Former Netflix Mena Head of Business and Legal Affairs Izzy Abidi and Egyptian entertainment lawyer and consultant, Aliaa Zaky, who works with companies such as Mad Solutions and Film Clinic, hit Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival this week to launch a pioneering award they believe fills a gap in the region.

Their new prize, organized under the banner of the Freshly Ground Stories hub launched by Abidi earlier this year, was among around 30 collateral prizes meted out to the 31 projects showcased in the festival’s Red Sea Souk’s project market.

The first two winners of the Freshly Ground Stories Award will receive business and legal support for a period of 12 months at any stage of the production cycle, worth the equivalent of $5,000.

Abidi and Zaky want to support filmmakers in navigating deals as well as give them insight into the art of negotiation and equip them with knowledge on contracts,...