A safe professional setting for filmmakers facing repression
Caméra libre, run by France's CNC, the Cité internationale des arts and L'usage du monde au 21e siècle, provides six-month residencies in Paris for foreign directors whose next feature-length film cannot be written, financed or developed freely because of political threats, censorship, persecution or violence. An individual of Moroccan nationality is not automatically excluded, but the call is strictly reserved for directors with a real and substantiated protection need.Strict artistic and safety eligibility
The applicant must be a writer-director affected by censorship, credible threats or persecution in their country of origin or residence. They must have directed at least one film of 60 minutes or longer selected at a major international festival included on the programme's eligible-festivals list. They must now be writing or developing a new feature in fiction, documentary or animation, not a project already in post-production, and be fluent enough in French or English for professional exchange.
People who hold nationality or a long-term residence permit in an EU or EFTA country or certain other designated countries (including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand) are not eligible. Dual nationals should read the exclusion list carefully.
Funding and assistance
The programme covers international return travel to France, visa charges, travel insurance and living support for the six-month residency, alongside accommodation, artistic development and legal and administrative assistance where needed. Residents benefit from script development guidance, CNC career advice and introductions to funding and co-production networks. No fixed monthly cash stipend is stated in the official announcement; avoid treating the residency as a predetermined project-production grant.
Application package and secure submission
Apply in French or English via the secure application procedure linked on the official call page. Submit a personal statement explaining the risks affecting the applicant and their work, a motivation note, and detailed information about the film. Fiction and animation projects require a script, while documentaries need a detailed treatment of at least twenty pages. Attach a 2–5-minute video introducing the project, one-page synopsis, director's intention and production notes, CV and filmography, and any relevant supporting information. An authorised representative may submit on behalf of a filmmaker unable to communicate abroad safely.
Deadline and confidentiality
The current official open-calls listing gives 16 November 2026 as the closing date, while an older cached page displayed 1 September; confirm the deadline directly in the submission portal. Because sensitive information is involved, do not publish applicants' evidence of risk online or email it through an unverified address.
[Official Caméra libre application](https://www.citeinternationaledesarts.fr/en/appels-a-candidature/camera-libre/) · [Programme and eligibility details](https://www.citeinternationaledesarts.fr/en/programme-de-residence/camera-libre/) · [Other film and arts opportunities](https://culturama.ma/opportunites).
*Image: official Caméra libre programme graphic from the Cité internationale des arts.*