Saturday, 23 April 2011
The Quarter of Scarecrows, a prize winner at the fourth Gulf Film Festival. (File Photo)
While political turmoil and social upheaval wrack parts of the Middle East and North Africa, filmmakers of the Arab world are exhibiting their works at well-attended festivals, and film schools tutor aspiring auteurs and actors.
A recent Gulf film festival in Dubai established records, both in the number of films exhibited and in the number of attendees. In Baghdad, the Independent Film and Television College is once again highlighting its presence. The college will screen 16 short documentaries produced by its students between 2005 and 2010, mounting its first travelling documentary film festival in the country.
A recent Gulf film festival in Dubai established records, both in the number of films exhibited and in the number of attendees. In Baghdad, the Independent Film and Television College is once again highlighting its presence. The college will screen 16 short documentaries produced by its students between 2005 and 2010, mounting its first travelling documentary film festival in the country.
In Morocco, film critics recently debated a “A Screaming Man,” by Chadian director, Mohamed-Saleh Haroun. Filmed during Chad’s on-off civil war—which started in 2005—the drama shows a swimming champion-turned-hotel-pool-attendant who is humiliated when the new cost-cutting Chinese owners force him to hand his job to his son.
But “A Screaming Man” wasn’t the only movie to spark dialogue at the festival. There were spirited discussions about human rights issues in the Arab world and how they can be depicted through films. Academics held thematic seminars, alongside screenings of films from several countries. The seminars discussed regional issues such as human trafficking, and educating Arab girls brought up in rural areas.
The Moroccan film critic, Mohamed Bakreem, expressed his admiration for Mr. Haroun’s work.
“Mr. Haroun was able to establish an artistic approach, while preserving the cinematic language and the aesthetic choices that characterize his films. We always find some sort of quest for identity in his films,” said Mr. Bakreem.
Idris Alesmi, the chair of the event, said: “The event can be a space for friendships to form between countries that have similar difficulties. There are films that discuss the problems of migration, for instance, which was known to occur in the countries of the North Mediterranean, but has now begun to appear in film productions from the South.”
The event also honored the late director and screenwriter, Ahmed Bouaanani whose film “San Diego 73” was screened at the closing of the event.
In Baghdad, meanwhile, films by students at the Independent Film and Television College are being taken around the country.
“The films are now being shown in Iraq for the first time at this festival, which will travel to three cities–Baghdad, Basra and Erbil,” said a joint statement by Kasim Abid and Maysoon Pachachi, the two London-based Iraqi filmmakers and founders of the college. They posted comments at the festival’s film Website: http://www.dffiq.com/festival.
The college which kept a low profile ever since it came into being in 2004 due to Iraq’s explosive security situation, made some history abroad: Eight films produced by the college’s students won prizes at Arab and international festivals.
“Despite the difficulties, the problems and dangers which we faced, and despite having had to shut the school temporarily in 2007/8, we have managed to run five courses during which we have trained more than 100 students,” Mr. Abid and Ms. Pachachi said in their statement.
The films focus on lives of ordinary Iraqis facing dramatically debilitating conditions in their country. The college also eyes to spur debates and dialogue in general society.
“We are hoping that our students will be there to hold discussions with audiences,” the college founders said.
Observers have noted that films produced in Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, India and Pakistan generally dominate the market in the Arab world. That is why, they say, it is encouraging to see countries such as Iraq and Morocco supporting a new and enthusiastic generation of filmmakers.
(Eman El-Shenawi of Al Arabiya can be reached at: enam.elshenaw@mbc.net. Dina Al-Shibeeb, also of AL Arabiya, can be reached at: dina.ibrahim@mbc.ne
But “A Screaming Man” wasn’t the only movie to spark dialogue at the festival. There were spirited discussions about human rights issues in the Arab world and how they can be depicted through films. Academics held thematic seminars, alongside screenings of films from several countries. The seminars discussed regional issues such as human trafficking, and educating Arab girls brought up in rural areas.
The Moroccan film critic, Mohamed Bakreem, expressed his admiration for Mr. Haroun’s work.
“Mr. Haroun was able to establish an artistic approach, while preserving the cinematic language and the aesthetic choices that characterize his films. We always find some sort of quest for identity in his films,” said Mr. Bakreem.
Idris Alesmi, the chair of the event, said: “The event can be a space for friendships to form between countries that have similar difficulties. There are films that discuss the problems of migration, for instance, which was known to occur in the countries of the North Mediterranean, but has now begun to appear in film productions from the South.”
The event also honored the late director and screenwriter, Ahmed Bouaanani whose film “San Diego 73” was screened at the closing of the event.
In Baghdad, meanwhile, films by students at the Independent Film and Television College are being taken around the country.
“The films are now being shown in Iraq for the first time at this festival, which will travel to three cities–Baghdad, Basra and Erbil,” said a joint statement by Kasim Abid and Maysoon Pachachi, the two London-based Iraqi filmmakers and founders of the college. They posted comments at the festival’s film Website: http://www.dffiq.com/festival.
The college which kept a low profile ever since it came into being in 2004 due to Iraq’s explosive security situation, made some history abroad: Eight films produced by the college’s students won prizes at Arab and international festivals.
“Despite the difficulties, the problems and dangers which we faced, and despite having had to shut the school temporarily in 2007/8, we have managed to run five courses during which we have trained more than 100 students,” Mr. Abid and Ms. Pachachi said in their statement.
The films focus on lives of ordinary Iraqis facing dramatically debilitating conditions in their country. The college also eyes to spur debates and dialogue in general society.
“We are hoping that our students will be there to hold discussions with audiences,” the college founders said.
Observers have noted that films produced in Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, India and Pakistan generally dominate the market in the Arab world. That is why, they say, it is encouraging to see countries such as Iraq and Morocco supporting a new and enthusiastic generation of filmmakers.
(Eman El-Shenawi of Al Arabiya can be reached at: enam.elshenaw@mbc.net. Dina Al-Shibeeb, also of AL Arabiya, can be reached at: dina.ibrahim@mbc.ne
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