arab cinema centre celebrates two years of success
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Arab Cinema Centre celebrates two years of success

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleArab Cinema Centre celebrates two years of success

A still from the film Clash (Eshtebak),
Berlin - Arab Today

The 67th Berlin International Film Festival, which ended last week, marked the second anniversary of the creation of the Arab Cinema Centre, which was announced at the event in 2015.
Much of the remainder of that first year was spent developing the ACC as a concept and fine-tuning its remit to boost interest in, ­access to and funding for Arab Cinema around the world. Therefore 2016 was the centre’s first full year in operation, and the ACC used this year’s Berlinale to ­highlight some of its biggest achievements so far.
"We’ve created the first ­English-language magazine that’s dedicated to the business of the Arab film industry," says Alaa Karkouti, chief executive of Arab-movie ­distributor MAD Solutions, which organises the ACC. "The ­magazine is published ­quarterly and is distributed at key film ­festivals around the world where ACC is present. That’s a major one."
In terms of helping with funding and production, the highlight, says Karkouti, came late at Dubai International Film Festival (Diff), last December, where ACC handed out its first ART prize, which offers an award of up to US$10,000 (Dh36,726) for the best scripts in development.
Even more significantly, the ACC also launched the Arab Cinema Centre Lab during Diff.
"This was a first-of-its-kind film-financing incubator for accelerating new film projects and new business ideas that will drive the Arab film industry forward over the coming year," says Karkouti.
In simple terms, the ACC introduced the best Arab filmmakers with projects in need of funding, with producers, distributors, broadcasters and investors with money to invest. Karkouti hopes the end results will be some of the most talked-about Arab movies of the coming year. "By bringing ­together a select group of filmmakers, creative producers, funders, distributors and broadcasters, the mission is to open new paths to production for the most promising Arab storytellers by showcasing their work and laying the groundwork for a more robust investment culture," says Karkouti.
The centre also spent part of its festival-hopping time raising the profile of Arab cinema internationally through screenings, presentations and workshops. One of the major achievements in this respect was the inclusion of Arab producers at the Rotterdam International Film Festival’s huge Producers’ Lab for the first time in the history of the event.
Talking of the festival circuit, there must be far worse ways to spend the year than visiting one festival after another in far-flung locations every few weeks, from Jordan to Japan and Tunisia to Toronto. In total, Karkouti racked up 102,134km in air miles.
"Definitely Berlin and Cannes will always be the best highlights," he says. "The former is a phenomenal supporter and the birthplace of ACC in 2015. Cannes is where we launched the ACC Magazine. And, of course, what better way to end the year than at Diff, where we’ve launched our ACC Lab?"
In terms of individual film highlights for the past year, Karkouti remains diplomatic and declines to pick any personal favourites from last year’s crop, choosing ­instead to focus on the filmmaking community as a whole.
"My real highlight was creating a sense of unity and camaraderie among fellow filmmakers, producers, film festivals, funds from all around the world, and recognising the Arab film industry as a legitimate film-business environment, and not just a splattering of exceptional talents," he says.
It has been a tumultuous few years, politically and socially, for the Arab world – what effect has this had on international ­audiences’ perceptions of Arab cinema?
Karkouti is convinced the drama has only served to ­increase audiences’ desire to hear stories from the region.
"I think all of the events that are still unravelling in our region have created an insatiable hunger to absorb stories from the Arab world," he says.
"On the other hand, the reality of our political landscape is inspiring many auteurs to explore, bringing to the screens different film genres that find their sole purpose is to entertain audiences and allow them to escape the ­confines of the present."

Source : The National

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

arab cinema centre celebrates two years of success arab cinema centre celebrates two years of success

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 15:49 2017 Tuesday ,04 April

Europol, Georgia sign pact to combat terrorism

GMT 17:34 2017 Saturday ,19 August

India rail accident kills 10

GMT 07:44 2017 Saturday ,19 August

Firms flock to Syria fair with eye on reconstruction

GMT 18:11 2016 Saturday ,03 December

Congress and Trump agree to turn the heat up on Iran

GMT 13:12 2017 Tuesday ,05 December

Lebanon's PM Hariri withdraws his resignation

GMT 08:39 2017 Friday ,17 November

Baidu speeds up AI progress

GMT 03:33 2017 Tuesday ,21 February

Deadly blast strikes demonstration in Kabul

GMT 10:04 2011 Sunday ,11 September

Vauxhall/Opel to unveil 2-seat electric car at IAA

GMT 05:16 2016 Tuesday ,30 August

Fukushima Nuclear Plant Prepares for Typhoon

GMT 20:05 2011 Saturday ,27 August

Egyptair resumes Baghdad flights after 21 years

GMT 19:35 2011 Tuesday ,26 July

Ozil : Real \'more mature\' this season

GMT 05:41 2017 Thursday ,09 March

El Jaish Win Qatar Men's Basketball League

GMT 22:04 2011 Thursday ,08 September

Museum of the great syrian revolution monument

GMT 11:15 2015 Thursday ,01 October

Thuraya's CEO named Satellite Executive Of 2015

GMT 14:08 2016 Wednesday ,16 November

Scientists fear the worst under a Donald Trump presidency

GMT 10:28 2017 Wednesday ,12 April

New York $40mn attraction puts world in miniature

GMT 23:41 2017 Wednesday ,12 April

Easier visa regime to boost Oman tourism

GMT 17:48 2012 Monday ,09 January

Business trip: Dubai

GMT 01:34 2017 Tuesday ,11 April

Oman takes part in Arab Labour Conference in Egypt

GMT 15:20 2017 Monday ,05 June

Libya cuts all diplomatic ties with Qatar
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2023 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle