The El Gouna Film Festival (Gff) will honor Egyptian director Marwan Hamed with a life Career Achievement Award at its upcoming sixth edition, running from October 6 to 12.
It marks the first element of the program to be announced as the Egyptian Red Sea festival returns this year following a one year hiatus in 2022.
Hamed studied film at the Higher Institute of Cinema in Cairo. His first short Li Li, adapted from a short story by Yusuf Idris, played at numerous festivals, winning the Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and the Golden Award at the Carthage Film Festival.
He broke out with his 2006 first feature The Yacoubian Building, adapted from Alaa Al-Aswany’s best-selling novel, which captures Egyptian society in the 1990s and the consequences of its extremes of wealth and poverty.
Featuring an ensemble cast, including Egyptian icons Adel Imam, Nour El-Sherif and Yousra alongside then...
It marks the first element of the program to be announced as the Egyptian Red Sea festival returns this year following a one year hiatus in 2022.
Hamed studied film at the Higher Institute of Cinema in Cairo. His first short Li Li, adapted from a short story by Yusuf Idris, played at numerous festivals, winning the Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and the Golden Award at the Carthage Film Festival.
He broke out with his 2006 first feature The Yacoubian Building, adapted from Alaa Al-Aswany’s best-selling novel, which captures Egyptian society in the 1990s and the consequences of its extremes of wealth and poverty.
Featuring an ensemble cast, including Egyptian icons Adel Imam, Nour El-Sherif and Yousra alongside then...
- 7/24/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) added 65 titles to its lineup Tuesday, unveiling the non-competitive program sections Best of Fests, Masters and Paradocs. The 34th edition of IDFA takes place from Nov. 17-28 in Amsterdam.
Best of Fests honors award winners, critics’ picks and audience favorites from the year’s festivals. The 46 strong selection includes India-set story about estranged lovers “A Night of Knowing Nothing” by Payal Kapadia, documentary award winner at Cannes, wildlife film “The Velvet Queen,” by debut director Marie Amiguet, “Users,” an exploration of humanity’s future by Natalia Almada, and “Taming the Garden,” the slow-cinema feature by Salomé Jashi.
These are joined by buzzy audience films such as Alison Klayman’s Alanis Morissette biopic “Jagged,” and Bing Liu and Joshua Altman’s “All These Sons,” from the filmmaking team behind “Minding the Gap.” The section also pays tribute to the surprise gems from the festival circuit,...
Best of Fests honors award winners, critics’ picks and audience favorites from the year’s festivals. The 46 strong selection includes India-set story about estranged lovers “A Night of Knowing Nothing” by Payal Kapadia, documentary award winner at Cannes, wildlife film “The Velvet Queen,” by debut director Marie Amiguet, “Users,” an exploration of humanity’s future by Natalia Almada, and “Taming the Garden,” the slow-cinema feature by Salomé Jashi.
These are joined by buzzy audience films such as Alison Klayman’s Alanis Morissette biopic “Jagged,” and Bing Liu and Joshua Altman’s “All These Sons,” from the filmmaking team behind “Minding the Gap.” The section also pays tribute to the surprise gems from the festival circuit,...
- 10/5/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Leading Arab producer Ossama Bawardi is in development with Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir’s fourth film, a period drama set in Palestine, with European and Arab characters, in what he describes as “a very competitive Arab market” for Arab films. Speaking to Variety at the El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt, Bawardi spoke about his upcoming slate.
Jacir, who served on the Berlinale’s International Jury this year, has just finished the script for her next project. The plan is for it to qualify under the British-Palestinian co-production agreement. “We have begun reaching out to international partners, to those who want to be part of Annemarie’s new film, which she calls the project of her life,” Bawardi said.
Even with the global pandemic, and at times because of it, it’s been a busy year for Bawardi and Philistine Films, the company he runs alongside Jacir. The husband-and-wife team...
Jacir, who served on the Berlinale’s International Jury this year, has just finished the script for her next project. The plan is for it to qualify under the British-Palestinian co-production agreement. “We have begun reaching out to international partners, to those who want to be part of Annemarie’s new film, which she calls the project of her life,” Bawardi said.
Even with the global pandemic, and at times because of it, it’s been a busy year for Bawardi and Philistine Films, the company he runs alongside Jacir. The husband-and-wife team...
- 10/31/2020
- by Kaleem Aftab
- Variety Film + TV
Always attentive to Lebanon, a country friendly to France for two thousand years, we are overwhelmed by the latest tragedy that has struck the country.
We send a thought to all of these French-speaking people and more particularly for our filmmaker friends who have been coming to Vesoul for 27 years to present their films, from Dima Al Joundi (Fica documentary audience award 2007 and Fica 2020) to Joana Hadjithomas, from Elias Khlat to Mai Masri, from Milka Assaf to the immense Jocelyne Saab (Medal of La Francophonie Fica 2009), who died last year. The works of Nadine Labaki, Philippe Aractingi, Danielle Arbid, Randa Chahal Sabbag, Ghassam Salhab, Jean Chamoun, Ziad Doueri, Assad Fouladkar (Fica 2002 public fiction award), Jacques Debs, Nicolas Damuni, Emir Kreideih, … have, also, been presented at Fica Vesoul.
Dima Al-joundi MartineThèrouanne
Long live this courageous people resisting so many trials!
Martine and Jean-Marc Thèrouanne, Director and General Delegate and the whole...
We send a thought to all of these French-speaking people and more particularly for our filmmaker friends who have been coming to Vesoul for 27 years to present their films, from Dima Al Joundi (Fica documentary audience award 2007 and Fica 2020) to Joana Hadjithomas, from Elias Khlat to Mai Masri, from Milka Assaf to the immense Jocelyne Saab (Medal of La Francophonie Fica 2009), who died last year. The works of Nadine Labaki, Philippe Aractingi, Danielle Arbid, Randa Chahal Sabbag, Ghassam Salhab, Jean Chamoun, Ziad Doueri, Assad Fouladkar (Fica 2002 public fiction award), Jacques Debs, Nicolas Damuni, Emir Kreideih, … have, also, been presented at Fica Vesoul.
Dima Al-joundi MartineThèrouanne
Long live this courageous people resisting so many trials!
Martine and Jean-Marc Thèrouanne, Director and General Delegate and the whole...
- 8/6/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Berlin’s Carlo Chatrian and Venice’s Alberto Barbera have also been invited.
Cannes Film Festival delegate general Thierry Frémaux, French actress and gender equality activist Adèle Haenel, and a number of the key cast and crew of Oscar-winning picture Parasite are among the some 400 international film industry professionals invited to join the Us’ Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) on Tuesday June 30.
With 49% of the 819 invitees hailing from 68 countries outside of the Us, the latest round of invitees was one of the most international selections ever.
Frémaux is among a number of festival chiefs to be invited...
Cannes Film Festival delegate general Thierry Frémaux, French actress and gender equality activist Adèle Haenel, and a number of the key cast and crew of Oscar-winning picture Parasite are among the some 400 international film industry professionals invited to join the Us’ Academy Of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) on Tuesday June 30.
With 49% of the 819 invitees hailing from 68 countries outside of the Us, the latest round of invitees was one of the most international selections ever.
Frémaux is among a number of festival chiefs to be invited...
- 7/1/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦69¦
- ScreenDaily
Dubayah worked on many of the major Palestinian films of the last 15 years.
The Palestinian film world has paid to tribute to prominent sound engineer Raja Dubayah, who has died at the age of 46 after a short illness.
Dubayah worked on many of the major Palestinian feature productions of the last 15 years including Annemarie Jacir’s When I Saw You and Wajib; Hany Abu-Assad’s Omar and The Idol; Mai Masri’s 3000 Nights; and Shady Srour’s Nazareth-set comedy Holy Air.
A rarity in the under-resourced Palestinian filmmaking scene, where it is difficult for aspiring technicians to get the training...
The Palestinian film world has paid to tribute to prominent sound engineer Raja Dubayah, who has died at the age of 46 after a short illness.
Dubayah worked on many of the major Palestinian feature productions of the last 15 years including Annemarie Jacir’s When I Saw You and Wajib; Hany Abu-Assad’s Omar and The Idol; Mai Masri’s 3000 Nights; and Shady Srour’s Nazareth-set comedy Holy Air.
A rarity in the under-resourced Palestinian filmmaking scene, where it is difficult for aspiring technicians to get the training...
- 6/19/2020
- by 1100388¦Melanie Goodfellow¦69¦
- ScreenDaily
‘You Will Die at Twenty’, ‘Talking About Trees’ and ‘Exam’ Win Golden Stars, and ‘Cinema for Humanity’ Award Goes to Ladj Ly’s Les MisérablesEl Gouna Film Festival concluded its third edition with a closing ceremony where the award-winning films were announced, with total award value at Us$224,000.
The winners were as follows.
Watch the Awards on Euronews here.
Feature Narrative Competition
El Gouna Golden Star for Narrative Film: You Will Die at Twenty by Amjad Abu Alala. See my review.
El Gouna Silver Star for Narrative Film: Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa
El Gouna Bronze Star for Narrative Film: Adam by Maryam Touzani. See my review.
El Gouna Star for the Best Arab Narrative Film: Papicha by Mounia Meddour
El Gouna Star for the Best Actor: Bartosz Bielenia, Corpus Christi
El Gouna Star for the Best Actress: Hend Sabry, Noura’s Dream
The gritty, Tunisian film tells the story...
The winners were as follows.
Watch the Awards on Euronews here.
Feature Narrative Competition
El Gouna Golden Star for Narrative Film: You Will Die at Twenty by Amjad Abu Alala. See my review.
El Gouna Silver Star for Narrative Film: Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa
El Gouna Bronze Star for Narrative Film: Adam by Maryam Touzani. See my review.
El Gouna Star for the Best Arab Narrative Film: Papicha by Mounia Meddour
El Gouna Star for the Best Actor: Bartosz Bielenia, Corpus Christi
El Gouna Star for the Best Actress: Hend Sabry, Noura’s Dream
The gritty, Tunisian film tells the story...
- 10/5/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The 5050×2020 gender equality charter was launched at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018.
The Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) has become the first Arab film festival, and second African festival, to sign the 5050×2020 gender equality charter, launched at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018.
The signing of the pledge will take place during a gala screening of fantasy drama Scales, the debut feature of Saudi Arabian filmmaker Shahad Ameen which world premiered to acclaim in Venice Critic’s Week in September.
Produced by Imagenation Abu Dhabi and sold internationally by Agc International, the film will also participate in Ciff’s Horizons of...
The Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff) has become the first Arab film festival, and second African festival, to sign the 5050×2020 gender equality charter, launched at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018.
The signing of the pledge will take place during a gala screening of fantasy drama Scales, the debut feature of Saudi Arabian filmmaker Shahad Ameen which world premiered to acclaim in Venice Critic’s Week in September.
Produced by Imagenation Abu Dhabi and sold internationally by Agc International, the film will also participate in Ciff’s Horizons of...
- 10/4/2019
- by 1100380¦Melanie Goodfellow¦0¦
- ScreenDaily
The star of “Aladdin,” Egyptian-Canadian actor Mena Massoud, called for a greater diversity of storytelling in movies and television when he spoke at the glamorous opening ceremony Thursday of the 3rd edition of Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival.
Massoud, whose credits include Amazon’s “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” and Hulu’s “Reprisal,” lauded “the power of art” to change society.
“As artists we have an extraordinary and rare privilege to tell the stories of our people, our land, our culture. They grip us, tear us apart, and put us back together. We are our stories.
“When I was growing up [in Canada] I never really saw people that looked like me on the big screen, and that made me feel like I didn’t belong there, and there wasn’t room for my story.”
He added: “When we represent all cultures with sensitivity and truth, we foster a society that supports all people.
