shortfilmcontestwinners">https://www.openscreenplay.com/shortfilmcontestwinners</a>
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Open Screenplay announces winners of their short film contest, demonstrating the platform’s power to democratize screenwriting, diversify filmmaking, and create opportunities for aspiring writers

Only three months after officially launching, Open Screenplay was selected to join the highly respected IDEABOOST Network Connect program, a competitive initiative comprised of over 70 of Canada&rsquo;s leading tech entrepreneurs working in sports, media and entertainment.
Backed by the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) and CFC&rsquo;s Media Lab, IDEABOOST is Canada&rsquo;s only digital entertainment and media business accelerator. Their mission is to provide resources and experiences that build the ecosystem of media and technology start-ups in Canada. IDEABOOST is supported by an elite group of partners including Corus, RBC, Shaftesbury, KPMG, Goodmans and Jumpwire to name a few.
As a member, Open Screenplay also now qualifies for other IDEABOOST opportunities, including investment capital and acceleration; support funds from IDEABOOST Unleashed, which raises the profiles of Canadian tech companies internationally, and IDEABOOST&rsquo;s Commercialization Labs initiatives.
&ldquo;The recognition by CFC to join their respected IDEABOOST Network Connect program is a gratifying endorsement of both our vision and the early traction Open Screenplay has achieved since launching in January. Our mission to create a global community of screenwriters on our patent pending platform - and help democratize Hollywood &ndash; is a powerful fit with IDEABOOST&rsquo;s mission to help accelerate the growth of early stage companies who are reshaping the media and entertainment landscape. We are thrilled and honoured to be members of IDEABOOST.&rdquo; &ndash; Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world.
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Open Screenplay joins the Canadian Film Centre’s prestigious IDEABOOST Network Connect program; comprised of companies reshaping Canada’s media and entertainment landscape

After starting three companies, Khaled Sabawi has many valuable lessons to share, which is why TechToronto invited him to present at their signature TechToronto brings together a set of highly curated leaders and innovators to share their expertise &amp; experiences to help Toronto Technologists expand their knowledge and network in the community, with the goal of collectively advancing Toronto&rsquo;s technology industry. Taking a different approach, Khaled delivered a 5 min TED-style talk on the lessons learned from launching Open Screenplay, namely why writing your story matters, and the psychological impact of storytelling and how it can influence our lives for the better.&nbsp;
<a href="https://youtu.be/fj1rieA48cQ" target="_blank"><img src="https://os-static.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/images/os_news.jpg" alt="" width="1201" /></a>
<a href="https://youtu.be/fj1rieA48cQ" target="_blank">Khaled Sabawi&rsquo;s on Why Writing Your Story Matters (5 min)</a>
&ldquo;Like many entrepreneurs, my journey to create Open Screenplay started on an emotional level, with a desire to help solve an increasingly systemic problem I saw in the world. I believe the crisis of meaning many of us face in our lives is the result of the stories that have been told to us by our cultures and influential organizations in our society. I also believe that you can help us regains the lost meaning in our lives by telling us your unique story..&rdquo; &ndash; Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world.
The innovative platform, which has a patent pending, developed a completely new way of writing that provides expertise and learning, brings together people to write individually or collaborate on screenplays and helps screenwriters get paid and produced in an industry where getting from ideas to funding and production is very difficult.
Khaled was one of Canada&rsquo;s leading innovators invited by TechToronto to share their knowledge and experiences with the organization&rsquo;s community. He was joined by Sascha Darius, CEO of Bunz; Sally Daub, Founder &amp; Managing partner of Pool Global Partners and Edward Shim, Managing Director of Studio 1 Labs.&nbsp;
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Khaled Sabawi, CEO & Founder of Open Screenplay, invited to share his lessons learned with technologists at TechToronto’s Signature Event

<h5 style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 16px; font-family: lato;">By Dave McNary</h5>
With backing from longtime Hollywood player&nbsp;Sandy Climan,&nbsp;Khaled Sabawi&nbsp;has quietly launched&nbsp;<a id="auto-tag_open-screenplay" href="http://www.openscreenplay.com/" data-tag="open-screenplay">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;as a free online platform for aspiring screenwriters.
<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;is aimed at helping writers create better stories through its story-writing process and tools. It has launched a contest with a $2,000 prize and has more than 100 screenplays in various stages on the site, including &ldquo;My Alien Fiance,&rdquo; &ldquo;Blood Safari,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Butterfly Blades.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I genuinely believe technology should be used to improve industries that inhibit the emergence of new artists,&rdquo; Sabawi said. &ldquo;For so many aspiring writers like myself, there are no next steps once their screenplay is written, simply because they don&rsquo;t know the right people. My goal in creating Open Screenplay is to change that so the world we see depicted in television and film can be as diverse and amazing as the world we live in.&rdquo;
Sabawi hopes to democratize the screenwriting process, given that 50,000 screenplays are submitted to the Writers Guild of America every year and only 150 are actually made by Hollywood. The genesis of Open Screenplay came when Sabawi worked on a pilot for a series taking place during the Arab Spring for an international network based in Dubai.
&ldquo;Although the show wasn&rsquo;t produced, the experience was enough to thrust me on a journey that would change my life,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I believe your life experiences can make you a powerful storyteller. But the ability to share your unique story &mdash; the lessons you&rsquo;ve learned in narrative form &mdash; and help us update our culture, has been hindered by Hollywood&rsquo;s monopoly on the most powerful and influential storytelling medium for far too long.&rdquo;
Open Screenplay&rsquo;s goal is to create a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world &mdash; either individually or collaboratively &mdash; and get paid and produced. The Toronto-based company has about 16 employees.
Climan was a top agent at CAA before launching investment vehicle Entertainment Media Ventures in 1999. He was a producer on Martin Scorsese&rsquo;s &ldquo;The Aviator&rdquo; and an executive producer on &ldquo;Robbery Homicide Division.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Open Screenplay is at the cutting edge of innovation and offers significant access and value to the entertainment industry by connecting writers, media companies, talent, and audiences in one community like never before,&rdquo; Climan said. &ldquo;It is an incredibly exciting creative platform that can deliver on the industry&rsquo;s need to be more global in the entertainment we create.&rdquo;
Other backers include documentary filmmaker and Peabody winner Julia Bacha; Richard Kletter, screenwriter and former USC School of Cinematic Arts screenwriting professor; and Writers Guild Award winner Andy Wolk, a Sundance Labs creative adviser.
Open Screenplay allows scripts to be developed privately or publicly on the platform. If the screenplay is public, everyone on the platform gets to vote on how it&rsquo;s developed, giving the writer real-world insights into how people are responding.
Sabawi told&nbsp;Variety&nbsp;that the long-term goal is to monetize Open Screenplay by getting the screenplays produced, with credits determined by the contributions made on the site.
Sabawi is the son of Palestinian refugees from Gaza. He describes himself as a serial entrepreneur who is the co-founder of the TABO and UCI companies and president of MENA Geothermal. He was chosen as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader for 2015 and was invited to attend the&nbsp;48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting at Davos last year.
<a href="https://variety.com/2019/film/news/writing-platform-open-screenplay-sandy-climan-1203111177/?fbclid=IwAR3HS6uLvz-aopda0RohP9gIA-rwI0yut9TQbJaLBVyv0GEaqVezUb2IRYU">Click here to read&nbsp;full&nbsp;article.</a>
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Writing Platform Open Screenplay Launches With Backing From Sandy Climan

