Cleveland, OH – March 3, 2025 – 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.
"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.
The film is based on the winning script from the M Film Lab’s first screenwriting lab for Muslim writers, hosted in partnership with Open Screenplay Inc. 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®-qualifying festivals globally for all three categories of short films—live action, animated, and documentary—offering filmmakers a prestigious platform for their work.
"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 https://www.openscreenplay.com/exception.
Media Contact:
Sami Alsabawi
Co-Founder, Open Screenplay Inc.
sami@openscreenplay.com
About Open Screenplay:
Open Screenplay is a multilingual online screenwriting platform and community that develops and educates underrepresented screenwriters, connecting them to opportunities worldwide.
About M Film Lab:
M Film Lab 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:
The Cleveland International Film Festival 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.