Massoud, whose credits include Amazon’s “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” and Hulu’s “Reprisal,” lauded “the power of art” to change society.
“As artists we have an extraordinary and rare privilege to tell the stories of our people, our land, our culture. They grip us, tear us apart, and put us back together. We are our stories.
“When I was growing up [in Canada] I never really saw people that looked like me on the big screen, and that made me feel like I didn’t belong there, and there wasn’t room for my story.”
He added: “When we represent all cultures with sensitivity and truth, we foster a society that supports all people.
- 9/20/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The upbeat state of Arab cinema will be on the screen and in the balmy air at Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival (Sept. 19-27), which is steadily gaining traction in its stated ambition to become a key platform and solid driver for Middle-East producers.
“This year was one the best for Arab cinema,” says Intishal Al Timimi, artistic director of the event held in a Red Sea resort. As evidence, he points out that each one of the five Arab films he selected for his 15-title main competition lineup is by a first-time director, and three are by women.
“It shows that young Arab filmmakers are thriving,” Al Timimi says.
Now at its third edition, El Gouna has, since its inception, aimed to combine a cream-of-the-crop lineup offering the finest and freshest global and Arabic offerings alongside its CineGouna market component, which nurtures projects, in either development or post,...
“This year was one the best for Arab cinema,” says Intishal Al Timimi, artistic director of the event held in a Red Sea resort. As evidence, he points out that each one of the five Arab films he selected for his 15-title main competition lineup is by a first-time director, and three are by women.
“It shows that young Arab filmmakers are thriving,” Al Timimi says.
Now at its third edition, El Gouna has, since its inception, aimed to combine a cream-of-the-crop lineup offering the finest and freshest global and Arabic offerings alongside its CineGouna market component, which nurtures projects, in either development or post,...
- 9/19/2019
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Al Gouna Film Festival (Gff) has announced the program details of its 3rd edition, to take place in El Gouna, Egypt September 19–27.
Following the screening of a video showing the most important guests and artistic events of the past editions, the Egyptian actress, Injy El Mokkaddem, acting as moderator, asked the founder of El Gouna, an engineer named Samih Sawiris about his goals and dreams for Gff. Sawiris replied: “The festival was born successful since the first edition, and God helped us! As a film lover, I attend the majority of international festivals, and I hear how they talk about Gff, as if it has been present for many years.” Sawiris continued by requesting from the media not to pour all their efforts into the red carpet events, as the Festival will also be packed with other events and activities of great importance.
See videos of Al Gouna Film Festival’s last editions here.
Following the screening of a video showing the most important guests and artistic events of the past editions, the Egyptian actress, Injy El Mokkaddem, acting as moderator, asked the founder of El Gouna, an engineer named Samih Sawiris about his goals and dreams for Gff. Sawiris replied: “The festival was born successful since the first edition, and God helped us! As a film lover, I attend the majority of international festivals, and I hear how they talk about Gff, as if it has been present for many years.” Sawiris continued by requesting from the media not to pour all their efforts into the red carpet events, as the Festival will also be packed with other events and activities of great importance.
See videos of Al Gouna Film Festival’s last editions here.
- 9/2/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Tunisian film festival dedicated to Arab and African cinema celebrated 50th anniversary this year.
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania has won the grand prize, or Tanit d’Or, at Tunisia’s Carthage Film Festival for her feature-length documentary Zaineb Hates the Snow.
Shot over a six-year period, the film follows a young Tunisian girl’s difficult passage to adolescence after she moves to Quebec from Tunisia shortly after the death of her father in an accident.
Ben Hania – whose past works includes the mockumentary The Blade of Tunis – filmed the documentary’s young protagonist from the age of nine-years-old to 15.
Carthage’s top prize the Tanit d’Or takes its name from the lunar goddess of ancient Carthage, the ruins of which act as the backdrop for some of the festival’s screenings.
It was the second win for Zeineb Hates the Snow in recent days. The feature was also awarded best documentary prize at the CineMed...
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania has won the grand prize, or Tanit d’Or, at Tunisia’s Carthage Film Festival for her feature-length documentary Zaineb Hates the Snow.
Shot over a six-year period, the film follows a young Tunisian girl’s difficult passage to adolescence after she moves to Quebec from Tunisia shortly after the death of her father in an accident.
Ben Hania – whose past works includes the mockumentary The Blade of Tunis – filmed the documentary’s young protagonist from the age of nine-years-old to 15.
Carthage’s top prize the Tanit d’Or takes its name from the lunar goddess of ancient Carthage, the ruins of which act as the backdrop for some of the festival’s screenings.
It was the second win for Zeineb Hates the Snow in recent days. The feature was also awarded best documentary prize at the CineMed...
- 11/7/2016
- ScreenDaily
Tunisian film festival dedicated to Arab and African cinema celebrated 50th anniversary this year.
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania has won the grand prize, or Tanit d’Or, at Tunisia’s Carthage Film Festival for her feature-length documentary Zeineb Hates the Snow.
Shot over a six-year period, the film follows a young Tunisian girl’s difficult passage to adolescence after she moves to Quebec from Tunisia shortly after the death of her father in an accident.
Ben Hania – whose past works includes the mockumentary The Blade of Tunis – filmed the documentary’s young protagonist from the age of nine-years-old to 15.
Carthage’s top prize the Tanit d’Or takes its name from the lunar goddess of ancient Carthage, the ruins of which act as the backdrop for some of the festival’s screenings.
It was the second win for Zeineb Hates the Snow in recent days. The feature was also awarded best documentary prize at the CineMed...
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania has won the grand prize, or Tanit d’Or, at Tunisia’s Carthage Film Festival for her feature-length documentary Zeineb Hates the Snow.
Shot over a six-year period, the film follows a young Tunisian girl’s difficult passage to adolescence after she moves to Quebec from Tunisia shortly after the death of her father in an accident.
Ben Hania – whose past works includes the mockumentary The Blade of Tunis – filmed the documentary’s young protagonist from the age of nine-years-old to 15.
Carthage’s top prize the Tanit d’Or takes its name from the lunar goddess of ancient Carthage, the ruins of which act as the backdrop for some of the festival’s screenings.
It was the second win for Zeineb Hates the Snow in recent days. The feature was also awarded best documentary prize at the CineMed...
- 11/7/2016
- ScreenDaily
Eighty-five countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 89th Academy Awards. Yemen is a first-time entrant.
The 2016 submissions are:
Albania, “Chromium,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “The Well,” Lotfi Bouchouchi, director;
Argentina, “The Distinguished Citizen,” Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat, directors;
Australia, “Tanna,” Bentley Dean, Martin Butler, directors;
Austria, “Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe,” Maria Schrader, director;
Bangladesh, “link=tt5510934 auto]The Unnamed[/link],” Tauquir Ahmed, director;
Belgium, “The Ardennes,” Robin Pront, director;
Bolivia, “Sealed Cargo,” Julia Vargas Weise, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Death in Sarajevo,” Danis Tanovic, director;
Brazil, “Little Secret,” David Schurmann, director;
Bulgaria, “Losers,” Ivaylo Hristov, director;
Cambodia, “Before the Fall,” Ian White, director;
Canada, “It’s Only the End of the World,” Xavier Dolan, director;
Chile, “Neruda,” Pablo Larraín, director;
China, “Xuan Zang,” Huo Jianqi, director;
Colombia, “Alias Maria,” José Luis Rugeles, director;
Costa Rica, “About Us,” Hernán Jiménez, director;
Croatia, “On the Other Side,...
The 2016 submissions are:
Albania, “Chromium,” Bujar Alimani, director;
Algeria, “The Well,” Lotfi Bouchouchi, director;
Argentina, “The Distinguished Citizen,” Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat, directors;
Australia, “Tanna,” Bentley Dean, Martin Butler, directors;
Austria, “Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe,” Maria Schrader, director;
Bangladesh, “link=tt5510934 auto]The Unnamed[/link],” Tauquir Ahmed, director;
Belgium, “The Ardennes,” Robin Pront, director;
Bolivia, “Sealed Cargo,” Julia Vargas Weise, director;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Death in Sarajevo,” Danis Tanovic, director;
Brazil, “Little Secret,” David Schurmann, director;
Bulgaria, “Losers,” Ivaylo Hristov, director;
Cambodia, “Before the Fall,” Ian White, director;
Canada, “It’s Only the End of the World,” Xavier Dolan, director;
Chile, “Neruda,” Pablo Larraín, director;
China, “Xuan Zang,” Huo Jianqi, director;
Colombia, “Alias Maria,” José Luis Rugeles, director;
Costa Rica, “About Us,” Hernán Jiménez, director;
Croatia, “On the Other Side,...
- 10/12/2016
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Eighty-five countries have submitted a film for consideration in the 60th anniversary year of the foreign language film category.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Science said on Tuesday that this season also marks the first time Yemen has submitted a film, Khadija Al-Salami’s I Am Nojoom, Age 10 And Divorced.
The 89th Oscars will take place on February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. László Nemes’ Hungarian entry Son Of Saul won the award last February.
Foreign-language Academy Award Submissions
(Country, Title, director)
Albania, Chromium, dir Bujar Alimani;
Algeria, The Well, Lotfi Bouchouchi;
Argentina, The Distinguished Citizen, Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat;
Australia, Tanna, Bentley Dean, Martin Butler;
Austria, Stefan Zweig: Farewell To Europe, Maria Schrader;
Bangladesh, The Unnamed, Tauquir Ahmed;
Belgium, The Ardennes, Robin Pront;
Bolivia, Sealed Cargo, Julia Vargas Weise;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Death In Sarajevo, Danis Tanovic;
Brazil, Little Secret, David Schurmann.
Bulgaria, Losers, [link...
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Science said on Tuesday that this season also marks the first time Yemen has submitted a film, Khadija Al-Salami’s I Am Nojoom, Age 10 And Divorced.
The 89th Oscars will take place on February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood. László Nemes’ Hungarian entry Son Of Saul won the award last February.
Foreign-language Academy Award Submissions
(Country, Title, director)
Albania, Chromium, dir Bujar Alimani;
Algeria, The Well, Lotfi Bouchouchi;
Argentina, The Distinguished Citizen, Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat;
Australia, Tanna, Bentley Dean, Martin Butler;
Austria, Stefan Zweig: Farewell To Europe, Maria Schrader;
Bangladesh, The Unnamed, Tauquir Ahmed;
Belgium, The Ardennes, Robin Pront;
Bolivia, Sealed Cargo, Julia Vargas Weise;
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Death In Sarajevo, Danis Tanovic;
Brazil, Little Secret, David Schurmann.
Bulgaria, Losers, [link...
- 10/11/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Probst, the president and founder of Berlin’s Efm, received the Women’s International Film & Television Showcase’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Hayek the Animation Award 2015 for producing The Prophet.
Other honourees announced earlier this month in the 2015 Wifts included:
Romola Garai for the Barbara Tipple Best Actress Award;
White God’s Hungarian producers Viktoria Petrányi and Eszter Gyárfás for The Otilia Animal Advocacy Award;
Maggie Rodford, UK, for The Music Award; and
Mai Masri, Palestine, for The Jury Award in recognition of 3000 Nights.
For the full list of winners click here.
Other honourees announced earlier this month in the 2015 Wifts included:
Romola Garai for the Barbara Tipple Best Actress Award;
White God’s Hungarian producers Viktoria Petrányi and Eszter Gyárfás for The Otilia Animal Advocacy Award;
Maggie Rodford, UK, for The Music Award; and
Mai Masri, Palestine, for The Jury Award in recognition of 3000 Nights.
For the full list of winners click here.
- 12/18/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Mad Solutions has acquired pan-Arab rights to seven films in this year’s Diff line-up, including The Curve and Before The Summer Crowds, which receive their world premieres in the Muhr feature competition today.
The Cairo and Abu Dhabi-based distributor has also picked up two other Muhr feature titles – Omar Shargawi’s Al Medina, which also receives its world premiere at Diff, and Mai Masri’s 3,000 Nights, which premiered in Toronto.
Mad’s distribution slate also includes Arabian Nights title Love, Theft And Other Entanglements, directed by Muayad Alayan, and short films Ave Maria and 5th Floor Room 52.
Mad, which deals directly with cinemas across the region, is planning limited releases of up to 20 screens for each film. “Our strategy is to prolong the life of each film in the cinema, which is easier to manage when you have a smaller number of screens,” said Mad CEO Alaa Karkouti.
Mai Masri’s 3,000 Nights will be rolled out across...
The Cairo and Abu Dhabi-based distributor has also picked up two other Muhr feature titles – Omar Shargawi’s Al Medina, which also receives its world premiere at Diff, and Mai Masri’s 3,000 Nights, which premiered in Toronto.
Mad’s distribution slate also includes Arabian Nights title Love, Theft And Other Entanglements, directed by Muayad Alayan, and short films Ave Maria and 5th Floor Room 52.
Mad, which deals directly with cinemas across the region, is planning limited releases of up to 20 screens for each film. “Our strategy is to prolong the life of each film in the cinema, which is easier to manage when you have a smaller number of screens,” said Mad CEO Alaa Karkouti.
Mai Masri’s 3,000 Nights will be rolled out across...
- 12/10/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The Dubai International Film Festival has unveiled the first seven selections for its Muhr feature film competition, which will in total include 18 films from across the Arab world.
The selections include Moroccan filmmaker Hisham Lasri’s Starve Your Dog, which marks his third time in competition in Dubai; the film has premiered in Toronto. The Casablanca-set story is about a journalist trying to make a comeback when he lands an interview with the minister of a despotic former regime.
Two other Toronto titles selected are: Mai Masri with her fictional directorial debut 3000 Nights, also supported by Enjaaz. The story follows a woman in an Israeli prison who discovers she is pregnant after being wrongly sentenced. And Lebanese director Danielle Arbid’s Parisienne, about a young girl who escapes the Lebanese Civil War in the 1990s to live in Paris.
Iraq-born Halkwat Mustafa comes to the competition with the world premiere of El Clasico, which is supported...
The selections include Moroccan filmmaker Hisham Lasri’s Starve Your Dog, which marks his third time in competition in Dubai; the film has premiered in Toronto. The Casablanca-set story is about a journalist trying to make a comeback when he lands an interview with the minister of a despotic former regime.
Two other Toronto titles selected are: Mai Masri with her fictional directorial debut 3000 Nights, also supported by Enjaaz. The story follows a woman in an Israeli prison who discovers she is pregnant after being wrongly sentenced. And Lebanese director Danielle Arbid’s Parisienne, about a young girl who escapes the Lebanese Civil War in the 1990s to live in Paris.
Iraq-born Halkwat Mustafa comes to the competition with the world premiere of El Clasico, which is supported...
- 11/3/2015
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Full line-up of the Stockholm film festival includes feature and documentary competition line-ups.Scroll down for full line-up
The Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 11-22) has unveiled the line-up for its 26th edition, comprising more than 190 films from over 70 countries.
The Stockholm Xxvi Competition includes Marielle Heller’s Us title The Diary of a Teenage Girl and László Nemes’ Holocaust drama Son Of Saul.
It marks the first time Stockholm has a greater number of women than men competing for the Bronze Horse – the festival’s top prize.
The documentary competition includes Amy Berg’s An Open Secret, an investigation into accusations of teenagers being sexually abused within the film industry; and Cosima Spender’s Palio, centred on the annual horse race in Siena, Italy.
Announcing the programme, festival director Git Scheynius also revealed that Chinese artist Ai Weiwei will visit Stockholm for the first time as chairman of the jury for the first Stockholm Impact Award, which...
The Stockholm International Film Festival (Nov 11-22) has unveiled the line-up for its 26th edition, comprising more than 190 films from over 70 countries.
The Stockholm Xxvi Competition includes Marielle Heller’s Us title The Diary of a Teenage Girl and László Nemes’ Holocaust drama Son Of Saul.
It marks the first time Stockholm has a greater number of women than men competing for the Bronze Horse – the festival’s top prize.
The documentary competition includes Amy Berg’s An Open Secret, an investigation into accusations of teenagers being sexually abused within the film industry; and Cosima Spender’s Palio, centred on the annual horse race in Siena, Italy.
Announcing the programme, festival director Git Scheynius also revealed that Chinese artist Ai Weiwei will visit Stockholm for the first time as chairman of the jury for the first Stockholm Impact Award, which...
- 10/20/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Arab distributor Mad Solutions has picked up its second Toronto title with a film produced by Costa-Gavras.
Mad has acquired the Arab distribution rights to Let Them Come (Maintenant ils peuvent venir), the debut fiction feature of Salem Brahimi, which plays at the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 10-20) in theContemporary World Cinema strand.
The French-Algerian production is produced by Michèle Ray Gavras and film director Costa-Gavras.
The adaptation of Arezki Mellal’s novel revolves around a family that must defend itself amidst the onslaught of violence between government forces and radical Islamists in 1990s Algeria.
Alaa Karkouti, co-founder and managing partner at Mad Solutions, remarked on the importance of the acquisition. “The Arab world is awash with horrific stories, that come with a deluge of blood and terror, but rarely has this reality been represented in a film as powerfully as it has been in Let Them Come,” he said.
“Salem...
Mad has acquired the Arab distribution rights to Let Them Come (Maintenant ils peuvent venir), the debut fiction feature of Salem Brahimi, which plays at the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 10-20) in theContemporary World Cinema strand.
The French-Algerian production is produced by Michèle Ray Gavras and film director Costa-Gavras.
The adaptation of Arezki Mellal’s novel revolves around a family that must defend itself amidst the onslaught of violence between government forces and radical Islamists in 1990s Algeria.
Alaa Karkouti, co-founder and managing partner at Mad Solutions, remarked on the importance of the acquisition. “The Arab world is awash with horrific stories, that come with a deluge of blood and terror, but rarely has this reality been represented in a film as powerfully as it has been in Let Them Come,” he said.
“Salem...
- 9/14/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Samaritan Subterfuge: Masri’s Aggrandized Portrait of Political Metaphor
Portraits of women-in-prison have a long winding history in the annals of grindhouse and various exploitation cinema, and it’s a subgenre seemingly geared to easily capture the public’s attention. From critically admired studio efforts-turned camp classics like Caged (1950) to sleazy 99 Women (1969) to pop culture approved “Orange is the New Black,” the possibilities seem endless and compelling. Palestinian director Mai Masri leaves behind the world of documentary filmmaking for her feature debut, 3000 Nights. If the title gives you any indication, it’s the length of a prison sentence, and is an equally succinct way to describe the rather matter-of-fact tone the film takes in this examination of ‘the wrong (wo)man’ scenario. Drab and too easily utilizing the harrowing social and political upheaval of Israel’s occupation as a metaphor, the film’s lifeless portrayal of one woman’s...
Portraits of women-in-prison have a long winding history in the annals of grindhouse and various exploitation cinema, and it’s a subgenre seemingly geared to easily capture the public’s attention. From critically admired studio efforts-turned camp classics like Caged (1950) to sleazy 99 Women (1969) to pop culture approved “Orange is the New Black,” the possibilities seem endless and compelling. Palestinian director Mai Masri leaves behind the world of documentary filmmaking for her feature debut, 3000 Nights. If the title gives you any indication, it’s the length of a prison sentence, and is an equally succinct way to describe the rather matter-of-fact tone the film takes in this examination of ‘the wrong (wo)man’ scenario. Drab and too easily utilizing the harrowing social and political upheaval of Israel’s occupation as a metaphor, the film’s lifeless portrayal of one woman’s...
- 9/13/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
This year in Toronto is a particularly strong year for Africa and Palestine, with films from Ethiopia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and South Africa. The list includes world premieres but also films that launched their career in the Berlinale, Cannes and Venice.
Read More: Hany Abu-Assad’s 'The Idol' to World Premiere at Tiff!
Below are listed the titles, just click on the link for full programming note and screening dates.
"3000 Nights" dir. Mai Masri "As I Open My Eyes" dir. Leyla Bouzid "Cuckold" dir. Charlie Vundla "Dégradé" dirs. Arab & Tarzan Nasser "The Endless River" dir. Oliver Hermanus "The Idol" dir. Hany Abu-Assad "Lamb" dir. Yared Zeleke "Let Them Come" dir. Salem Brahimi "Much Loved" dir. Nabil Ayouch "Price of Love" dir. Hermon Hailay "Starve Your Dog" dir. Hicham Lasri "Story of Judas" dir. Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche "Very Big Shot" dir. Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya "Nasser" dir. Jihan El-Tahri
Some short films from Africa and the Middle East were selected out of the thousands of shorts submitted to Tiff. Brilliant emerging voices, including Ely Dagher (Lebanon) who won the award for short film in Cannes.
"Waves '98" dir. Ely Dagher "New Eyes" dir. Hiwot Admasu Getaneh "The Call" dir. Zamo Mkhwanazi "The Society" dir. Osama Rasheed...
Read More: Hany Abu-Assad’s 'The Idol' to World Premiere at Tiff!
Below are listed the titles, just click on the link for full programming note and screening dates.
"3000 Nights" dir. Mai Masri "As I Open My Eyes" dir. Leyla Bouzid "Cuckold" dir. Charlie Vundla "Dégradé" dirs. Arab & Tarzan Nasser "The Endless River" dir. Oliver Hermanus "The Idol" dir. Hany Abu-Assad "Lamb" dir. Yared Zeleke "Let Them Come" dir. Salem Brahimi "Much Loved" dir. Nabil Ayouch "Price of Love" dir. Hermon Hailay "Starve Your Dog" dir. Hicham Lasri "Story of Judas" dir. Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche "Very Big Shot" dir. Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya "Nasser" dir. Jihan El-Tahri
Some short films from Africa and the Middle East were selected out of the thousands of shorts submitted to Tiff. Brilliant emerging voices, including Ely Dagher (Lebanon) who won the award for short film in Cannes.
"Waves '98" dir. Ely Dagher "New Eyes" dir. Hiwot Admasu Getaneh "The Call" dir. Zamo Mkhwanazi "The Society" dir. Osama Rasheed...
- 9/12/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The 59Th BFI London Film Festival Announces Full 2015 Programme
You can peruse the programme at your leisure here.
The programme for the 59th BFI London Film Festival in partnership launched today, with Festival Director Clare Stewart presenting this year’s rich and diverse selection of films and events. BFI London Film Festival is Britain’s leading film event and one of the world’s oldest film festivals. It introduces the finest new British and international films to an expanding London and UK-wide audience. The Festival provides an essential platform for films seeking global success; and promotes the careers of British and international filmmakers through its industry and awards programmes. With this year’s industry programme stronger than ever, offering international filmmakers and leaders a programme of insightful events covering every area of the film industry Lff positions London as the world’s leading creative city.
The Festival will screen a...
You can peruse the programme at your leisure here.
The programme for the 59th BFI London Film Festival in partnership launched today, with Festival Director Clare Stewart presenting this year’s rich and diverse selection of films and events. BFI London Film Festival is Britain’s leading film event and one of the world’s oldest film festivals. It introduces the finest new British and international films to an expanding London and UK-wide audience. The Festival provides an essential platform for films seeking global success; and promotes the careers of British and international filmmakers through its industry and awards programmes. With this year’s industry programme stronger than ever, offering international filmmakers and leaders a programme of insightful events covering every area of the film industry Lff positions London as the world’s leading creative city.
The Festival will screen a...
- 9/1/2015
- by John
- SoundOnSight
The festival circuit is gearing up to start and London has added a handful of other prominent awards players for the year.