Khaled Sabawi is launching&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com/">Open Screenplay</a>, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, that supports writers struggling to break into the entertainment business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven&nbsp;story telling&nbsp;process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world who share the goal of making the world depicted in television and film as diverse as the one we live in.
The innovative platform, which has a patent pending, developed a completely new way of writing that provides expertise and learning, brings together people to write individually or collaborate on screenplays, and helps screenwriters get paid and produced in an industry where getting from ideas to funding and filming is very difficult.
The company is backed by leading business and entertainment industry veterans, including: Sandy Climan (CEO of Entertainment Media Ventures and Golden Globe &amp; British Academy Award Winning Producer), Nancy Peterson (Founder &amp; CEO of HomeStars, Canada&rsquo;s #1 home improvement marketplace), Julia Bacha (Peabody award-winning filmmaker), Richard Kletter (Writer of Golden Globe Nominated films &amp; former USC School of Cinematic Arts Screenwriting Professor) and Andy Wolk (Writers Guild Award winner and Sundance Labs Creative Adviser). As part of the launch, the platform is giving screenwriters the opportunity to write a short film for a chance to be paid and become the first short film produced by Open Screenplay.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve personally benefitted from how Canada embraces immigrants and supports start-ups, which contributed to my desire to help make the world &ndash; and, in this case, entertainment &ndash; more inclusive. The way we behave is highly impacted by the stories we are told. The world portrayed by the most influential storytelling medium of film and television in Hollywood is far too limiting. So, I created Open Screenplay to give people the opportunity to create, write and produce amazing stories that speak to us all.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ndash; Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
&ldquo;Open Screenplay represents an amazing opportunity for a&nbsp;start up&nbsp;from a country that embraces diversity to lead the way in bringing&nbsp;much needed&nbsp;diversity to the global entertainment industry. Through his work with MENA Geothermal and TABO, Khaled has demonstrated his ability to drive important change, and I&rsquo;m confident he will accomplish the same here. When I describe Open Screenplay to any writer, they immediately get excited. Writers are desperate for an&nbsp;audience,&nbsp;and see huge value in a platform that makes them better and their stories visible.&rdquo; &ndash; Nancy Peterson, Founder &amp; CEO HomeStars
&ldquo;Open Screenplay is at the cutting edge of innovation and offers significant access and value to the entertainment industry by connecting writers, media companies, talent, and audiences in one community like never before. It is an incredibly exciting creative platform that can deliver on the industry&rsquo;s need to be more global in the entertainment we create.&rdquo; &ndash; Sandy Climan, CEO of Entertainment Media Ventures and Golden Globe &amp; BAFTA Winning Producer
About Khaled Sabawi:
<img src="https://os-static.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/images/khaled-sabawi-%20tedx-talks.jpg" />
Khaled Sabawi is an award-winning serial entrepreneur who&rsquo;s successfully founded and continues to lead impact businesses in the fields of renewable energy, real-estate development, tech and now entertainment. Khaled&rsquo;s proven ability to innovate has led to him being featured on the cover of Forbes Middle East, awarded the Young Alumni Achievement Medal from the University of Waterloo, selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and delivering several TedxTalks.
Khaled founded MENA Geothermal, a green energy start-up and two-time Energy Globe Award recipient, that installed the largest geothermal system in the Middle East. He also co-founded TABO, a project that revolutionized the West Bank real-estate market by creating title deeds in unregistered areas and making new affordable lands available
Press Contact:&nbsp;Alison Simpson; Chief Brand &amp; Communications Officer&nbsp;
Email: <a href="mailto:alison@openscreenplay.com">alison@openscreenplay.com</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; Phone: 416-427-0822
More information:
<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com/?pitchVideo=1">Open Screenplay Intro Video (1 min)</a>:&nbsp;
<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com/?pitchVideo=1"><img src="https://os-static.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/images/open-screenplay-intro-video-1%20min%20(2).png" alt="" /></a>
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Successful Canadian start up founder Khaled Sabawi, backed by business leaders & Hollywood veterans, is set to democratize and help bring more diversity to Hollywood

Open Screenplay is pleased to announce that it has recently been accepted to the DMZ at Ryerson University in downtown Toronto, one of Canada&rsquo;s largest business incubators for emerging tech startups. Recognized as the top-ranked university tech incubator in the world, it fuels entrepreneurs with the resources to grow their startups into successful companies.
Admission to the DMZ is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of 9% or less. Open Screenplay successfully met all criteria for entry into the program: addressing an important economic or social problem, make innovative use of technology, and have a prototype that is already in the market with or is ready to launch.
Among the many benefits to joining a tech incubation program are: They mitigate that early-stage risk of starting a business through resources and a strong support system; A large network of mentors, experts and industry partners providing high-level strategic guidance; Funding opportunities and further validation for potential investors.
&ldquo;This a great step for Open Screenplay as the DMZ&rsquo;s thorough vetting validates our business potential and gives us great access to expert advice&rdquo;, said Al Sabawi, Founder and CEO of Open Screenplay.
Sabawi is an award winning Canadian serial-entrepreneur who has successfully founded and continues to lead multiple unique international businesses in the fields of renewable energy, real-estate, and investment. He obtained his BA degree in Computer Engineering from Waterloo University, Canada, in 2006, and was awarded the Young Alumni Achievement Medal by the University of Waterloo's Faculty of Engineering 10 years later. Sabawi is also a graduate of the Harvard John F. Kennedy School&rsquo;s Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century Executive Education Program. Sabawi was also selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
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Open Screenplay Accepted to the DMZ, World’s Top Ranked University-Based Tech Incubator

Toronto, Canada: Open Screenplay, a new collaborative screenwriting start-up which was recently accepted into the DMZ, Canada&rsquo;s top tech incubator, announces that long-term entertainment industry senior executive and talent manager Sandy Climan has been named a Strategic Advisor.
Mr. Climan, President of Entertainment Media Ventures, is a Hollywood veteran who previously served as Corporate Executive Vice President and President of Worldwide Business Development for Universals Studios, and was part of the senior management at CAA for 12 years, representing talent including Robert De Niro, Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, Danny DeVito, and director Michael Mann.&nbsp; Mr. Climan&rsquo;s productions include &ldquo;U2 3D,&rdquo; the first digital live-action 3D film, and &ldquo;The Aviator,&rdquo; for which he was awarded a Golden Globe and British Academy Award.&nbsp; He serves on the boards of the American Cinematheque the UCLA School of Theater, Film &amp; Television. He will help advise and guide Open Screenplay&rsquo;s senior management team.
&ldquo;We are incredibly excited to have Mr. Climan on board,&rdquo; said Khaled Sabawi, Founder and CEO of Open Screenplay. &ldquo;Mr. Climan brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise and strong industry relationships that will assist Open Screen play in achieving its goals. This is also major validation for Open Screenplay&rsquo;s new concept from an entertainment industry veteran and expert.&rdquo;
&nbsp;&ldquo;Not only is Open Screenplay at the cutting edge of new innovation, it offers significant value to the entertainment industry by enabling audiences to participate in the creative process,&rdquo; said Mr. Climan. &nbsp;&ldquo;By offering a unique platform for collaborative screenwriting, Open Screenplay connects media companies, talent, and audiences in one community like never before. It is an incredibly exciting creative platform.&rdquo;
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Open Screenplay Announces Hollywood Veteran Sandy Climan as Strategic Advisor

<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/">Open Screenplay</a>, an online, collaborative screenwriting platform and community, in partnership with <a href="https://www.layla.care/">Layla Care</a>, a mental health service that facilitates access to therapy, has announced the winners in their recent short film contest on the topic of mental health. The contest topic, which aimed to help normalize mental health, resonated strongly with screenwriters as evidenced by the high number of submissions. Within a period of 5 weeks, 421 screenplays were entered into the contest and 128 went to final judging. The majority of screenplays were submitted by female screenwriters, who took 2 of the 3 winning spots in a time when female screenwriters are underrepresented in Hollywood by a ratio of five to one.
&nbsp;
The winning screenplay went to Murat Vargelci for <a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/screenplay/the-poem-1/script">The Poem</a>, a hopeful story about strangers overcoming loneliness and finding connection by contributing alternating lines to a poem written on the bottom of a poster at a subway station. Vargelci will be awarded the $1,500 first prize cash award and will have his screenplay produced by Open Screenplay.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
This contest continues Open Screenplay&rsquo;s mission of cultivating partnerships to host screenwriting contests about important social topics and utilizing branded short films as a powerful way to convey a message. The partnership with Layla was especially important as it brought together two cutting-edge innovators in their respective fields for a contest topic of incredible importance and timeliness.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m thrilled to announce the winners and finalists for the Layla Mental Health contest. Mental health is a subject that impacts us all, yet for many remains difficult to speak of openly and without fear of stigmatization.&nbsp; That is why we are incredibly grateful to Layla for all their great efforts and innovation in this field, and for their partnership to help bring to light incredible stories of hope, courage, pain, and triumph.&nbsp; For those who have submitted their screenplays, thank you for your creativity and courage, and know that you have helped advance this conversation in a meaningful way, and may inspire those who are suffering in silence to come forward.&rdquo;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Learn more about winning screenplays and finalists: <a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/laylamentalhealthcontestwinners">https://www.openscreenplay.com/laylamentalhealthcontestwinners</a> 
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>
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Open Screenplay & Layla announce winners of their Mental Health Screenwriting Contest

