Arab cinema
Encyclopedia
Arab cinema refers to the cinema of the Arab world
.
, Lebanon
, Morocco
, the Palestinian territories
, Syria
and Tunisia
are making wider and more frequent rounds than ever before in local film festivals and repertoire theaters.
Arabic cinema is dominated by Egyptian movies
. Three quarters of all Arab movies are produced in Egypt.
Since 1976, Cairo
has held the annual Cairo International Film Festival
, which has been accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations. There is also another festival held in Alexandria
. Of the more than 4,000 short- and feature-length films made in Arabic-speaking countries since 1908, more than three-quarters were Egyptian.
In 1987, the inaugural Mogadishu Pan-African and Arab Film Symposium (Mogpaafis) was held, bringing together an array of prominent filmmakers and movie experts from across the globe, including other parts of Northeast Africa and the Arab world, as well as Asia
and Europe
. Held annually in Mogadishu
, the capital of Somalia
, the film festival was organized by the Somali Film Agency
, the nation's film regulatory body.
The International Film Festival of Marrakech
(FIFM) is an international film festival
held annually in Marrakech
, Morocco
. Since its inaugural year in 2000, the FIFM has been one of the biggest events devoted to Moroccan cinema
. It is also the site of the principal photography
of many international productions. The festival's jury gathers international writers, actors and personalities, and endeavors to reward the best Moroccan and foreign feature
and short films. The FIFM is chaired by Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco
.
The Dubai International Film Festival
(DIFF) is an international film festival
based in Dubai
, United Arab Emirates
. Launched in 2004, it aims to foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world. The DIFF is held under the honorary Chairmanship of Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
. It is a not-for-profit cultural event, presented and organised by the Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority
.
The DIFF presents cinematic excellence from around the world and offers a high-profile platform for aspiring home-grown talent. The Muhr Award for Excellence in Arab Cinema was launched in 2006, with the aim of recognizing Arab filmmakers both regionally and internationally. In 2008, the Muhr Awards for Excellence were expanded to include two separate competitions, the Arab Muhr Award, and the AsiaAfrica Muhr Award. It also introduced a new program segment dedicated exclusively to Animation.
The Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF) is another key international film festival in the larger Arab region. Created in 2007, the ceremony is held annually in October in Abu Dhabi
, UAE by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the ADACH. The ADFF aims to encourage and foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world
by showcasing movies from the region alongside standout productions from prominent international filmmakers. The first festival debuted with 152 movies and 186 screenings shown in five Abu Dhabi venues. A total of 76 feature films and 34 short films from over 35 countries competed for the Black Pearl Awards.
The Doha Tribeca Film Festival
(DTFF) is an annual five-day film festival
founded in 2009 to promote Arab
and international film, and to develop a sustainable film industry
in Qatar
. The Festival is one of Qatar's largest entertainment events attracting over 50,000 guests in 2010.
DTFF is the annual film festival of the Doha Film Institute
, an organisation founded by H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
which implements, consolidates and oversees film initiatives in Qatar.
The 3rd annual DTFF is scheduled to take place from October 25-29 2011 at Katara Cultural Village, Doha
. Approximately 40 films will screen at the festival, within various themed sections, showcasing World and Middle Eastern Cinema.
In 2011, the Abu Dhabi Film Festival launched the SANAD development and post-production fund for cineastes from the Arab world. With the goal of encouraging independent and auteur
-based cinema, eligible filmmakers now have access to financial grants, screenwriting and pitch workshops, and personal meetings with industry mentors and experts.
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
.
Overview
There is increased interest in films originating in the Arab world. For example, films from AlgeriaAlgeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
are making wider and more frequent rounds than ever before in local film festivals and repertoire theaters.
Arabic cinema is dominated by Egyptian movies
Cinema of Egypt
The cinema of Egypt refers to the flourishing Egyptian Arabic-language film industry based in Cairo, the capital of Egypt. Since 1976, Cairo has held the annual Cairo International Film Festival, which has been accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations. There is also...
. Three quarters of all Arab movies are produced in Egypt.
Festivals
There are numerous film festivals that have historically been and are held in various parts of the Arab world to both honor and showcase films from the Arab regions, as well as international standouts.Since 1976, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
has held the annual Cairo International Film Festival
Cairo International Film Festival
The Cairo International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Cairo, Egypt. It was established in 1976 and was the first international film festival held in the Arab world...
, which has been accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations. There is also another festival held in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. Of the more than 4,000 short- and feature-length films made in Arabic-speaking countries since 1908, more than three-quarters were Egyptian.
In 1987, the inaugural Mogadishu Pan-African and Arab Film Symposium (Mogpaafis) was held, bringing together an array of prominent filmmakers and movie experts from across the globe, including other parts of Northeast Africa and the Arab world, as well as Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Held annually in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
, the capital of Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, the film festival was organized by the Somali Film Agency
Somali Film Agency
The Somali Film Agency was a film regulatory body based in Mogadishu, Somalia.-History:Following a bloodless military coup d'état in 1969, the production, distribution and importation of films in the country were nationalized by the new-established Supreme Revolutionary Council...