Among the new additions to the festival are Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs, starring Michael Fassbender in the lead role as the famed Apple head, which will be the festival’s closer. They have also announced that the premiere of Suffragette, starring Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan, will happen at the festival.
Opening & Closing Night
Suffragette, starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Brendan Gleeson, Ben Whishaw and Meryl Streep. Director Sarah Gavron returns to the Festival for a third time with a film that tells the story of the ordinary British women at the turn of the last century who risked everything in the fight for equality and the right to vote. Steve Jobs, directed by Danny Boyle whose films Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and 127 Hours (2010) previously closed the Festival.
Among the new additions to the festival are Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs, starring Michael Fassbender in the lead role as the famed Apple head, which will be the festival’s closer. They have also announced that the premiere of Suffragette, starring Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan, will happen at the festival.
Opening & Closing Night
Suffragette, starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Brendan Gleeson, Ben Whishaw and Meryl Streep. Director Sarah Gavron returns to the Festival for a third time with a film that tells the story of the ordinary British women at the turn of the last century who risked everything in the fight for equality and the right to vote. Steve Jobs, directed by Danny Boyle whose films Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and 127 Hours (2010) previously closed the Festival.
- 9/1/2015
- by Zach Dennis
- SoundOnSight
Official competition to include Cary Fukunaga’s Beasts Of No Nation and European premieres for Jonás Cuarón’s Desierto and Johnnie To’s Office.Scroll down for competition titles
The full line-up for the 59th BFI London Film Festival (Oct 7-18) has been unveiled this morning, including the titles set to compete in its four competitions.
The festival will screen a total of 238 fiction and documentary features, including 16 world premieres, eight international premieres, 40 European premieres and 11 archive films including five restoration world premieres. The line-up also includes 182 live action and animated shorts.
As previously announced, the festival will open with Sarah Gavron’s period drama Suffragette, starring Carey Mulligan, and will close with Danny Boyle’s biopic Steve Jobs, starring Michael Fassbender as the home computer pioneer and Apple co-founder. Both are European premieres.
Further headline galas at the festival will be Todd Haynes’ Carol, Jay Roach’s Trumbo, Scott Cooper’s Black Mass, John Crowley...
The full line-up for the 59th BFI London Film Festival (Oct 7-18) has been unveiled this morning, including the titles set to compete in its four competitions.
The festival will screen a total of 238 fiction and documentary features, including 16 world premieres, eight international premieres, 40 European premieres and 11 archive films including five restoration world premieres. The line-up also includes 182 live action and animated shorts.
As previously announced, the festival will open with Sarah Gavron’s period drama Suffragette, starring Carey Mulligan, and will close with Danny Boyle’s biopic Steve Jobs, starring Michael Fassbender as the home computer pioneer and Apple co-founder. Both are European premieres.
Further headline galas at the festival will be Todd Haynes’ Carol, Jay Roach’s Trumbo, Scott Cooper’s Black Mass, John Crowley...
- 9/1/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Films set to show at the 40th Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff), updated as announcements are made in the run up to the event.
Tiff will open on September 10 with Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts.
Tiff 40
Key: Wp = world premiere; Nap = North American premiere; IP = international premiere; Cp = Canadian premiere.
GALASBeeba Boys (Canada), Deepa Mehta, WPDemolition, Jean-Marc Vallée WPDisorder (Maryland) (France-Belgium), Alice Winocour NAPThe Dressmaker (Aus), Jocelyn Moorhouse, WPEye In The Sky (UK), Gavin Hood WPForsaken (Canada), Jon Cassar, WPFreeheld (Us), Peter Sollett, WPHyena Road (Canada), Paul Gross, WPLolo (France), Julie Delpy, NAPLegend (UK), Brian Helgeland, IPMan Down (Us), Dito Montiel NAPThe Man Who Knew Infinity (UK), Matt Brown, WPThe Martian (Us), Ridley Scott, WPMiss You Already (UK), Catherine Hardwicke WPMississippi Grind (Us), Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden CPMr. Right (Us), Paco Cabezas WPThe Program (UK), Stephen Frears, WPRemember (Canada), Atom Egoyan, NAPSeptembers Of Shiraz (Us), Wayne Blair, WPStonewall ([link...
Tiff will open on September 10 with Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts.
Tiff 40
Key: Wp = world premiere; Nap = North American premiere; IP = international premiere; Cp = Canadian premiere.
GALASBeeba Boys (Canada), Deepa Mehta, WPDemolition, Jean-Marc Vallée WPDisorder (Maryland) (France-Belgium), Alice Winocour NAPThe Dressmaker (Aus), Jocelyn Moorhouse, WPEye In The Sky (UK), Gavin Hood WPForsaken (Canada), Jon Cassar, WPFreeheld (Us), Peter Sollett, WPHyena Road (Canada), Paul Gross, WPLolo (France), Julie Delpy, NAPLegend (UK), Brian Helgeland, IPMan Down (Us), Dito Montiel NAPThe Man Who Knew Infinity (UK), Matt Brown, WPThe Martian (Us), Ridley Scott, WPMiss You Already (UK), Catherine Hardwicke WPMississippi Grind (Us), Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden CPMr. Right (Us), Paco Cabezas WPThe Program (UK), Stephen Frears, WPRemember (Canada), Atom Egoyan, NAPSeptembers Of Shiraz (Us), Wayne Blair, WPStonewall ([link...
- 8/25/2015
- ScreenDaily
Anne Sewitsky‘s Sundance preemed Homesick, Cannes preemed Romanian imports from Radu Muntean‘s One Floor Below and Corneliu Porumboiu‘s The Treasure along with Athina Rachel Tsangari‘s Locarno shown Chevalier are just four of the film titles in the just announced Contemporary World Cinema programme for Tiff. Among the other noteworthy titles in what is mostly a mix of world preems and North American premieres we find Grímur Hákonarson‘s Rams (just picked up by Cohen Media), Alex van Warmerdam well-received Locarno comedy Schneider vs. Bax , the world preem for Sion Sono’s The Whispering Star, and the Oscilloscope Laboratories picked up Ciro Guerra‘s Embrace Of The Serpent. Here are today’s selections that were added to the already announced Canadian items.
25 April (New Zealand), Leanne Pooley Wp
3000 Nights (Palestine-France-Jordan-Lebanon-uae-Qatar), Mai Masri Wp
An (Japan-France-Germany), Naomi Kawase Nap
The Apostate (Spain-France-Uruguay), Federico Veiroj Wp
As I Open...
25 April (New Zealand), Leanne Pooley Wp
3000 Nights (Palestine-France-Jordan-Lebanon-uae-Qatar), Mai Masri Wp
An (Japan-France-Germany), Naomi Kawase Nap
The Apostate (Spain-France-Uruguay), Federico Veiroj Wp
As I Open...
- 8/18/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Read More: Toronto International Film Festival Unveils World Cinema Slate; Includes New Films From Athina Rachel Tsangari, Sion Sono and Anne Sewitsky Mai Masri's prison drama "3,000 Nights" will be competing in the World Dramatic Competition at Tiff this September, and it should be quite the fierce competitor if the harrowing trailer above is any indication. The drama stars Maisa Abd Elhadi ("Habibi") as Layla, a young newlywed Palestinian schoolteacher who is arrested after being falsely accused and sentenced to eight years in prison. After being transferred to a high security Israeli women's prison, she learns she is pregnant and encounters a terrifying world in which Palestinian political prisoners are incarcerated with Israeli criminal inmates. Through her struggles raising her son behind bars, and her relationship with the other prisoners, she manages to find a sense of hope and a meaning to her life. Watch the exclusive "3,000...
- 8/18/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Due to the large volume of films that the Toronto International Film Festival screens every year, participants often find themselves unsure of how to decide what to see. To that end, festival organisers often distribute the films into numerous programmes to reflect commonalities among them. The Contemporary World Cinema Programme, to that end, looks at the features from filmmakers from around the world, showcasing the talents being displayed from numerous countries.
The full lineup for the 2015 Tiff Contemporary World Cinema Programme has now been announced, adding to the previously announced slate of Canadian Films in the Programme. The films, as well as their official synopses, can be seen below.
25 April, directed by Leanne Pooley, making its World Premiere
Award-winning filmmaker Leanne Pooley utilizes the letters and memoirs of New Zealand soldiers and nurses along with state of the art animation to tell the true story of the 1915 battle of Gallipoli.
The full lineup for the 2015 Tiff Contemporary World Cinema Programme has now been announced, adding to the previously announced slate of Canadian Films in the Programme. The films, as well as their official synopses, can be seen below.
25 April, directed by Leanne Pooley, making its World Premiere
Award-winning filmmaker Leanne Pooley utilizes the letters and memoirs of New Zealand soldiers and nurses along with state of the art animation to tell the true story of the 1915 battle of Gallipoli.
- 8/18/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
Potential awards season contenders Truth from James Vanderbilt and Marc Abraham’s I Saw The Light starring Tom Hiddleston as Hank Williams land world premiere slots, while Paco Cabezas’s Mr. Right will close the festival.
London is the subject of the seventh annual City To City programme that features world premieres of Tom Geens’ Couple In A Hole starring Paul Higgins and Kate Dickie and Michael Caton-Jones’ Urban Hymn with Letitia Wright and Shirley Henderson. Elaine Constantine’s Northern Soul gets a North American premiere.
The world premiere of Catherine Hardwicke’s Miss You Already is among five additions to the galas alongside Mr. Right, an action comedy starring Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick.
Matthew Cullen’s Martin Amis adaptation London Fields and David Gordon Green’s Our Brand Is Crisis get first public screenings in the Special Presentations roster with I Saw The Light.
Tiff top brass also unveiled the Contemporary World Cinema section, featuring...
London is the subject of the seventh annual City To City programme that features world premieres of Tom Geens’ Couple In A Hole starring Paul Higgins and Kate Dickie and Michael Caton-Jones’ Urban Hymn with Letitia Wright and Shirley Henderson. Elaine Constantine’s Northern Soul gets a North American premiere.
The world premiere of Catherine Hardwicke’s Miss You Already is among five additions to the galas alongside Mr. Right, an action comedy starring Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick.
Matthew Cullen’s Martin Amis adaptation London Fields and David Gordon Green’s Our Brand Is Crisis get first public screenings in the Special Presentations roster with I Saw The Light.
Tiff top brass also unveiled the Contemporary World Cinema section, featuring...
- 8/18/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
I had the good fortune of spending some time speaking with the CEO of the Doha Film Institute, Fatma Al Remahi, whom I had met previously at the Toronto Film Festival. She is a woman of rare talents and I intend to devote a "Women to Watch" feature on her when I return to Los Angeles. With her this day in Cannes were Khalil Benkirane, Head of Grants and Elia Suleiman, the Palestinian filmmaker known for his wry comedies/ commentaries of the current state of affairs around the Mideast, like "Divine Intervention", "The Time That Remains", "Chronicle of a Disappearance", winner of five major awards, and a segment in the 2012 omnibus, "7 Days in Havana".
They are here to celebrate being in Cannes with five films that they have invested in and which have won slots in the festival, thus proving how well their grants have worked. Even this past fall in Venice two of their films won prizes, one, "Sivas" from Turkey and Germany won the Special Jury Prize and Best Actor Award, and "Theeb" from Jordan UAE, Qatar and UK.
Before going into the films the Doha Film Institute is granting not only money to, but greater support from the filmmaking community in the Mideast and the larger world, I asked Suleiman how he envisaged his role. His answer was that, "with age, as strong passions wind down a bit, one has time and the wish to give back to the young, fresh filmmakers. In the process, you learn from their experience, and your own passion is rekindled by theirs. We all felt the same way at the same time, and the new grants program started very quickly with a wholeness to it.
It offers a way to stay connected and alert. Personally, it gives us a community, helping others and in doing this, we help ourselves. That is why we are here."