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Company extends mission of supporting new voices in screenwriting to behind the camera</h2>
TORONTO, October 19, 2020&nbsp;&ndash; Open Screenplay has announced that it has teamed up with acclaimed director/producer Richard Kletter, who&rsquo;s films have been nominated for Golden-Globes, as executive producer and signed award-winning and oscar-nominated director, Sarah Gross, to direct their period horror, titled&nbsp;Kin.&nbsp; The project is a short film based on the winning screenplay of Open Screenplay&rsquo;s inaugural screenwriting contest.
Kin&nbsp;is a period horror that promises to showcase the quality and creativity of Open Screenplay&rsquo;s writing community, and is an exciting debut for the winning screenwriter Maddison Tebbut. Also, coming off the heels of her critically acclaimed short film&nbsp;BOL&Eacute;RO, director Sarah Gross has displayed a keen eye for psychologically rich characters and female-centric narratives, which are front and center in this story.&nbsp;
In describing the significance of the project, Open Screenplay Founder &amp; CEO, Khaled Sabawi, said: &ldquo;We are excited to see the incredible results that come out when we level the playing field, remove barriers, and grant opportunities to new creative voices in screenwriting and filmmaking.&nbsp; This is especially true for female screenwriters and filmmakers who are&nbsp; underrepresented in the industry by a ratio of 5:1! We are proud to have created a platform where such opportunities are possible.&rdquo;
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Sami Alsabawi, Co-Founder &amp; Chief Operating Officer Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a> 
&nbsp;
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Open Screenplay Teams Up with Award-Winning Director & Executive Producer for  Production of Film Contest Winner

<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>, an online, collaborative screenwriting platform and marketplace that connects content buyers with screenwriters, in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.canadianarabinstitute.org/">The Canadian Arab Institute (CAI)</a>, a national nonpartisan organization that focuses on issues and interests of the Canadian Arab community, has announced the winners in their recent short film screenwriting contest titled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/canadianarabinstitutecontest">Arab Stories: Debunking Arab Myths</a>. The contest topic, which aimed to dispel stereotypes about Arabs in Western culture, seemed to resonate with writers as evidenced by the strength and creativity exhibited in submitted screenplays.
The winning screenplay went to Karim Zouak for&nbsp;Three Arabs Walk into a Bar, a clever and witty story that challenges the audience&rsquo;s assumptions about the characters on the screen. Zouak will be awarded the $1,000 first prize cash award and will be considered for production by Open Screenplay and CAI.
This contest continues Open Screenplay&rsquo;s mission of cultivating partnerships to host screenwriting contests about important social topics and utilizing branded short films as a powerful way to convey messages. The partnership with CAI was especially important as it demonstrated the power of narrative storytelling to elucidate and confront challenging subjects such as cultural stereotypes.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m thrilled to announce the winners and finalists for the CAI Arab Stories contest. Racial and cultural stereotypes continue to exist for many groups, but especially for Arabs in the West who are often portrayed in the media as terrorists, religious fanatics, and oil sheikhs. That is why we are incredibly grateful to CAI for their vision and great efforts to combat this unfortunate and unfair trend. For those who have submitted their screenplays, thank you for sharing your talent and creativity with us, and know that you have helped advance this conversation in a meaningful way&rdquo; -Khaled Sabawi, CEO &amp; Founder of Open Screenplay
Learn more about winning screenplays and finalists:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/canadianarabinstitutecontestwinners">https://www.openscreenplay.com/canadianarabinstitutecontestwinners</a>

Open Screenplay & CAI announce Winners of Screenwriting Contest

TORONTO, Feb 22, 2021&nbsp;&ndash; <a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a> is proud to announce that its first short film, <a href="https://youtu.be/deDJ91wM2Mo?list=TLGGUpS5LS2RlVYxNTAyMjAyMQ">The Poem</a>, has won Best International Indie Short Film at the <a href="https://www.veniceshortsfest.com/">Venice Shorts Film Festival</a>. The Poem is a short film based on Murat Vargelci&rsquo;s winning screenplay from Open Screenplay&rsquo;s screenwriting contest on the topic of mental health which was launched in partnership with<a href="https://www.layla.care/"> Layla Care</a>, a mental health service that facilitates access to therapy. In addition to its winning its first award, the film seems to be gaining momentum in the festival circuit and has been named as semi-finalist in the<a href="https://laiffawards.com/index.html"> LA Independent Film Festival Awards </a>(LAIFFA)
The film touches on the monotony and loneliness of the daily urban grind, yet strikes a hopeful tone by showing that we are merely a single act of courage away from genuine human connection. The picture is helmed expertly by award-winning director Matt Handy, and stars Canadian actor Nabil El Khafif, best known for roles in Netflix The Mist and Amazon Prime&rsquo;s The Expanse.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
When asked about the significance of the project, Open Screenplay Founder and CEO Khaled Sabawi said: &ldquo;This is an important milestone for Open Screenplay as it demonstrates our ability to help businesses generate authentic and diverse stories from their audience that can then be produced into powerful short films, while simultaneously helping new, emerging screenwriters find opportunities to showcase their creativity and write about important topics. We are incredibly proud of this project, and thankful to Matt Handy, Nabil ElKhafif, and the folks at Layla Care for helping bring it to life&rdquo;.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We are touched by the response that our partnership with Open Screenplay has received. The Poem is a powerful story that speaks to many of us especially during these times&rdquo; said Samer Abughannam, founder and CEO of Layla
About Layla Care Layla&rsquo;s mission is to empower Canadians to take control of their mental health. We are a human-first, tech-powered mental health service, built on quality, patient-centricity, and innovation&nbsp; Visit us at <a href="http://www.layla.care">www.layla.care</a>
Press Contact: Samer Abughannam, Founder &amp; CEO
Email: <a href="mailto:sophie@layla.care">samer</a><a href="mailto:sophie@layla.care">@layla.care</a>
About Open Screenplay Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform that enables businesses to generate authentic and diverse stories from their audience while providing access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at <a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO Email: <a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay’s First Film, “The Poem”, Wins Best International Indie at Venice Shorts, Builds Momentum in Festival Circuit

TORONTO, March 8, 2021 &ndash; Open Screenplay is continuing its commitment to enabling female storytellers and filmmakers with an announcement of a film production featuring a female screenwriter, female director, a female owned and operated production company, and a female led cast.&nbsp;
The rapidly growing online screenwriting platform and marketplace, known for creating opportunities for emerging voices in screenwriting and for its focus on inclusion and diversity, has teamed up with award-winning and oscar-nominated director, Sarah Gross, to direct the period horror short film.&nbsp; The project is based on the winning screenplay of Open Screenplay&rsquo;s inaugural screenwriting contest, penned by Maddison Tebbut, a law student and up and coming screenwriter from Halifax,NS.&nbsp; Coming of the heels of their successful first short film production, titled &ldquo;The Poem&rdquo; which has already won Best International Indie at the Venice Shorts Film Festival and is gaining momentum in the festival circuit, Open Screenplay hired a female-owned production company, Freckles Productions, to produce the film with the predominantly female cast. Kin promises to showcase the quality and creativity of Open Screenplay&rsquo;s writing community, and produce works with female-centric narratives.
In describing the significance of the project, Open Screenplay Founder &amp; CEO, Khaled Sabawi, said: &ldquo;We are excited to see the incredible results that come out when we level the playing field, remove barriers, and grant opportunities to new creative voices in screenwriting and filmmaking.&nbsp; This is especially true for female screenwriters and filmmakers who are&nbsp; underrepresented in the industry by a ratio of 5:1! We are proud to have created a platform where such opportunities are possible.&rdquo; KIN is scheduled to start shooting in Los Angeles, California on March 23rd.
About Open Screenplay Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at <a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO Email: <a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay Commemorates International Women’s Day with Female-Led Film Production