, the nation's film regulatory body.
The International Film Festival of Marrakech
International Film Festival of Marrakech
The International Film Festival of Marrakech is an international film festival held annually in Marrakech, Morocco.-Overview:Since its inaugural year in 2000, the FIFM has been one of the biggest events devoted to Moroccan cinema...
(FIFM) is an international film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
held annually in Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. Since its inaugural year in 2000, the FIFM has been one of the biggest events devoted to Moroccan cinema
Cinema of Morocco
-History:Cinema in Morocco has a long history, stretching back over a century to the filming of Le chevrier Marocain by Louis Lumière in 1897. Between that time and 1944, many foreign movies were shot in the country, especially in the Ouarzazate area.In 1944, the Moroccan Cinematographic Center ,...
. It is also the site of the principal photography
Principal photography
thumb|300px|Film production on location in [[Newark, New Jersey]].Principal photography is the phase of film production in which the movie is filmed, with actors on set and cameras rolling, as distinct from pre-production and post-production....
of many international productions. The festival's jury gathers international writers, actors and personalities, and endeavors to reward the best Moroccan and foreign feature
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
and short films. The FIFM is chaired by Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco
Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco
Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco, also known as Prince Moulay Rachid ben al-Hassan was born on 20 June 1970 in Rabat as the youngest male child of the late King Hassan II. He holds a doctorate in international politics and serves Morocco as a diplomat...
.
The Dubai International Film Festival
Dubai International Film Festival
The Dubai International Film Festival is an international film festival based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Launched in 2004, it aims to foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world.-Overview:...
(DIFF) is an international film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
based in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. Launched in 2004, it aims to foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world. The DIFF is held under the honorary Chairmanship of Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is the President of the Department of Civil Aviation, CEO and Chairman of The Emirates Group and Chairman of Dubai World.- Background:...
. It is a not-for-profit cultural event, presented and organised by the Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority
Dubai Internet City
Dubai Internet City is an information technology park created by the government of Dubai as a free economic zone and a strategic base for companies targeting regional emerging markets. The economic rules of DIC allow companies to avail themselves of a number of ownership, taxation and custom...
.
The DIFF presents cinematic excellence from around the world and offers a high-profile platform for aspiring home-grown talent. The Muhr Award for Excellence in Arab Cinema was launched in 2006, with the aim of recognizing Arab filmmakers both regionally and internationally. In 2008, the Muhr Awards for Excellence were expanded to include two separate competitions, the Arab Muhr Award, and the AsiaAfrica Muhr Award. It also introduced a new program segment dedicated exclusively to Animation.
The Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF) is another key international film festival in the larger Arab region. Created in 2007, the ceremony is held annually in October in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, UAE by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the ADACH. The ADFF aims to encourage and foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
by showcasing movies from the region alongside standout productions from prominent international filmmakers. The first festival debuted with 152 movies and 186 screenings shown in five Abu Dhabi venues. A total of 76 feature films and 34 short films from over 35 countries competed for the Black Pearl Awards.
The Doha Tribeca Film Festival
Doha Tribeca Film Festival
The Doha Tribeca Film Festival is an annual five-day film festival founded in 2009 to promote Arab and international film, and to develop a sustainable film industry in Qatar. The Festival is one of Qatar's largest entertainment events attracting over 50,000 guests in 2010.DTFF is the annual film...
(DTFF) is an annual five-day film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
founded in 2009 to promote Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and international film, and to develop a sustainable film industry
Film industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
. The Festival is one of Qatar's largest entertainment events attracting over 50,000 guests in 2010.
DTFF is the annual film festival of the Doha Film Institute
Doha Film Institute
The Doha Film Institute is an independent cultural organisation established to incorporate Qatar’s film initiatives under one banner. DFI was founded in 2010 by H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani...
, an organisation founded by H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani
Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani is the 14th child of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the current Emir of Qatar, and the eldest daughter of the Emir with his second wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned....
which implements, consolidates and oversees film initiatives in Qatar.
The 3rd annual DTFF is scheduled to take place from October 25-29 2011 at Katara Cultural Village, Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
. Approximately 40 films will screen at the festival, within various themed sections, showcasing World and Middle Eastern Cinema.
Support initiatives
In conjunction with the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE) professional training, networking and project development organization, the Dubai International Film Festival in 2010 also began offering to filmmakers the Interchange group of development and co-production workshops earmarked for directors, screenwriters and producers from the larger Arab region.In 2011, the Abu Dhabi Film Festival launched the SANAD development and post-production fund for cineastes from the Arab world. With the goal of encouraging independent and auteur
Auteur theory
In film criticism, auteur theory holds that a director's film reflects the director's personal creative vision, as if they were the primary "auteur"...
-based cinema, eligible filmmakers now have access to financial grants, screenwriting and pitch workshops, and personal meetings with industry mentors and experts.