CEO Fatma Al Ramahi added that after five years of curating projects, granting financial aid and co-financing projects, they had come full circle and Dfi was now offering filmmakers more in what resembles an ecosystem.
I pointedly asked about the place of women in this "ecosystem" to which Khalil Benkirane replied, it depends upon the submissions. They preselect some and others are chosen; the decisions are based upon the combination of merit, narrative story, content, relevance and a direction toward a cinema for tomorrow, bringing in a new voice. The last three sessions before this one included more projects by women than men. This last session had less than 50% by women, more like 30%. But they have no quota which they must fill. They are conscious, but the chose by merit. Women may be in greater numbers because they offer fresh, new voices. In five years we will see more features by women.
I asked about the presence of USA projects their selection, having noticed a little known incident dramatized in "Houston, We Have a Problem!" by Ziga Virc (Slovenia, Germany, Croatia, Qatar) which occurred in March, 1961 when Yugoslavia sold its secret space program to the USA. Two months later, President Kennedy announced that Americans would travel to the Moon.
They pointed out the USA coproduction, "Liyana" by Aaron and Amanda Kopp (USA, Swaziland, Qatar), a feature doc about some talented orphaned children in Swaziland who create a fictional heroine and send her on a dangerous quest.
In their first year, 30 projects from the Us were submitted by Sundance and none made the cut. Last year saw some strong Us docs. This year they saw some real USA indies which were submitted by individuals who heard the call. These were indies not influenced by Us commercial concerns, wanting to fill TV slots or other such systemic strictures.
I agree with them that Us filmmakers need to look abroad for more originality and cannot remain Us-centric if they want to break the constraints of TV and Hollywood imposed styles.
Since those early years, Sundance itself has changed its direction and expanded its international slate, and Us itself has become more multi cultural.
Submissions for the Fall 2015 grants session will open July 18 and close August 1, so act now!
By and large however, topical themes of exile, the aftermath of war, coming of age and the importance of family feature figure prominently in the Institute’s Spring 2015 session of its grants program whose recipients were announced today at the Cannes Film Festival.
Twenty-five projects – comprising 14 narrative feature films, 5 feature documentaries, 1 feature experimental film and 5 short films – will receive funding for development, production or post-production.
This round’s selection also highlights the strength of submissions from first- and second-time feature filmmakers from the Mena region along with a strong group of short films receiving grants, reflecting the Doha Film Institute’s dedication to supporting emerging new talent.
After expanding the grants criteria to include established filmmakers from the Mena region for the category of post-production, this cycle also sees Mai Masri (Palestine) and Merzak Allouache (Algeria) awarded funding for their respective new projects – Masri’s ‘"3000 Nights," a narrative feature about a newlywed Palestinian schoolteacher who gives birth to her son in an Israeli prison and Allouache’s "Madame Courage," a narrative feature about an unstable and lonely teenager, living in a slum in the suburbs of Mostaganem, Algeria.
Former grantees Leila Hotait Salas ("Crayons of Askalan") and Nejib Belkadhi (‘Bastardo’) are also returning with new projects. Hotait Salas’ narrative feature "Stolen Skies," is set against the demonstrations in Cairo in 2011 about a women who remembers her Lebanese lover from 30 years ago and Belkadhi’s narrative feature ‘Retina’, is about a Tunisian immigrant forced to return to his country to take care of his autistic son.
Gulf representation in the short films includes Fahad Al Kuwari’s "One of Them’ from Qatar" and Amal Al-Agroobi’s "Under The Hat" from the UAE. Qatari feature film, "Sahaab" by Khalifa Abdullah Al Muraikhi marks the first Qatari feature awarded for a production grant and is a project which recently participated in Qumra – the first edition of the Institute’s new industry platform dedicated to the development of first- and second-time filmmakers.
In the feature documentary category, stories from or about Syria and its ongoing civil war and set against a backdrop of political, social and emotional turmoil form the subject matter of several projects selected for grants including Boutheyna Bouslama’s "Seeking The Man With the Camera" (Tunisia, Switzerland, France, Qatar), Ziad Kalthoum’s "Beirut Rooster" (Syria, Lebanon, Qatar) and Noura Kevorkian’s "Batata" (Lebanon, Qatar).
In the feature narrative category, regional projects from Algeria, Lebanon and Palestine span a variety of genres and cover a range of subject matter such as modern-day life in the Middle East, lost love and immigration; projects include Muhannad Lamin’s "Tin Hinan," Lidia Terki’s "Paris The White," Firas Khoury’s "Alam, The Flag" and Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya’s innovative genre film "Film Kteer Kbeer."
Five projects from outside the Mena region have received funding, including grants for filmmakers from Singapore (‘Apprentice’ by Junfeng Boo) and Slovenia (‘Houston, We Have a Problem’ by Ziga Virc) for the first time.
The new-wave of filmmaking coming out of Argentina, a story of familial secrets between sisters and a moving documentary about orphan children in Swaziland form an eclectic selection of projects chosen from the rest of the world by filmmakers Francisco Varone ("Road To La Paz"), Manu Gerosa ("Between Sisters") and Aaron and Amanda Kopp ("Liyana").
Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO of the Doha Film Institute, said: “Our Spring grantees demonstrate the strength of new work coming from emerging filmmakers with 23 projects awarded to first- and second-time directors and a strong selection of short films by new talents to watch.”
“These grants give support to projects with diverse regional perspectives and genres, underlining the Doha Film Institute’s commitment to the development of innovative new voices in cinema which is also echoed in our recently launched development platform, Qumra.”
What is Qumra? I asked and they showed me the recent Screen International Cannes supplement about it. Those of you in Cannes can get it off the trade stands or in the Screen offices. It is no red carpet event, nor is it a series of matter lasses. It is a regional conference aimed at deepening the conversations of experienced experts and emerging filmmakers. No masterclass or labs replace the personal conversations though there are workshops and grants involved. The grants are not merely monetary; they are grants of support, mentorships and approval which open the way for the filmmakers to optimize their chances to move ahead with their projects toward their intended goals.
It is a question of control often for filmmakers who may be forced to fit an organization's requirements when they receive funding. In Qumra, they have their own space without an authoritarian producer, although the producer is also invited and is treated well. Because the projects and producers themselves are curated, the producers are committed to committing themselves as it were to the projects. They are not forced to take on projects if they don't find the one that fits, but they are only invited if they intend to consider the projects seriously for their own portfolio. That filmmakers and producers both come out of Qumra contented is crucial.
“We have funded more than 220 projects through the grants programme since it was established and I am pleased to welcome back some of our grantee alumni who are returning this session with their new films. I am also pleased to introduce in this funding round a new avenue of support for established Mena directors, which reflects an integral part of our mission to support voices from the Arab world.”
Films supported in previous sessions of the grants programme are strongly represented in the Festival de Cannes this year with five grantees making their world premiere in various sections. They are: "Waves ’98" by Elie Dagher (Lebanon, Qatar) competing in the Official Short Film Competition; "Dégradé" by Tarzan and Arab Abunasser (Palestine, France, Qatar) and "Mediterranea" by Jonas Carpignano (Italy, France, Germany, Qatar) in the Critics’ Week sidebar which is dedicated to showcasing innovative works by new filmmakers; ‘"Lamb" by Yared Zeleke (Ethiopia, France, Qatar) in the main world cinema showcase, Un Certain Regard; and "Mustang" by Deniz Gamze Ergüven (Turkey, France, Germany, Qatar) selected for the Directors’ Fortnight.
Submissions for the Fall 2015 grants session will open July 18 and close August 1, so act now!
The fund is primarily for first and second-time filmmakers with the exception of the category of Post-Production which is available to established filmmakers from the Mena region.
For more information about eligibility and submission process visit:
http://www.dohafilminstitute.com/financing/grants/guidelines
A full directory of past grant recipients is available to view online at:
http://www.dohafilminstitute.com/financing/projects/grants
Doha Film Institute grantees for the Spring 2015 session are:
Development
Feature Narrative
"Seeking the Man with the Camera" by Boutheyna Bouslama (Tunisia, Switzerland, France, Qatar)
An investigative documentary that follows the narrator as she seeks out Seymo, a childhood friend with whom she used to play in the streets of Homs.
"Stolen Skies" by Laila Hotait Salas (Lebanon, Qatar)
Against the backdrop of the demonstrations in Cairo in 2011, a woman wants to remember the Lebanese lover she had 30 years ago – but first she will need to forgive herself.
"Tin Hinan" by Muhannad Lamin (Libya, Qatar)
A mythical coming-of-age tale in which a young girl is forced to travel into the Sahara to find a new home, ‘Tin Hinan’ depicts the struggle for identity in the midst of a revolution.
Production
Feature Narrative
"1982" by Oualid Mouaness (Lebanon, Qatar)
When 11-year-old Wissam decides to tell a classmate that he loves her, his will is challenged, his courage falters and an impending war threatens to separate them permanently.
"Alam, The Flag" by Firas Khoury (Palestine, France, Qatar)
Tamer, a young Palestinian high-school student, takes part in the mysterious Operation Flag mission on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day celebrations – a day of mourning for Palestinians.
"Paris the White" by Lidia Terki (Algeria, France, Qatar)
Aicha, a woman of 70, leaves her village in Algeria for the first time to go to Paris in search of her husband, who has not contacted her in years.
"Retina" by Nejib Belkadhi (Tunisia, Qatar)
Lotfi, a Tunisian immigrant who lives in France, is forced to return to his homeland to take care of his autistic child.
"Sahaab" by Khalifa Abdullah Al Muraikhi (Qatar)
When Nasser and his friends are lost in the desert, struggling to retrieve their falcon, their search turns out to be a deadly journey.
Short Narrative
"Aya" by Moufida Fedhila (Tunisia, France, Qatar)
‘Aya’ is a story about faith in God and in humanity, and of making changes and sacrifices in order to save one’s soul.
"The Boss" by Rzgar Huseein Ahmed (Iraq, Qatar)
A group of boys decides to select a boss from among themselves. Then the boss becomes the group’s dictator.
"One of Them" by Fahad Al Kuwari (Qatar)
Khalid finds himself in an enigmatic situation when he suddenly develops immunity to religious advocacy.
"Under the Hat" by Amal Al-Agroobi (United Arab Emirates, Qatar)
A mosque’s mu’athen loses his voice and looks for a replacement in his neighbor – the young vocalist in a heavy metal band.
Feature Documentary
"Batata" by Noura Kevorkian (Lebanon, Qatar)
While war rages back home, a family of Syrian potato farmers works the fields in neighboring Lebanon.
"Ghosts Hunting" by Raed Andoni (Palestine, France, Qatar)
Director Raed Andoni assembles an eclectic group of Palestinian ex-prisoners to rebuild the Israeli investigation centre in which they were imprisoned – a place they never in fact saw, because they were always blindfolded.
Short Experimental or Essay
"The Most Pretty Dudes" by Mohammad Dibo (Syria, Qatar)
In Homs, a city destroyed by war, two embattled groups negotiate to ensure their safe escape from the building they are both trapped in.
Post-production
Feature Narrative
"3000 Nights" by Mai Masri (Palestine, France, Jordan, Lebanon, UAE, Qatar)
A recently wed Palestinian schoolteacher gives birth in an Israeli prison, where she fights to protect her son, survive and maintain hope.
"Apprentice" by Junfeng Boo (Singapore, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Qatar)
Aiman, a corrections officer, is transferred to a high-security prison. There, he befriends Rahim, who, it turns out, is chief executioner. Can Aiman overcome his conscience and become Rahim's apprentice?
"Film Kteer Kbeer" by Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya (Lebanon, Qatar)
Intending to smuggle the amphetamine Captagon to Iraq in film canisters, a small-time Lebanese drug-dealer transforms himself into a film producer and, with the help of an underrated filmmaker, slyly manipulates public opinion.