Company extends its congratulations to Executive Producers Farah Nabulsi and Mohannad Malas of the ground-breaking Palestinian Short<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11474480/?ref_=ttco_co_tt"><img src="M. Malas on Oscar Nomination-press image.png" alt="" /></a>
TORONTO, March 25, 2021&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;would like to extend its warmest congratulations to investor and advisory board member,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2386848/">Mr. Mohannad Malas</a>, on the recent Oscar nomination of Palestinian short film, titled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11474480/?ref_=ttco_co_tt">The Present</a>, on which he served as Executive Producer.&nbsp;
The Present&nbsp;was expertly directed by Palestinian-British Filmmaker,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9048529/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1">Farah Nabulsi&nbsp;</a>and provides a glimpse of the difficulties faced by Palestinians living under Israeli occupation on a daily basis. The film has been met with near-unanimous critical acclaim, and so far has racked up an impressive 28 awards at international film festivals, culminating in Academy Award and BAFTA nominations.&nbsp;The Present&nbsp;is now streaming on Netflix.&nbsp;
When asked about his decision to get involved with the project, Mr. Malas commented:&nbsp;&ldquo;Farah Nabulsi is a talented director that I have admired ever since watching her early short films. Her work stems from deep passion with simplicity that yet evokes powerful audience emotion.&rdquo;
Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO of Open Screenplay said: &ldquo;Aside from having an astute eye for talent, Mr. Malas has been an incredible advocate for diverse voices in filmmaking, which is why he aligns so naturally with our mission at Open Screenplay. We are incredibly proud and grateful for our partnership with Mr. Malas, and we offer our sincerest congratulations TO THE ENTIRE CAST AND CREW for this fantastic achievement!&rdquo;
About Open Screenplay Open Screenplay is a first-of-its-kind online screenwriting platform, community, and marketplace for diverse and authentic stories that helps new voices emerge by facilitating opportunities from organizations looking for diverse stories and screenplays.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay Congratulates Investor & Advisor Mohannad Malas on Oscar Nomination

TORONTO, March 25, 2021&nbsp;&ndash; Open Screenplay is delighted to announce that veteran film and television producer, Jason T. Reed has joined their advisory board. Jason Reed is a film and television producer and the owner of Jason T. Reed Productions, a company focused on producing high-quality film, television and digital content, as well as building integrated franchise worlds for a global audience. Most recently Mr. Reed produced the live-action feature film adaptation of&nbsp;Mulan&nbsp;for The Walt Disney Company.&nbsp; Previously he served as an Executive Producer on ABC&rsquo;s one-hour drama series,&nbsp;The Crossing,&nbsp;Of Kings and Prophets, and Michael Bay&rsquo;s&nbsp;Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles&nbsp;feature film for Paramount Pictures.&nbsp;
Before launching his producing career, Mr. Reed was an Executive Vice President at Walt Disney Studios specializing in franchise management and cross platform development.&nbsp; While there he oversaw a wide range of successful films including Tim Burton&rsquo;s&nbsp;Alice in Wonderland,&nbsp;Enchanted,&nbsp;Hannah Montana: The Movie,&nbsp;D&eacute;j&agrave; Vu,&nbsp;Bringing Down the House,&nbsp;The Last Song,&nbsp;Calendar Girls,&nbsp;Kinky Boots,&nbsp;Armageddon,&nbsp;Pearl Harbor, and the&nbsp;National Treasure&nbsp;franchise. Mr. Reed also served as the General Manager of Walt Disney Studios International Production, a division focused on producing award-winning Disney-branded films in China, Russia, India, and the Middle East.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In addition, Mr. Reed co-founded and serves as the publisher of Brick Moon Fiction, a media company that produces original science fiction short stories and audio dramas by working with writers from diverse backgrounds to explore the impact of technology and trends on human society.&nbsp; Building on his experiences at The Walt Disney Company and Brick Moon Fiction, Mr. Reed is in the process of launching a new company, KidPod Theater, that focuses on bringing high-quality family entertainment to podcasting.
Open Screenplay Founder and CEO, Khaled Sabawi, said &ldquo;We are incredibly honored and excited to have a producer of Mr. Reed&rsquo;s caliber on our team. Beyond his incredible depth of experience and industry knowledge, Mr. Reed is an innovator and a visionary, who immediately recognized the disruptive potential of Open Screenplay&rsquo;s platform.&nbsp; We look forward to working closely with Mr. Reed on expanding the reach of Open Screenplay and creating more opportunities for our community of users.&rdquo;
About Open Screenplay Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform and marketplace that connects content buyers with a community of diverse storytellers and screenwriters looking to write, learn, and collaborate. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com </a><a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com"> </a>Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Jason T. Reed Joins Open Screenplay’s Advisory Board

Toronto, ON - On the morning of May 17th, 2021 an Israeli air strike destroyed the office building housing Open Screenplay&rsquo;s satellite offices in Gaza, as well as other businesses and residential units. While none of Open Screenplay&rsquo;s employees were harmed, the attack resulted in the death of at least 4 civilians. On behalf of the team at Open Screenplay, we are issuing the following statement: We are stunned and appalled at the indiscriminate and callous targeting of civilian business and residential buildings by Israel in their latest assault on Gaza. Open Screenplay&rsquo;s office was in a building well-known to contain a number of private businesses and residential units on a busy commercial/residential street, in one of the most densely populated areas in the world.
Open Screenplay is a Canadian tech start-up headquartered in Toronto that was created with the mission to promote diversity and inclusivity in the film and television industry by enabling new and underrepresented voices in screenwriting to emerge using its online platform. Since inception, Open Screenplay put its principles in action, and following the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, worked to uplift those living in impoverished parts of the world. Open Screenplay hired a team of talented young developers in Gaza, graduates of an incubator called Gaza Sky Geeks, created by Mercy Corps, in partnership with Google, the Canadian Government, Amazon Web Services, and many other multinational organizations.
<img style="height: auto;" src="https://d36v1eselsqlxb.cloudfront.net/images/gaza%20team.png" alt="gaza team" width="900" height="500" /><img src="gaza team.png" alt="" />
In a densely populated city of 1.79 million, with an unemployment rate of 49%, and where 59% of the population is under the age of 24, ravaged by decades of war and a suffocating blockade, Open Screenplay offers a rare employment opportunity for young talented Palestinians to escape the harshness of that reality by growing, learning, and earning in an exciting global venture environment. But most importantly, Open Screenplay was a place where our Gaza team could dream of building a better future for themselves and their families. With this bombing, their dreams are shattered.
As our main operations are currently in Canada and the US, with our platform hosted on AWS servers, there were no interruptions to our business nor our users. While we are extremely fortunate that none of our employees in Gaza were hurt, we are appalled at the wanton destruction and indiscriminate bombing of civilian areas which amount to collective punishment of the people of Gaza. At the time of this statement, and over the past week, Israel has killed more than 218 people, including at least 61 children, wounded more than 5,900 and displaced more than 52,000 people in Gaza alone. Hamas rocket fire has killed 12 Israelis including 2 children and wounded nearly 1,000. While we condemn all loss of life and senseless violence, the disproportionate loss of life, injuries, and destruction in Gaza demonstrates the need for an immediate cessation of these harsh attacks.
In light of this grave and disturbing event, we call on the Canadian government to pressure Israel to stop the onslaught of collective punishment on Gaza. We also demand an independent investigation into Israel&rsquo;s targeting of civilian buildings, including the offices of Open Screenplay.&nbsp;Finally we call on everyone to email their members of parliament and demand an immediate end to Israel&rsquo;s indiscriminate bombing of Gaza and hold Israel accountable for its crimes of apartheid and persecution against the Palestinian people as detailed by the <a title="Human Rights Watch Report published in March 2021" href="https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/04/27/threshold-crossed/israeli-authorities-and-crimes-apartheid-and-persecution" target="_blank">Human Rights Watch Report published in March 2021</a>.
We want to assure all our customers and investors that our business continues to run and our Open Screenplay family is resilient, and that we remain committed to employing developers in Gaza.
About Open Screenplay Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform and marketplace that connects content buyers with a community of diverse storytellers and screenwriters looking to write, learn, and collaborate. Visit us at <a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO Email: <a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Statement on Bombing of Open Screenplay’s Satellite Office in Gaza

