At Rotterdam Arab Film Festival 2018, Cinephilia Shorts Lab was held as a 2-week writing program designed to assist filmmakers in developing their storytelling potential, criticism faculty, and technical proficiency. Cinephilia Shorts Lab aims to develop original, visionary, and daring voices in the art of screenwriting from the Middle East and Africa.

The lab offers the tools that result in a strong narrative short film while focusing on the individual's unique voice as a screenwriter and connecting like-minded people through shared collaborative feedback.

Muhammad Refaat received The Best Screenplay Award for his short film screenplay, Chained Prey.