"Houston, We Have a Problem!" by Ziga Virc (Slovenia, Germany, Croatia, Qatar)
In March, 1961, Yugoslavia sold its secret space programme to the USA. Two months later, President Kennedy announced that Americans would travel to the Moon.
"Madame Courage" by Merzak Allouache (Algeria, France, Qatar)
Omar, an unstable and lonely teenager, lives in a slum in the suburbs of Mostaganem.
"Road to La Paz" by Francisco Varone (Argentina, The Netherlands, Germany, Qatar)
Sebastián is hired to take Jahlil, a Muslim retiree, on the most important mission of his life. What begins as an inconvenient trip turns out to be a life-changing adventure.
Feature Documentary
"Beirut Rooster" by Ziad Kalthoum (Syria, Lebanon, Qatar)
While Syrian workers rebuild Lebanon, a country ruined by a lengthy civil war, their hometowns in Syria are destroyed during the brutal conflict there. Who will rebuild their houses?
"Between Sisters" by Manu Gerosa (Italy, Qatar)
Before life runs out, Ornella decides to confront her aging sister Teresa with a painful untold story – one that might change their close bond forever.
"Liyana" by Aaron and Amanda Kopp (USA, Swaziland, Qatar)
In Swaziland, some talented orphaned children create a fictional heroine and send her on a dangerous quest.
Feature Experimental or Essay
"In My Head, A Roundabout" by Lahcene Ferhani (Algeria, France, Qatar)
In the Ruisseau District of Algiers, workers and animals come together for a last dance of death: the city’s main slaughterhouse is about to close forever.
They are here to celebrate being in Cannes with five films that they have invested in and which have won slots in the festival, thus proving how well their grants have worked. Even this past fall in Venice two of their films won prizes, one, "Sivas" from Turkey and Germany won the Special Jury Prize and Best Actor Award, and "Theeb" from Jordan UAE, Qatar and UK.
Before going into the films the Doha Film Institute is granting not only money to, but greater support from the filmmaking community in the Mideast and the larger world, I asked Suleiman how he envisaged his role. His answer was that, "with age, as strong passions wind down a bit, one has time and the wish to give back to the young, fresh filmmakers. In the process, you learn from their experience, and your own passion is rekindled by theirs. We all felt the same way at the same time, and the new grants program started very quickly with a wholeness to it.
It offers a way to stay connected and alert. Personally, it gives us a community, helping others and in doing this, we help ourselves. That is why we are here."
CEO Fatma Al Ramahi added that after five years of curating projects, granting financial aid and co-financing projects, they had come full circle and Dfi was now offering filmmakers more in what resembles an ecosystem.
I pointedly asked about the place of women in this "ecosystem" to which Khalil Benkirane replied, it depends upon the submissions. They preselect some and others are chosen; the decisions are based upon the combination of merit, narrative story, content, relevance and a direction toward a cinema for tomorrow, bringing in a new voice. The last three sessions before this one included more projects by women than men. This last session had less than 50% by women, more like 30%. But they have no quota which they must fill. They are conscious, but the chose by merit. Women may be in greater numbers because they offer fresh, new voices. In five years we will see more features by women.
I asked about the presence of USA projects their selection, having noticed a little known incident dramatized in "Houston, We Have a Problem!" by Ziga Virc (Slovenia, Germany, Croatia, Qatar) which occurred in March, 1961 when Yugoslavia sold its secret space program to the USA. Two months later, President Kennedy announced that Americans would travel to the Moon.
They pointed out the USA coproduction, "Liyana" by Aaron and Amanda Kopp (USA, Swaziland, Qatar), a feature doc about some talented orphaned children in Swaziland who create a fictional heroine and send her on a dangerous quest.
In their first year, 30 projects from the Us were submitted by Sundance and none made the cut. Last year saw some strong Us docs. This year they saw some real USA indies which were submitted by individuals who heard the call. These were indies not influenced by Us commercial concerns, wanting to fill TV slots or other such systemic strictures.
I agree with them that Us filmmakers need to look abroad for more originality and cannot remain Us-centric if they want to break the constraints of TV and Hollywood imposed styles.
Since those early years, Sundance itself has changed its direction and expanded its international slate, and Us itself has become more multi cultural.
Submissions for the Fall 2015 grants session will open July 18 and close August 1, so act now!
By and large however, topical themes of exile, the aftermath of war, coming of age and the importance of family feature figure prominently in the Institute’s Spring 2015 session of its grants program whose recipients were announced today at the Cannes Film Festival.
Twenty-five projects – comprising 14 narrative feature films, 5 feature documentaries, 1 feature experimental film and 5 short films – will receive funding for development, production or post-production.
This round’s selection also highlights the strength of submissions from first- and second-time feature filmmakers from the Mena region along with a strong group of short films receiving grants, reflecting the Doha Film Institute’s dedication to supporting emerging new talent.
After expanding the grants criteria to include established filmmakers from the Mena region for the category of post-production, this cycle also sees Mai Masri (Palestine) and Merzak Allouache (Algeria) awarded funding for their respective new projects – Masri’s ‘"3000 Nights," a narrative feature about a newlywed Palestinian schoolteacher who gives birth to her son in an Israeli prison and Allouache’s "Madame Courage," a narrative feature about an unstable and lonely teenager, living in a slum in the suburbs of Mostaganem, Algeria.
Former grantees Leila Hotait Salas ("Crayons of Askalan") and Nejib Belkadhi (‘Bastardo’) are also returning with new projects. Hotait Salas’ narrative feature "Stolen Skies," is set against the demonstrations in Cairo in 2011 about a women who remembers her Lebanese lover from 30 years ago and Belkadhi’s narrative feature ‘Retina’, is about a Tunisian immigrant forced to return to his country to take care of his autistic son.
Gulf representation in the short films includes Fahad Al Kuwari’s "One of Them’ from Qatar" and Amal Al-Agroobi’s "Under The Hat" from the UAE. Qatari feature film, "Sahaab" by Khalifa Abdullah Al Muraikhi marks the first Qatari feature awarded for a production grant and is a project which recently participated in Qumra – the first edition of the Institute’s new industry platform dedicated to the development of first- and second-time filmmakers.
In the feature documentary category, stories from or about Syria and its ongoing civil war and set against a backdrop of political, social and emotional turmoil form the subject matter of several projects selected for grants including Boutheyna Bouslama’s "Seeking The Man With the Camera" (Tunisia, Switzerland, France, Qatar), Ziad Kalthoum’s "Beirut Rooster" (Syria, Lebanon, Qatar) and Noura Kevorkian’s "Batata" (Lebanon, Qatar).
In the feature narrative category, regional projects from Algeria, Lebanon and Palestine span a variety of genres and cover a range of subject matter such as modern-day life in the Middle East, lost love and immigration; projects include Muhannad Lamin’s "Tin Hinan," Lidia Terki’s "Paris The White," Firas Khoury’s "Alam, The Flag" and Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya’s innovative genre film "Film Kteer Kbeer."
Five projects from outside the Mena region have received funding, including grants for filmmakers from Singapore (‘Apprentice’ by Junfeng Boo) and Slovenia (‘Houston, We Have a Problem’ by Ziga Virc) for the first time.
The new-wave of filmmaking coming out of Argentina, a story of familial secrets between sisters and a moving documentary about orphan children in Swaziland form an eclectic selection of projects chosen from the rest of the world by filmmakers Francisco Varone ("Road To La Paz"), Manu Gerosa ("Between Sisters") and Aaron and Amanda Kopp ("Liyana").
Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO of the Doha Film Institute, said: “Our Spring grantees demonstrate the strength of new work coming from emerging filmmakers with 23 projects awarded to first- and second-time directors and a strong selection of short films by new talents to watch.”
“These grants give support to projects with diverse regional perspectives and genres, underlining the Doha Film Institute’s commitment to the development of innovative new voices in cinema which is also echoed in our recently launched development platform, Qumra.”
What is Qumra? I asked and they showed me the recent Screen International Cannes supplement about it. Those of you in Cannes can get it off the trade stands or in the Screen offices. It is no red carpet event, nor is it a series of matter lasses. It is a regional conference aimed at deepening the conversations of experienced experts and emerging filmmakers. No masterclass or labs replace the personal conversations though there are workshops and grants involved. The grants are not merely monetary; they are grants of support, mentorships and approval which open the way for the filmmakers to optimize their chances to move ahead with their projects toward their intended goals.
It is a question of control often for filmmakers who may be forced to fit an organization's requirements when they receive funding. In Qumra, they have their own space without an authoritarian producer, although the producer is also invited and is treated well. Because the projects and producers themselves are curated, the producers are committed to committing themselves as it were to the projects. They are not forced to take on projects if they don't find the one that fits, but they are only invited if they intend to consider the projects seriously for their own portfolio. That filmmakers and producers both come out of Qumra contented is crucial.
“We have funded more than 220 projects through the grants programme since it was established and I am pleased to welcome back some of our grantee alumni who are returning this session with their new films. I am also pleased to introduce in this funding round a new avenue of support for established Mena directors, which reflects an integral part of our mission to support voices from the Arab world.”
Films supported in previous sessions of the grants programme are strongly represented in the Festival de Cannes this year with five grantees making their world premiere in various sections. They are: "Waves ’98" by Elie Dagher (Lebanon, Qatar) competing in the Official Short Film Competition; "Dégradé" by Tarzan and Arab Abunasser (Palestine, France, Qatar) and "Mediterranea" by Jonas Carpignano (Italy, France, Germany, Qatar) in the Critics’ Week sidebar which is dedicated to showcasing innovative works by new filmmakers; ‘"Lamb" by Yared Zeleke (Ethiopia, France, Qatar) in the main world cinema showcase, Un Certain Regard; and "Mustang" by Deniz Gamze Ergüven (Turkey, France, Germany, Qatar) selected for the Directors’ Fortnight.
Submissions for the Fall 2015 grants session will open July 18 and close August 1, so act now!
The fund is primarily for first and second-time filmmakers with the exception of the category of Post-Production which is available to established filmmakers from the Mena region.
For more information about eligibility and submission process visit:
http://www.dohafilminstitute.com/financing/grants/guidelines
A full directory of past grant recipients is available to view online at:
http://www.dohafilminstitute.com/financing/projects/grants
Doha Film Institute grantees for the Spring 2015 session are:
Development
Feature Narrative
"Seeking the Man with the Camera" by Boutheyna Bouslama (Tunisia, Switzerland, France, Qatar)
An investigative documentary that follows the narrator as she seeks out Seymo, a childhood friend with whom she used to play in the streets of Homs.
"Stolen Skies" by Laila Hotait Salas (Lebanon, Qatar)
Against the backdrop of the demonstrations in Cairo in 2011, a woman wants to remember the Lebanese lover she had 30 years ago – but first she will need to forgive herself.
"Tin Hinan" by Muhannad Lamin (Libya, Qatar)
A mythical coming-of-age tale in which a young girl is forced to travel into the Sahara to find a new home, ‘Tin Hinan’ depicts the struggle for identity in the midst of a revolution.
Production
Feature Narrative
"1982" by Oualid Mouaness (Lebanon, Qatar)
When 11-year-old Wissam decides to tell a classmate that he loves her, his will is challenged, his courage falters and an impending war threatens to separate them permanently.
"Alam, The Flag" by Firas Khoury (Palestine, France, Qatar)
Tamer, a young Palestinian high-school student, takes part in the mysterious Operation Flag mission on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day celebrations – a day of mourning for Palestinians.
"Paris the White" by Lidia Terki (Algeria, France, Qatar)
Aicha, a woman of 70, leaves her village in Algeria for the first time to go to Paris in search of her husband, who has not contacted her in years.