TORONTO, July 9, 2020&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;is proud to host the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/mfilmlab.com">M Film Lab&rsquo;s fall 2021 program</a>, a free-to-join screenwriting workshop and mentorship opportunity for screenwriters and creators committed to fair artistic representation of Muslims and Islam in film &amp; television, and held in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://pillarsfund.org/">Pillars Fund</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mpachollywoodbureau.org/">Muslim Public Affairs Council&rsquo;s Hollywood Bureau</a>. Inspired partly by the recent and important work done by Pillars Fund, which received&nbsp;<a href="https://variety.com/2021/film/news/riz-ahmed-muslim-study-usc-annenberg-inclusion-initiative-pillars-fund-1234993247/">widespread media coverage</a>, about the woeful lack of fair representation of Muslims in Hollywood, the M Film Lab aims to discover and elevate stories that depict authentic Muslim characters and create a pipeline of compelling, meaningful content that sheds light on the issues facing Muslims AND OTHER MINORITIES in North America and abroad.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The M Film Lab utilizes Open Screenplay&rsquo;s online platform, advanced screenwriting and collaboration tools, and is open to all aspiring screenwriters regardless of background. It also provides opportunities for them to work with and learn from accomplished industry professionals, and forge new connections with other artists.&nbsp; At the end of the program, one short film screenplay will be selected to be filmed and produced.&nbsp;
Mr. Mohanad Malas, founder of The M Film Lab said &ldquo;The lab aspires to provide an ecosystem for filmmakers to create authentic stories and diverse characters and to produce work that is creative, compelling, and with a strong social message.&nbsp; For our inaugural program we are taking on the misrepresentation of Muslims and Islam in film, but aspire to include other underrepresented minorities in future programs.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Commenting on the importance of this initiative, Open Screenplay Founder &amp; CEO, Khaled Sabawi said &ldquo;For far too long negative stereotypes about Muslims and Islam have been perpetuated in mainstream film and television, which has directly contributed to a rise in Islamophobia and often violent hate crimes.&nbsp; We applaud the efforts of M Film Labs founder Mr. Malas, and are grateful for the support of Pillars Fund and MPAC&rsquo;s Hollywood Bureau, in creating this wonderful opportunity to amplify narratives that fairly and realistically depict Muslims.&nbsp; We are delighted that our platform and technology are enabling this worthwhile initiative.&rdquo;
Applications for the M Film Lab fall 2021 program can be submitted at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/mfilmlab.com">https://www.openscreenplay.com/mfilmlab.com</a><a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/mfilmlab.com"> </a>
 About Pillars Fund
The Pillars Fund amplifies the leadership, narratives, and talents of Muslims in the United States to advance opportunity and justice for all. Since their founding in 2010, Pillars has distributed more than $6 million in grants to Muslim organizations and leaders who advance social good. Pillars Fund invest in community-focused initiatives, push back against harmful narratives, uplift Muslim stories, and give collectively to generate resources within Muslim communities for Muslim communities.
Press Contact: Arij Mikati
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:arij@pillarsfund.org">arij@pillarsfund.org</a><a href="mailto:arij@pillarsfund.org"> </a>
About MPAC Hollywood Bureau
MPAC&rsquo;s Hollywood Bureau changes the narrative of Islam and Muslims in the entertainment industry so that audiences see Muslims as vital contributors to creating social and cultural change in America and around the world. We do this by engaging decision makers and creatives to improve the quality of authentic, nuanced, and inclusive depictions of Islam and Muslims. We also create opportunities for Muslim storytellers to tell their own stories
Press Contact: Sue Obeidi
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sue@mpac.org">sue@mpac.org</a><a href="mailto:sue@mpac.org"> </a>
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform that enables businesses to generate authentic and diverse stories from their audience while providing access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay partners with M Film Labs to elevate on-screen portrayal of Muslims

<h2 style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;The competition is open to screenwriters around the world and writing the 12-minute pilot episode could lead to further writing assignments for the kids series. </h2>
AMT Editorial Staff
Open Screenplay, in partnership with MPAC&rsquo;s Hollywood Bureau, is holding a screenwriting contest for talented screenwriters to write a pilot episode for Muslim Kids TV&rsquo;s new animated children&rsquo;s show, &ldquo;Time Hoppers: The Silk Road.&rdquo; The Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Open Screenplay, Sami Alsabawi, said this competition allows writers worldwide to &ldquo;pitch their story ideas&rdquo; and to potentially be hired on for more episodes. &ldquo;Writing for this series requires a writer familiar with or who can research Muslim Scholars, the ability to write for children&rsquo;s animated programming, and cultural sensitivity to Islamic values: skills that are not readily available in a traditional Hollywood agency model,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;So, Open Screenplay affords the opportunity to cast a wide net to writers from all over the world to compete and pitch their story ideas and screenplays, with the winner receiving a cash award, having their screenplay produced, and potentially being hired to write more episodes.&rdquo; "Sue Obeidi, Director of MPAC&rsquo;s Hollywood Bureau, said the partnership with Open Screenplay and Muslim Kids TV came from wanting to help as many Muslim writers as possible. &ldquo;MPAC&rsquo;s Hollywood Bureau wants to provide Muslim screenwriters as many opportunities as possible,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;To this end, MPAC entered into the screenwriting competition with Open Screenplay and Muslim Kid TV.&rdquo; &ldquo;Time Hoppers&rdquo; &mdash; made for children between six and nine &mdash; follows a group of friends who travel through time to rescue Muslim scientists during the Golden Age of Islam. The underlying message of the show will shed light on the accomplishments of the Muslim scientists. The submission calls for &ldquo;an exciting 12-minute pilot that takes our cast of characters on an adventure in the world described in the series synopsis, while adhering to the story arc and episode formula provided.&rdquo; Each episode will feature characters named Khalid, Dr. Fasid, Aysha, Layla and Abdullah. Open Screenplay is an online platform and marketplace that helps businesses connect with a diverse community of storytellers looking to publish their work. To combat the lack of diversity in television, Open Screenplay helps empower new voices to &ldquo;disrupt the status quo&rdquo; and bring diverse stories on screens worldwide. &ldquo;Open Screenplay came to be as a result of our recognition that stories are the most powerful way to convey messages, and that the people who control most of the stories we see in film and on TV lack diversity and don&rsquo;t accurately represent the world we live in,&rdquo; Alsabawi said. &ldquo;Our mission at Open Screenplay is to empower new voices in storytelling, and to give them the skills, tools and opportunities to disrupt the status quo, and bring diverse, authentic stories to the screen.&rdquo; Since Open Screenplay&rsquo;s launch in January 2019, the company now has a community of nearly 21,000 writers. They are proud to say that over the last two years, 77% of their 10 contest winners were women. Prizes for the event are as follows:
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Grand Prize: $1,000 plus the chance to be hired for multiple episodes</li>
<li>2nd Place: $500 plus the chance to be hired for multiple episodes</li>
<li>3rd Place: $250 plus the chance to be hired for multiple episodes</li>
<li>4th Place: $100 plus the chance to be hired for multiple episodes</li>
</ul>
Click to read full article.

Muslim Kids TV: Screenwriting Contest Offers Cash Prize And Chance to Write Episodes For New Animated Series Celebrating Islam’s Golden Age of Scientific Discovery

TORONTO, Jan 20, 2021&nbsp;&ndash; Open Screenplay is delighted to announce that its award-winning short film,&nbsp;The Poem, has been picked up for worldwide distribution by&nbsp;<a href="https://discover.film/">Discover.film</a>, and is now available to view on over 100 Million handsets, and on the entertainment systems of some of the world&rsquo;s top airlines.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The Poem&nbsp;is based on the winning screenplay from the Mental Health screenwriting contest hosted in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.layla.care/">Layla</a>, a mental health service that facilitates access to therapy.&nbsp;The contest, which was held back in 2019, encouraged writers to use the immense power of storytelling to tackle the challenges of speaking openly about mental health, and in the words of Layla founder and CEO, Samer Abughannam: &ldquo;replace stigma with empowerment, isolation with community, and systemic shortcomings with collective demands for change&rdquo;.
For Open Screenplay, according to founder &amp; CEO, Khaled Sabawi, &ldquo;This marks a significant milestone as it demonstrates the high quality of the screenplays and diverse&nbsp; writers on the Open Screenplay platform. It also demonstrates Open Screenplay&rsquo;s ability to create high quality content for businesses looking to stand out while&nbsp; empowering and launching the careers of underereprested screenwriters&rdquo;.
Layla and Open Screenplay are teaming up for another contest in 2022 as they look to repeat the success of &ldquo;The Poem&rdquo;, and amplify the voice of another talented writer looking to tackle this important subject.
Click here to watch&nbsp;<a href="http://bestshortfilms.discover.film/videos/the-poem">The Poem</a>.
About LAYLA Care
Layla empowers you to take greater control of your mental health, bridging the gap between wanting care and getting it. We're a human-first, tech-powered service that makes it simpler to connect with the right mental health support. &nbsp; Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.layla.care">www.layla.care</a>
Press Contact:&nbsp; Samer Abughannam, CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Samer@layla.care">Samer@layla.care</a>
&nbsp;
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay’s First Short, The Poem, Picked Up for Worldwide Distribution

