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 f estivals 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.
Email: sami@openscreenplay.com