"Retina" by Nejib Belkadhi (Tunisia, Qatar)
Lotfi, a Tunisian immigrant who lives in France, is forced to return to his homeland to take care of his autistic child.
"Sahaab" by Khalifa Abdullah Al Muraikhi (Qatar)
When Nasser and his friends are lost in the desert, struggling to retrieve their falcon, their search turns out to be a deadly journey.
Short Narrative
"Aya" by Moufida Fedhila (Tunisia, France, Qatar)
‘Aya’ is a story about faith in God and in humanity, and of making changes and sacrifices in order to save one’s soul.
"The Boss" by Rzgar Huseein Ahmed (Iraq, Qatar)
A group of boys decides to select a boss from among themselves. Then the boss becomes the group’s dictator.
"One of Them" by Fahad Al Kuwari (Qatar)
Khalid finds himself in an enigmatic situation when he suddenly develops immunity to religious advocacy.
"Under the Hat" by Amal Al-Agroobi (United Arab Emirates, Qatar)
A mosque’s mu’athen loses his voice and looks for a replacement in his neighbor – the young vocalist in a heavy metal band.
Feature Documentary
"Batata" by Noura Kevorkian (Lebanon, Qatar)
While war rages back home, a family of Syrian potato farmers works the fields in neighboring Lebanon.
"Ghosts Hunting" by Raed Andoni (Palestine, France, Qatar)
Director Raed Andoni assembles an eclectic group of Palestinian ex-prisoners to rebuild the Israeli investigation centre in which they were imprisoned – a place they never in fact saw, because they were always blindfolded.
Short Experimental or Essay
"The Most Pretty Dudes" by Mohammad Dibo (Syria, Qatar)
In Homs, a city destroyed by war, two embattled groups negotiate to ensure their safe escape from the building they are both trapped in.
Post-production
Feature Narrative
"3000 Nights" by Mai Masri (Palestine, France, Jordan, Lebanon, UAE, Qatar)
A recently wed Palestinian schoolteacher gives birth in an Israeli prison, where she fights to protect her son, survive and maintain hope.
"Apprentice" by Junfeng Boo (Singapore, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Qatar)
Aiman, a corrections officer, is transferred to a high-security prison. There, he befriends Rahim, who, it turns out, is chief executioner. Can Aiman overcome his conscience and become Rahim's apprentice?
"Film Kteer Kbeer" by Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya (Lebanon, Qatar)
Intending to smuggle the amphetamine Captagon to Iraq in film canisters, a small-time Lebanese drug-dealer transforms himself into a film producer and, with the help of an underrated filmmaker, slyly manipulates public opinion.
"Houston, We Have a Problem!" by Ziga Virc (Slovenia, Germany, Croatia, Qatar)
In March, 1961, Yugoslavia sold its secret space programme to the USA. Two months later, President Kennedy announced that Americans would travel to the Moon.
"Madame Courage" by Merzak Allouache (Algeria, France, Qatar)
Omar, an unstable and lonely teenager, lives in a slum in the suburbs of Mostaganem.
"Road to La Paz" by Francisco Varone (Argentina, The Netherlands, Germany, Qatar)
Sebastián is hired to take Jahlil, a Muslim retiree, on the most important mission of his life. What begins as an inconvenient trip turns out to be a life-changing adventure.
Feature Documentary
"Beirut Rooster" by Ziad Kalthoum (Syria, Lebanon, Qatar)
While Syrian workers rebuild Lebanon, a country ruined by a lengthy civil war, their hometowns in Syria are destroyed during the brutal conflict there. Who will rebuild their houses?
"Between Sisters" by Manu Gerosa (Italy, Qatar)
Before life runs out, Ornella decides to confront her aging sister Teresa with a painful untold story – one that might change their close bond forever.
"Liyana" by Aaron and Amanda Kopp (USA, Swaziland, Qatar)
In Swaziland, some talented orphaned children create a fictional heroine and send her on a dangerous quest.
Feature Experimental or Essay
"In My Head, A Roundabout" by Lahcene Ferhani (Algeria, France, Qatar)
In the Ruisseau District of Algiers, workers and animals come together for a last dance of death: the city’s main slaughterhouse is about to close forever.
- 5/16/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The Doha Film Institute (Dfi) has unveiled the projects to receive grants in its Spring 2015 funding cycle, including the first Qatari feature awarded a production grant.
Sahaabfrom Qatar’s Khalifa Abdullah Al Muraikhi recently participated in Qumra – the first edition of Dfi’s new industry platform dedicated to the development of first- and second-time filmmakers.
“Our filmmakers are learning a lot through Qumra and attending other festivals where they can interact with filmmakers and producers from around the world,” said Dfi CEO Fatma Al Remaihi. “Its encouraging to see them progressing from shorts to feature films.”
In total, 25 projects – including features, documentaries and shorts – were selected to receive grants, with 23 from first and second-time filmmakers.
Five projects from outside the Mena region received funding, including three features: Apprentice from Singapore’s Boo Junfeng; Slovenian filmmaker Ziga Virc’s Houston, We Have a Problem; and Road To La Paz from Argentina’s Francisco Varone.
Dfi has also...
Sahaabfrom Qatar’s Khalifa Abdullah Al Muraikhi recently participated in Qumra – the first edition of Dfi’s new industry platform dedicated to the development of first- and second-time filmmakers.
“Our filmmakers are learning a lot through Qumra and attending other festivals where they can interact with filmmakers and producers from around the world,” said Dfi CEO Fatma Al Remaihi. “Its encouraging to see them progressing from shorts to feature films.”
In total, 25 projects – including features, documentaries and shorts – were selected to receive grants, with 23 from first and second-time filmmakers.
Five projects from outside the Mena region received funding, including three features: Apprentice from Singapore’s Boo Junfeng; Slovenian filmmaker Ziga Virc’s Houston, We Have a Problem; and Road To La Paz from Argentina’s Francisco Varone.
Dfi has also...
- 5/16/2015
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The Marché du Film (Cannes Film Market), in partnership with the Dubai Film Market (Dfm), will present an exclusive screening of five Arab films in post-production amongst the works-in-progress line-up at this year’s Cannes Film Festival: "300 Nights," "Border of Heaven," "The Curve," "Medina," and "The Other Side of November." Films part of the Dubai Film Market Goes to Cannes showcase will be screened to sales agents, distributors and festival programmers in Cannes, with filmmakers giving a brief introduction before showcasing excerpts from their films.
In addition five filmmakers who showcased their films at Diff’s 11th edition and the winners of the ‘The Reel Dubai Short Film Contest’ and ‘The Samsung Short Film Contest’ will present their films in the Cannes Short Film Corner, an essential platform to show their projects to a massive audience, pitch future projects, and make many important connections with industry professionals from around the world.
Through the Dubai Film Market’s (Dfm), the Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) plans to strengthen its program to further support filmmakers, develop a thriving film culture in the region, build a sustainable industry and promote Arab cinema on an international platform for the 12th edition which runs from December 9-16, 2015.
The Dubai Film Connection (Dfc), the region’s co-production market will return to the Dfm. Launched in 2007, the Dfc raised the visibility of Arab filmmakers and stimulated the growth of independent film production in the region. Over the years, numerous past Dfc projects have found critical acclaim around the world.
Shivani Pandya, Diff Managing Director said: “We’re very excited to reinstate the Dubai Film Connection. The filmmakers and industry professionals wanted it back and we listened. By offering the right networking and support opportunities the Dfc opens doors for Arab talent to promote and develop their film projects and it becomes a platform for producers and funds to find the best Arab projects ready for production.
The Dfc is now open for submissions for feature-length fiction and documentary projects in development by directors of Arab nationality or origin. The co-production market introduces Arab filmmakers to regional and international film backers and organizations. Deadline for submission is August 1st, 2015 and details are available at www.diff.ae
Enjaaz, the Dubai Film Market’s post-production and production support program continues to go from strength to strength, lending invaluable backing to a further ten of the region’s filmmakers.
The latest recipients of Enjaaz funding include: Mahmoud Al Massad’s "Blessed Benefit," Jihane Chouaib’s "Breathe," Halkawt Mustafa’s "El Clasico," Fares Naanaa’s "Borders of Heaven," Fawzi Saleh’s "Fish Killed Twice," Mai Masri’s "3000 Nights," Hany Abu Assad’s "Arab Idol," Afraa Batous’s "Skin," Maryanne Zéhil’s "The Other Side of November" and Hakim Belabbes’s "Weight of the Shadow."
Enjaaz is central to the Dfm’s strategy of developing the regional film industry by discovering and supporting filmmaking talent. By enabling more films to get realized, Enjaaz serves to diversify the choice of Arab films available to audiences. A total of 17 films supported by Enjaaz were screened at the 11th edition of Diff and more than 110 films have benefited from the program since its inception.
Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Iwc Schaffhausen, the Official ‘Festival-Time’ Partner of the Diff, continue their support with the highly anticipated fourth Iwc Filmmaker Award offering a cash prize of $100,000 which will help the winning filmmaker bring their ideas to life on screen. This collaboration reinforces Iwc’s global commitment to promoting the film-making industry and supporting talent in cinema with submissions opening later this month.
The Dfm’s most recent initiative, the Dubai Distribution Program (Ddp) launched last year to promote and facilitate the distribution of Arab films has achieved success with local, regional and international titles being picked up from Diff’s 2014 film program. The Ddp has expanded this year to offer greater opportunity for independent filmmakers to obtain distribution and showcase their films to a wider audience by screening films at Miptv, the largest global distribution market and at the Cannes International Film Festival.
In addition five filmmakers who showcased their films at Diff’s 11th edition and the winners of the ‘The Reel Dubai Short Film Contest’ and ‘The Samsung Short Film Contest’ will present their films in the Cannes Short Film Corner, an essential platform to show their projects to a massive audience, pitch future projects, and make many important connections with industry professionals from around the world.
Through the Dubai Film Market’s (Dfm), the Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) plans to strengthen its program to further support filmmakers, develop a thriving film culture in the region, build a sustainable industry and promote Arab cinema on an international platform for the 12th edition which runs from December 9-16, 2015.
The Dubai Film Connection (Dfc), the region’s co-production market will return to the Dfm. Launched in 2007, the Dfc raised the visibility of Arab filmmakers and stimulated the growth of independent film production in the region. Over the years, numerous past Dfc projects have found critical acclaim around the world.
Shivani Pandya, Diff Managing Director said: “We’re very excited to reinstate the Dubai Film Connection. The filmmakers and industry professionals wanted it back and we listened. By offering the right networking and support opportunities the Dfc opens doors for Arab talent to promote and develop their film projects and it becomes a platform for producers and funds to find the best Arab projects ready for production.
The Dfc is now open for submissions for feature-length fiction and documentary projects in development by directors of Arab nationality or origin. The co-production market introduces Arab filmmakers to regional and international film backers and organizations. Deadline for submission is August 1st, 2015 and details are available at www.diff.ae
Enjaaz, the Dubai Film Market’s post-production and production support program continues to go from strength to strength, lending invaluable backing to a further ten of the region’s filmmakers.
The latest recipients of Enjaaz funding include: Mahmoud Al Massad’s "Blessed Benefit," Jihane Chouaib’s "Breathe," Halkawt Mustafa’s "El Clasico," Fares Naanaa’s "Borders of Heaven," Fawzi Saleh’s "Fish Killed Twice," Mai Masri’s "3000 Nights," Hany Abu Assad’s "Arab Idol," Afraa Batous’s "Skin," Maryanne Zéhil’s "The Other Side of November" and Hakim Belabbes’s "Weight of the Shadow."
Enjaaz is central to the Dfm’s strategy of developing the regional film industry by discovering and supporting filmmaking talent. By enabling more films to get realized, Enjaaz serves to diversify the choice of Arab films available to audiences. A total of 17 films supported by Enjaaz were screened at the 11th edition of Diff and more than 110 films have benefited from the program since its inception.
Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Iwc Schaffhausen, the Official ‘Festival-Time’ Partner of the Diff, continue their support with the highly anticipated fourth Iwc Filmmaker Award offering a cash prize of $100,000 which will help the winning filmmaker bring their ideas to life on screen. This collaboration reinforces Iwc’s global commitment to promoting the film-making industry and supporting talent in cinema with submissions opening later this month.
The Dfm’s most recent initiative, the Dubai Distribution Program (Ddp) launched last year to promote and facilitate the distribution of Arab films has achieved success with local, regional and international titles being picked up from Diff’s 2014 film program. The Ddp has expanded this year to offer greater opportunity for independent filmmakers to obtain distribution and showcase their films to a wider audience by screening films at Miptv, the largest global distribution market and at the Cannes International Film Festival.
- 5/13/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Films from Dubai, Guadalajara and Buenos Aires among line-up.
The Cannes Film Festival’s Marché (May 13-25) is to host films from the Dubai Film Market and Mexico’s Guadalajara festival among its works-in-progress line-up.
Run in collaboration with regional film festivals and markets from around the world, the post-production projects are screened to sales agents, distributors and festival delegates in Cannes, with filmmakers giving a 10-15 minute introduction before excerpts from their films.
Partners for the three showcases this year are the Dubai International Film Festival and market, the Buenos Aires Festival of Independent Cinema (Bafici) and the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
Titles to be screened under the Dubai Film Market Goes to Cannes banner hail from Palestine to Tunisia:
The Curve (Jordan)
Dir: Rifqi Assaf
Pro: Rula Nasser
Medina (Palestine/Denmark)
Dir: Omar Sharqawi
Pro: Rula Nasser
Borders Of Heaven (fka A Full Moon Night) (Tunisia)
Dir: Fares Naanaa
Pro: Habib Attia
The Other Side Of November (Lebanon...
The Cannes Film Festival’s Marché (May 13-25) is to host films from the Dubai Film Market and Mexico’s Guadalajara festival among its works-in-progress line-up.
Run in collaboration with regional film festivals and markets from around the world, the post-production projects are screened to sales agents, distributors and festival delegates in Cannes, with filmmakers giving a 10-15 minute introduction before excerpts from their films.
Partners for the three showcases this year are the Dubai International Film Festival and market, the Buenos Aires Festival of Independent Cinema (Bafici) and the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
Titles to be screened under the Dubai Film Market Goes to Cannes banner hail from Palestine to Tunisia:
The Curve (Jordan)
Dir: Rifqi Assaf
Pro: Rula Nasser
Medina (Palestine/Denmark)
Dir: Omar Sharqawi
Pro: Rula Nasser
Borders Of Heaven (fka A Full Moon Night) (Tunisia)
Dir: Fares Naanaa
Pro: Habib Attia
The Other Side Of November (Lebanon...
- 4/21/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Freida Pinto
Actress Freida Pinto is part of the Muhr Emirati & Shorts Jury for the upcoming ninth edition of Dubai film festival (December 9-16). The Jury president for this section of short films is Mark Adams, chief film critic for Screen International. The Jury also comprises of Nayla Al Khaja, UAE’s first female producer and director.
The Muhr Arab Feature Jury will be presided by Brazilian director Bruno Barreto. The Jury comprises Egyptian actor Aser Yassin, CEO of the Austrian Film Commission Martin Schweighofer, Tunisian director Moufida Tlatli and filmmaker Adnan Madanat.
The Muhr Arab Documentary, presided by English director Michael Apted will comprise documentary filmmaker Azza El-Hassan and Artistic Director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival since January 2012, Chris Fujiwara. Apted is also the recipient of the 2012 Diff Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica Feature Jury will be presided by Korean director Chang-dong Lee. It will comprise festival organizer from Istanbul Azize Tan,...
Actress Freida Pinto is part of the Muhr Emirati & Shorts Jury for the upcoming ninth edition of Dubai film festival (December 9-16). The Jury president for this section of short films is Mark Adams, chief film critic for Screen International. The Jury also comprises of Nayla Al Khaja, UAE’s first female producer and director.
The Muhr Arab Feature Jury will be presided by Brazilian director Bruno Barreto. The Jury comprises Egyptian actor Aser Yassin, CEO of the Austrian Film Commission Martin Schweighofer, Tunisian director Moufida Tlatli and filmmaker Adnan Madanat.
The Muhr Arab Documentary, presided by English director Michael Apted will comprise documentary filmmaker Azza El-Hassan and Artistic Director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival since January 2012, Chris Fujiwara. Apted is also the recipient of the 2012 Diff Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Muhr AsiaAfrica Feature Jury will be presided by Korean director Chang-dong Lee. It will comprise festival organizer from Istanbul Azize Tan,...
- 12/6/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Fifteen feature film projects from 14 countries have been selected for the 8th Cinéfondation Atelier at the 65th Cannes International Film Festival (from May 16 to 27).
Among the projects will be In Your Name by Dutch director Marco van Geffen, whose first feature film Among Us was presented in competition at the last Locarno Film Festival.
Two first feature projects by female directors will also be on show with Touch Me Not by Romanian director Adina Pintilie (whose medium-length film Don't Get Me Wrong was selected by many festivals) and Des Etoiles (Stars) by Franco-Senegalese director Dyana Gaye (nominated for a César award in 2011 for best short with Saint Louis Blues), a project led by production company Andolfi and that has been promised an advance based upon box office receipts from the French National Center for Cinema and themoving image (Cnc).
Another project for a first European feature film will be presented at the Atelier with Franco-Portugese production Tristes Monroes (Sad Monroes) by the duo Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt, who were noticed at the last Mostra in Venice in the Horizons selection with the medium-length film Palaces of Pity (France-Portugal).
There will also be Cannibal by the Spaniard Manuel Martín Cuenca that will be the director's seventh feature film after over 12 years, of alernatively making documentaries and fiction films.
The other projects selected for the 2012 Atelier are:
Odysseys by Malek Bensmaïl (Algeria) Run by Philippe Lacôte (Ivory Coast) Blessed Benefits by Mahmoud Al Massad (Jordan) 3,000 Nights by Mai Masri ( Palestine) The Untold Tale by Shivajee Chandrabhushan (India) The Dog Show by Ralston Jover (Philippines) To Kill A Manby Alejandro Almendras (Chile) The Last Land by Pablo Lamar (Paraguay) Du, Zooey and Ma by Robin Weng and Underground Fragrance by Pengfei Song.(China)
Created in 2005 to help emerging and confirmed filmmakers to complete financing for their film (115 directors have benefitted so far, 72 films have been made, and 20 are still in pre-production), the Atelier will allow those selected in 2012 to be present on the Croisette from May 18 to 25 with their producers for individual meetings with the professionals interested in their projects. The Book of Projects and application forms will be available at the beginning of April on the Cinéfondation's website.
This is from Cineuropa.org...
Among the projects will be In Your Name by Dutch director Marco van Geffen, whose first feature film Among Us was presented in competition at the last Locarno Film Festival.
Two first feature projects by female directors will also be on show with Touch Me Not by Romanian director Adina Pintilie (whose medium-length film Don't Get Me Wrong was selected by many festivals) and Des Etoiles (Stars) by Franco-Senegalese director Dyana Gaye (nominated for a César award in 2011 for best short with Saint Louis Blues), a project led by production company Andolfi and that has been promised an advance based upon box office receipts from the French National Center for Cinema and themoving image (Cnc).
Another project for a first European feature film will be presented at the Atelier with Franco-Portugese production Tristes Monroes (Sad Monroes) by the duo Gabriel Abrantes and Daniel Schmidt, who were noticed at the last Mostra in Venice in the Horizons selection with the medium-length film Palaces of Pity (France-Portugal).
There will also be Cannibal by the Spaniard Manuel Martín Cuenca that will be the director's seventh feature film after over 12 years, of alernatively making documentaries and fiction films.
The other projects selected for the 2012 Atelier are:
Odysseys by Malek Bensmaïl (Algeria) Run by Philippe Lacôte (Ivory Coast) Blessed Benefits by Mahmoud Al Massad (Jordan) 3,000 Nights by Mai Masri ( Palestine) The Untold Tale by Shivajee Chandrabhushan (India) The Dog Show by Ralston Jover (Philippines) To Kill A Manby Alejandro Almendras (Chile) The Last Land by Pablo Lamar (Paraguay) Du, Zooey and Ma by Robin Weng and Underground Fragrance by Pengfei Song.(China)
Created in 2005 to help emerging and confirmed filmmakers to complete financing for their film (115 directors have benefitted so far, 72 films have been made, and 20 are still in pre-production), the Atelier will allow those selected in 2012 to be present on the Croisette from May 18 to 25 with their producers for individual meetings with the professionals interested in their projects. The Book of Projects and application forms will be available at the beginning of April on the Cinéfondation's website.
This is from Cineuropa.org...
- 3/20/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
In the seven previous editions (with 2007 being the best crop of films with noteworthy titles such as Bertrand Bonello's De La Guerre, Michelangelo Frammartino's Le Quattro Volte, Semih Kaplanoglu's Milk, Ciro Guerra's The Wind Journey, João Pedro Rodrigues' To Die Like A Man and So Yong Kim's Treeless Mountain), L’Atelier has been a pivotal stop for new auteurs in world cinema finding some coin. And while this doesn't carry the same weight as Rotterdam, so far the ratio is 72 for 115. Among the 15 projects selected this year we find find the likes of Dutch helmer Marco van Geffen (pictured) who gave us last year's Au Pair mystery Among Us (Locarno, Tiff), docu helmer Mahmoud Al Massad (Sundance's Recycle) and a foursome of filmmakers (Pengfei Song, Mai Masri, Pablo Lamar and Adina Pintilie) who've workshopped their nascent projects at the well-regarded Torino Film Labs. Here's...
- 3/15/2012
- IONCINEMA.com
ROME -- The Open Doors co-production lab at the Locarno International Film Festival will focus on the Near and Middle East, with 13 projects selected from 120 entries, organizers said Tuesday.
The lab -- which seeks to connect filmmakers with co-production partners and other financing and technical help -- will take place Aug. 5-8, near the halfway point of the Aug. 1-11 festival.
"The overall high standard made it difficult but fascinating to select the projects," Frederic Maire, Locarno's artistic director, said in a statement. "The 13 selected projects include four documentaries and four first feature films. Alongside young filmmakers, we are delighted to have a film by a master of Egyptian cinema, Daoud Abd El-Sayed."
El-Sayed's drama "Messages from the Sea" is one of two Egyptian films in the lineup, alongside "Harag we Marag" from Nadine Khan.
The most-represented country in the program is Lebanon, with four: "Halal" by Assad Fouladkar, Mai Masri's "Eye of the Phoenix", "The One-Man Village" from Simon El Habre'd and "I Can't Go Home" by Khalil Joreige and Joana Hadjithomas.
The lab -- which seeks to connect filmmakers with co-production partners and other financing and technical help -- will take place Aug. 5-8, near the halfway point of the Aug. 1-11 festival.
"The overall high standard made it difficult but fascinating to select the projects," Frederic Maire, Locarno's artistic director, said in a statement. "The 13 selected projects include four documentaries and four first feature films. Alongside young filmmakers, we are delighted to have a film by a master of Egyptian cinema, Daoud Abd El-Sayed."
El-Sayed's drama "Messages from the Sea" is one of two Egyptian films in the lineup, alongside "Harag we Marag" from Nadine Khan.
The most-represented country in the program is Lebanon, with four: "Halal" by Assad Fouladkar, Mai Masri's "Eye of the Phoenix", "The One-Man Village" from Simon El Habre'd and "I Can't Go Home" by Khalil Joreige and Joana Hadjithomas.
- 6/27/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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