TORONTO, Feb 02, 2022&ndash; Open Screenplay is delighted to announce that it has entered into a production agreement with the Canadian Arab Institute to produce the first of a series of short films aimed at combating racism and discrimination experienced by Arab-Canadians. The project received funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage, as part of its initiative to tackle racism and Islamophobia.
The first production will be based on one of the winning screenplays from the popular, joint screenwriting contest held by CAI and Open Screenplay in 2021, which challenged writers to submit screenplays for a 10-minute short film, debunking myths and stereotypes about Arabs in North America. Titled &ldquo;Lemons&rdquo;, the screenplay is a heartwarming story about a neighborly culinary tradition, held universally among Arabs, and the ability of such traditions to break down barriers and enrich the Canadian cultural mosaic.
Open Screenplay&rsquo;s Founder &amp; CEO, Khaled Sabawi commented, &ldquo;We are delighted to see another organization successfully using the Open Screenplay platform to engage with our community of diverse writers to source and produce authentic content, especially one with an important message as the Canadian Arab Institute. We want to thank the CAI for sharing our vision of empowering underrepresented screenwriters by hosting this contest, and for their valuable partnership&rdquo;.
About The Canadian Arab Institute:
The CAI is a national, non-partisan organization that focuses on issues and interests of the Canadian Arab community through research, policy, programming and community engagement. CAI celebrates and encourages Arab Canadians' participation in all social, political, cultural and economic aspects of Canadian society.
Press Contact: Jasmine Hawamdeh
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jasmine@canadianarabinstitute.org">jasmine@canadianarabinstitute.org</a>
&nbsp;
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by providing a writing platform to help them create stories for marketing or entertainment. . Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where content buyers, including business and entertainment companies, can source authentic stories or screenplays from diverse writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>
&nbsp;

Open Screenplay to Produce Short Film Series for CAI

TORONTO, FEB 23 2022&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;is proud to host the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/mfilmlab.com">M Film Lab&rsquo;s Spring 2022 program</a>, focused on empowering Black screenwriters, in partnership with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.blackwomenfilm.ca/">Black Women Film! Canada</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://pillarsfund.org/">Pillars Fund</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mpachollywoodbureau.org/">Muslim Public Affairs Council&rsquo;s Hollywood Bureau</a>. This is a free-to-join screenwriting workshop and mentorship opportunity for Black screenwriters to work with a team of acclaimed mentors and industry professionals to hone their skills and prepare for a career in film and television writing.
Mentors attached to this program include an array of acclaimed Black screenwriters, filmmakers, producers and educators including:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0723685/">Matty Rich</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ellacoopercreates.com/about">Ella Cooper</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0129098/">Yule Caise</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2590648/">Hope Olaide Wilson</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2881794/">Qasim Basir</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8024377/">Bridgette Burgess.</a>
Mr. Mohanad Malas, founder of The M Film Lab said &ldquo;The lab aspires to provide an ecosystem for filmmakers to create authentic stories and diverse characters and to produce work that is creative, compelling, and with a strong social message. We recognize that despite recent progress on screen, the industry is still far from proportionate representation of Black writers and directors. That&rsquo;s why for our Spring 2022 program we are focused on creating opportunities for Black storytellers, and will hopefully launch the careers of 6 talented writers&rdquo;
The M Film Lab utilizes Open Screenplay&rsquo;s online platform, advanced screenwriting and collaboration tools, to facilitate the efficient hosting of workshops that reaches more aspiring storytellers.
Commenting on the significance of this initiative, Open Screenplay Founder &amp; CEO, Khaled Sabawi said &ldquo;Most screenwriting labs offer valuable screenwriting theory, but don&rsquo;t include the production of a completed screenplay. By utilizing Open Screenplay to host and manage the lab, resources are freed up which can be allocated toward production, thereby increasing the impact, enhancing the experience for the participants, and attracting a very high caliber of applicants. We applaud the M Film Lab, and its founder Mr. Malas, for having the vision to employ our technology for such a worthwhile initiative&rdquo;.
Applications for the M Film Lab&nbsp;Spring 2022 program can be submitted at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/mfilmlab.com">https://www.openscreenplay.com/mfilmlab.com</a>
About Black Women Film! Canada
Black Women Film! Canada is a not for profit &amp; community support network dedicated to the success of Black women professionals in film &amp; media.
Press Contact: Ella Cooper
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:operations@blackwomenfilm.ca">operations@blackwomenfilm.ca</a>
About Pillars Fund
The Pillars Fund amplifies the leadership, narratives, and talents of Muslims in the United States to advance opportunity and justice for all. Since their founding in 2010, Pillars has distributed more than $6 million in grants to Muslim organizations and leaders who advance social good. Pillars Fund invest in community-focused initiatives, push back against harmful narratives, uplift Muslim stories, and give collectively to generate resources within Muslim communities for Muslim communities.
Press Contact: Arij Mikati
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:arij@pillarsfund.org">arij@pillarsfund.org</a>
About MPAC Hollywood Bureau
MPAC&rsquo;s Hollywood Bureau changes the narrative of Islam and Muslims in the entertainment industry so that audiences see Muslims as vital contributors to creating social and cultural change in America and around the world. We do this by engaging decision makers and creatives to improve the quality of authentic, nuanced, and inclusive depictions of Islam and Muslims. We also create opportunities for Muslim storytellers to tell their own stories
Press Contact: Sue Obeidi
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sue@mpac.org">sue@mpac.org</a>
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform that enables businesses to generate authentic and diverse stories from their audience while providing access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay partners with M Film Labs to create opportunities for Black Screenwriters

TORONTO, April 1st, 2022&nbsp;&ndash; For the 2nd year in a row, Open Screenplay has partnered with Layla Care to advance the conversation about mental health through the innovative format of a screenwriting contest.&nbsp; This year, the contest titled&nbsp;Every student has a story&nbsp;is bringing awareness to the mental health of students in the post secondary environment, in hopes of giving them the creative space to share their journeys and inspire others.
The free-to-enter contest invites current and former students to write a short film screenplay exploring mental health in a university or college setting,&nbsp; with cash prizes being given to the top 3 winners.
&ldquo;At Layla, we believe in the power of community, and sharing as a tool to promote early intervention and to reach people before they need to reach out themselves. Through storytelling we can reduce the stigma around mental health and demonstrate the meaningful contributions that our words and our lived experiences bring to the wider community. The time is now to validate the emotions and experiences of students&rdquo;
- Emily McIntyre, Community at Layla Care. For Open Screenplay, &ldquo;One of our most popular and well-received contests has been our Mental Health screenwriting contest hosted in partnership with Layla, and which led to the production of the critically lauded short film &ldquo;The Poem&rdquo;.&nbsp; We are delighted to launch this contest with Layla for the 2nd year in a row, and create another opportunity for emerging writers to tackle this important topic&rdquo;
-&nbsp; Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Khaled Sabawi.
The contest submission period starts on April 1st, and runs until June 30th, 2022.&nbsp; Guidelines for the contest are available on Open Screenplay&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a title="Every student has a story" href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/everystudenthasastorycontest">contest page</a>.&nbsp;All writers are welcome!
About LAYLA Care
Layla empowers you to take greater control of your mental health, bridging the gap between wanting care and getting it. We're a human-first, tech-powered service that makes it simpler to connect with the right mental health support. &nbsp; Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.layla.care">www.layla.care</a>
Press Contact:&nbsp; Emily McIntyre
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:emily@layla.care">emily@layla.care</a>
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform for screenwriters, was founded to provide access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay & Layla Care bring back screenwriting contest, focusing on student mental health

TORONTO, May 2021 &ndash; <a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a> has partnered with Canadian relief and development non-profit <a href="https://wearehumaniti.org/">Humaniti</a> to launch a writing contest aimed at bringing to the forefront untold stories from the most distressed and poverty-stricken parts of the world.&nbsp; The objective of the contest is to uncover short-form dramatic stories that can be produced and distributed to raise awareness and inspire action toward the causes supported by Humaniti, including food and clean water security, access to physical and mental healthcare, and basic shelter and economic opportunity.
Using Open Screenplay&rsquo;s online platform, organizations like Humaniti can access a community of over 32,000 storytellers across the globe to find and acquire authentic, compelling stories that can deliver and amplify their message, and inspire action.&nbsp; Commenting on the importance of this contest, Open Screenplay Founder &amp; CEO Khaled Sabawi said &ldquo;There is no better way to raise awareness, ignite our compassion, and motivate action than through stories that shed light on the suffering of others. We are always proud to put our storytelling platform and community at the service of organizations like Humaniti that are doing incredibly important work&rdquo;
The contest is open to all, free to participate in and contest winners will receive cash prizes, and have their stories developed for possible short form production.&nbsp; To learn more about the contest details and submission deadlines. Visit <a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/storyconceptcontests">www.openscreenplay.com/storyconceptcontests</a>
About Humaniti
Humaniti is a grassroots not-for-profit Canadian relief and development organization with global impact.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Humaniti brings global relief in the areas of physical &amp; mental health, food security, clean water, shelter and economic growth.
For more information visit <a title="www.humaniti.org" href="https://www.humaniti.org/">www.wearehumanit.org</a>
Press Contact: Aina Docrat
Email: <a href="mailto:aina@clearoute.com">aina@clearoute.com</a>
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform that enables businesses to generate authentic and diverse stories from their audience while providing access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at <a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email: <a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay & Humaniti launch storytelling initiative to raise awareness of world’s most distressed communities

TORONTO, Nov 11, 2022&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;has announced that it has been tapped by&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mfilmlab.org">M Film Lab</a>&nbsp;to produce the winning script from their Spring 2022 Program, titled&nbsp;Black Metal.&nbsp; The short film screenplay was the top script to emerge from their screenwriting lab aimed at empowering Black writers, and was penned by the talented up and coming writer/director Michael Johnson.
Black Metal&nbsp;tells the story of a Black teen determined to make it as a heavy metal artist in defiance of his father, a failed jazz musician. The script was lauded by the M Film Lab mentors and board for its originality and strong message. This film would mark the first completed project to come out of the M Film Lab program, and&nbsp; is slated to shoot in Los Angeles in late November,&nbsp;
Mr.Mohanad Malas, founder of The M Film Lab said &ldquo;Black Metal is a great example of the type of creativity and originality that emerges when you create space for diverse storytellers, which is what the M Film Lab, and our partners at Open Screenplay, set out to do&rdquo;.&nbsp; The M Film Lab utilizes Open Screenplay&rsquo;s online platform, advanced screenwriting and collaboration tools, to facilitate the efficient hosting of workshops. In addition, Open Screenplay has produced several critically acclaimed short films from screenwriters discovered on its platform.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Open Screenplay Founder &amp; CEO, Khaled Sabawi said &ldquo;Our mission has always been to facilitate the entire journey of emerging storytellers, up to and including the production of a completed screenplay. That is why we applaud the M Film Lab, and its founder Mr. Malas, for sharing this vision.&rdquo;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform that enables businesses to generate authentic and diverse stories from their audience while providing access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
&nbsp;
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay to produce M Film Lab Winner “Black Metal”

TORONTO, July 22 2022&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;is proud to join forces again with the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mfilmlab.org">M Film Lab</a>&nbsp;to launch their fall 2022 program: Amplifying Latinx Stories. This is a free-to-join screenwriting workshop and mentorship opportunity for Latinx screenwriters to work with a team of acclaimed mentors and industry professionals to hone their skills and prepare for a career in film and television writing.&nbsp;
Mentors attached to this program include an array of acclaimed Latino and Latina screenwriters, filmmakers, producers and educators including:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7708876/">Santiago Paladines</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3722546/">Gareth-Dunnet-Alcocer</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2377678/">Arturo Muyshondt</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bianca-gonzalez-251773100/">Bianca Gonzalez</a>,<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6462218/">&nbsp;Felicia Hilario</a>, and<a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5937905/">&nbsp;Maggy Torres-Rodriguez.</a>
Mr.Mohanad Malas, founder of The M Film Lab said &ldquo;The lab aspires to provide an ecosystem for filmmakers to create authentic stories and diverse characters and to produce work that is creative, compelling, and with a strong social message.&nbsp; We recognize that despite recent progress on screen, the industry is still far from proportionate and fair representation of Latinx writers and directors.&nbsp; That&rsquo;s why for our Fall 2022 program we are focused on creating opportunities for Latinx storytellers, and will hopefully launch the careers of 6 talented writers&rdquo;
The M Film Lab utilizes Open Screenplay&rsquo;s online platform, advanced screenwriting and collaboration tools, to facilitate the efficient hosting of workshops that reach more aspiring storytellers.
Commenting on the significance of this initiative, Open Screenplay Founder &amp; CEO, Khaled Sabawi said &ldquo;Most screenwriting labs offer valuable screenwriting theory, but don&rsquo;t include the production of a completed screenplay.&nbsp; By utilizing Open Screenplay to host and manage the lab, resources are freed up which can be allocated toward production, thereby increasing the impact, enhancing the experience for the participants, and attracting a very high caliber of applicants. We applaud the M Film Lab, and its founder Mr. Malas, for having the vision to employ our technology for such a worthwhile initiative&rdquo;.&nbsp;
Applications for the M Film Lab fall 2022 program can be submitted at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/mfilmlab.com">https://www.openscreenplay.com/mfilmlab.com</a>
&nbsp;
About Open Screenplay
Open Screenplay, a free, first-of-its-kind online platform that enables businesses to generate authentic and diverse stories from their audience while providing access to writers struggling to break into the business by helping them create better stories through the platform&rsquo;s proven story-writing process and tools. Open Screenplay is creating a global community, where members have the option to collaborate with writers around the world. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a>
&nbsp;
Press Contact: Khaled Sabawi, Founder &amp; CEO
Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:press@openscreenplay.com">press@openscreenplay.com</a>

Open Screenplay rejoins forces with M Film Labs  to create opportunities for Latinx Filmmakers

Cleveland, OH &ndash; March 3, 2025&nbsp;&ndash; M Film Lab are delighted to announce that their short film "Exception" has been officially selected to screen at the 49th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF), an esteemed Oscar-qualifying festival, scheduled from March 27 to April 5, 2025, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio.&nbsp;
"Exception" tells the compelling story of tenured Palestinian-American professor Karim Hadawi, portrayed by Waleed Zuaiter, who faces a profound personal and professional crisis when a lecture video goes viral, leading to accusations of anti-Semitism. The narrative delves into themes of integrity, family, and freedom of speech as Karim confronts the ultimatum of issuing a public apology to save his career or risking the loss of his job and custody of his daughter.&nbsp;
The film is based on the winning script from the M Film Lab&rsquo;s first screenwriting lab for Muslim writers, hosted in partnership with<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">&nbsp;Open Screenplay Inc</a>.&nbsp; The original story was crafted by Palestinian-American screenwriter Nader Yousef and further developed into a screenplay by Open Screenplay co-founders Khaled Sabawi and Sami Sabawi. Under the guidance of Oscar-nominated executive producer Mohannad Malas and BAFTA-winning director Farah Nabulsi, award-winning Canadian director Rodrigue Hammal, of Lebanese and Syrian heritage, brought "Exception" to life.
CIFF is recognized as one of the few Academy Award&reg;-qualifying festivals globally for all three categories of short films&mdash;live action, animated, and documentary&mdash;offering filmmakers a prestigious platform for their work.&nbsp;
"Exception" is scheduled to screen at CIFF on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 11:55 AM. For more information about the film and its festival journey, please visit<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/exception">&nbsp;https://www.openscreenplay.com/exception</a>.
Media Contact:
Sami Alsabawi
Co-Founder, Open Screenplay Inc.
sami@openscreenplay.com
About Open Screenplay:
<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;is a multilingual online screenwriting platform and community that develops and educates underrepresented screenwriters, connecting them to opportunities worldwide.
About M Film Lab:
<a href="http://www.mfilmlab.com">M Film Lab</a>&nbsp;is a free-to-join screenwriting workshop and mentorship program dedicated to fair artistic representation of underrepresented minorities in film and television. citeturn0search0
About Cleveland International Film Festival:
<a href="https://www.clevelandfilm.org/festival/films?filters=%7B%22type%22%3A%22%22%2C%22search%22%3A%22%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22%22%2C%22sidebar%22%3A%22%22%2C%22competition%22%3A%22%22%2C%22country%22%3A%22%22%2C%22subtitles%22%3Afalse%2C%22audioDescription%22%3Afalse%2C%22page%22%3A1%2C%22festival%22%3A%22a12UU00000148ODYAY%22%7D">The Cleveland International Film Festival</a>&nbsp;is an annual event showcasing hundreds of films, fostering understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures and perspectives. CIFF48 is scheduled from April 3 to April 13, 2024, at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio.&nbsp;

Short Film "Exception" Accepted into Oscar-Qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival

Hollywood, California&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mfilmlab.com/">The M Film Lab&nbsp;</a>is proud to announce the launch of its highly anticipated&nbsp;Spring 2025 Screenwriting Lab, titled&nbsp;Tales of Identity &amp; Imagination, in partnership with popular screenwriting platform,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/">Open Screenplay</a>. This innovative program invites writers from all backgrounds to submit compelling short film screenplays that explore themes of identity, belonging, and the experiences of minorities, immigrants, and underrepresented communities.
The M Film Lab has consistently been a champion of diverse narratives, amplifying authentic voices that often go unheard. With a mission to challenge perspectives and foster empathy through storytelling, the Spring 2025 Lab aims to uncover fresh and powerful narratives that shed light on minority experiences in society.
About the Spring 2025 Lab:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Lab Format:&nbsp;&nbsp;Lab is held virtually via&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">www.openscreenplay.com</a></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Participants:&nbsp;The program will select&nbsp;six exceptional writers&nbsp;who will receive one-on-one mentorship from&nbsp;six experienced industry professionals</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Production Opportunity:&nbsp;At the conclusion of the lab,&nbsp;one winning screenplay&nbsp;will be optioned for production with an&nbsp;option fee of USD $1,500.</li>
</ul>
Submission Guidelines:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Format:&nbsp;Short Film Screenplay (12-15 pages)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Theme:&nbsp;Screenplays must explore themes tied to the experiences of minorities, immigrants, or underrepresented groups in society. Writers are encouraged to be bold, imaginative, and impactful in their storytelling.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Deadline:&nbsp;Submissions must be received by&nbsp;May 16, 2025.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Entry Fee:&nbsp;Free</li>
</ul>
&ldquo;This time,&nbsp; the lab is open to all screenwriters, regardless of ethnicity or background, in hopes of expanding our reach and cultivating the most inclusive space where diverse narratives thrive.&rdquo; said Mohannad Malas, Founder of M Film Lab. "Our Spring 2025 program is dedicated to discovering stories that push boundaries, celebrate diversity, and challenge conventional narratives."
For more details on how to apply and program updates, please visit<a href="http://www.mfilmlab.com/">&nbsp;www.mfilmlab.com</a>.
Media Contact: Sami Alsabawi Co-Founder, Open Screenplay Inc. sami@openscreenplay.com 
About Open Screenplay:
<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;is a multilingual online screenwriting platform and community that develops and educates underrepresented screenwriters, connecting them to opportunities worldwide.
About M Film Lab:
<a href="http://www.mfilmlab.com">M Film Lab</a>&nbsp;is a non-profit organization that hosts free-to-join screenwriting workshops and mentorship programs dedicated to fair artistic representation of underrepresented minorities in film and television.&nbsp;

M Film Lab Launches Spring 2025 Screenwriting Lab: Tales of Identity & Imagination

Hollywood, March 22, 2025&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mfilmlab.com/">The M Film Lab</a>&nbsp;and Open Screenplay proudly announce a strategic distribution agreement with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.watermelonpictures.com/">Watermelon Pictures</a>&nbsp;for their award-winning short film,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.openscreenplay.com/exception">Exception</a>. This collaboration ensures North American distribution and exclusive streaming rights on Watermelon Pictures&rsquo; forthcoming streaming platform. Exception features acclaimed Palestinian American actor Waleed Zuaiter (Baghdad Central, The Spy) in a compelling script that explores themes of free speech, ethics, and personal integrity, namely the suppression of academic voices in the U.S. that are critical of Israel&rsquo;s human rights violations. The film has garnered critical acclaim, including acceptance into the Oscar-qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival, with a screening scheduled for April 2, 2025. The film's journey began with M Film Lab's commitment to empowering underrepresented voices. In collaboration with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>, the lab provided a platform for emerging talents, leading to the discovery of Exception, penned by Palestinian American screenwriter Nader Yousef. The screenplay was further developed by Open Screenplay co-founders Khaled and Sami Sabawi, under the guidance of Oscar-nominated executive producer Mohannad Malas and BAFTA-winning director Farah Nabulsi. Award-winning Canadian director Rodrigue Hammal brought the story to life on screen. "We are thrilled to partner with Watermelon Pictures to bring Exception to a broader audience," said Mohannad Malas, founder of M Film Lab. "With the unprecedented attack on free speech we are witnessing in the United States, especially on college campuses, the timing of Exception couldn&rsquo;t be more pertinent." "We are honored to distribute Exception, a film that resonates deeply with our mission to shift culture by bringing untold stories to broad audiences," said Hamza Ali &nbsp;"We believe this is a timely and important film that will engage viewers into a meaningful conversation about threats to our civil rights.&rdquo; For press inquiries, interviews, or further details, please contact: Sami Alsabawi, Co-Founder &amp; COO Open Screenplay Inc. <a href="mailto:sami@openscreenplay.com">sami@openscreenplay.com</a> About M Film Lab M Film Lab is dedicated to discovering and nurturing stories that reflect the experiences of minorities, immigrants, and underrepresented communities. By providing tangible opportunities for these storytellers, M Film Lab aims to amplify authentic voices and cultivate bold storytelling. About Watermelon Pictures Watermelon Pictures is a film production and distribution company rooted in creative resistance. Their mission is to champion unheard voices, inspire the world to stand up to injustice, and imagine a shared, liberated future. They aim to entertain audiences and enrich the cultural landscape by promoting stories that reflect the perspectives and experiences of Palestinians and other marginalized groups worldwide. About Open Screenplay: <a href="http://www.openscreenplay.com">Open Screenplay</a>&nbsp;is a multilingual online screenwriting platform and community that develops and educates underrepresented screenwriters, connecting them to opportunities worldwide.

M Film Lab & Open Screenplay Partner with Watermelon Pictures to Distribute Award-Winning Short Film Exception Starring Waleed Zuaiter

Toronto, ON &mdash; Nov 19, 2025&nbsp;&mdash; M Film Lab is proud to announce the selected winner of the&nbsp;Spring 2025 &ldquo;Tales of Identity &amp; Imagination&rdquo; Lab, following one of the most competitive rounds in the program&rsquo;s history. After an extended review period due to the exceptional quality of submissions, the Lab has selected Vanishing Point by&nbsp;Kays Al-Atrakchi&nbsp;as this year&rsquo;s winning script.
&nbsp;
Vanishing Point is a gripping and socially resonant story about Wes and his adopted Arab American sister Alima, who embark on a perilous journey across Texas to escape mandatory registration and anti-Arab crackdowns. The script combines emotional depth, taut suspense, and a piercing exploration of belonging and identity in a polarized society. Reviewers praised the script for its cinematic pacing, well-drawn characters, and compelling themes that align strongly with the mission of M Film Lab: to elevate underrepresented voices and spotlight stories rooted in identity, displacement, imagination, and resilience.
&nbsp;
As the chosen winner, Kays Al-Atrakchi will receive an option fee for M Film Lab to begin developing Vanishing Point toward production.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;We were moved by the vulnerability and courage in all the submitted stories,&rdquo; said the M Film Lab founder Mohannad Malas, &ldquo;This year&rsquo;s finalists brought forward an extraordinary range of voices and perspectives, making this selection one of our toughest yet. We believe the jury selected a powerful and relevant script that will resonate with audiences.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
M Film Lab thanks all who participated and looks forward to continuing its mission of nurturing bold, original voices in storytelling.
&nbsp;
About M Film Lab
<img src="https://duyvg486w7l43.cloudfront.net/./blog_post_728634b9-9b1.png" />
M Film Lab is a dynamic incubator for emerging voices in the film industry, dedicated to discovering and nurturing diverse storytellers. With a focus on empowering underrepresented filmmakers, M Film Lab offers workshops, mentorship programs, and production support to bring bold, authentic stories to life. For more information, visit www.mfilmlab.com
&nbsp;
Media Contact: 
<a href="mailto:info@mfilmlab.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">info@mfilmlab.com</a>
<a href="https://www.mfilmlab.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.mfilmlab.com</a>
&nbsp;

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