Variety reports today that the British Academy of Film & TV Arts will honor Arab filmmakers in a four-day showcase of films from the region from July 11th – 14th.

The event will host some of this year’s best new Arabic-language films including Jordanian CAPTAIN ABU RAED by Amin Matalqa, Algerian DELICE PALOMA by Nadir Mokneche, and Syrian OUT OF COVERAGE by Abdellatif Abdelhamid.

In addition, a number of execs from the Gulf and throughout the Arab World will gather in London to celebrate the event and discuss the challenges faces the Arab World’s film business.

Read the full article here.

Prerana Reddy, Sareeta, Marzia Tedschi, Bernardus Manders, Ibrahim Al Batout.
(Photo Courtesy of Cinearabe.net by Ihab Kamel)

The 8th Annual Rotterdam Arab Film Festival came to a close on Sunday June 22nd after five days of marathon film screenings, lively panel discussions, intimate gatherings and late night dancing. This unique festival caters to its guest artists, who are brought together into the festival family from the moment they arrive. Every year the Rotterdam Arab Film Festival distinguishes many Arab films with the Golden Hawk awards. Here are the winners of 2008:

Short Documentary:
Special mention: Soy Palestino, Oussama Qashoo, Palestine
Silver Hawk: Memory of A Woman, Lassad Ousleti, Tunisia
Golden Hawk: Maria’s Grotto, Buthina Canaan, Palestine

Documentary:
Special mention: Recycle, Mahmoud Massad, Jordan
Silver Hawk: Viva Guevara, Maha Shahba, Egypt
Golden Hawk: Life after the Fall, Kasim Abid, Iraq

Short Fiction:
Special mention: Ghiyab (Absence), Mohamed Rached Bouali
Silver Hawk: Bint Mariam, Saeed Salmeen, UAE
Golden Hawk: Clean Hands, Dirty Soap, Karim Fanous, Egypt

Long Fiction:
ART award for First Film: Ein Shams, Ibrahim El-Battout, Egypt
Silver Hawk: Under the Bombs, Phillipe Aractingi, Lebanon
Golden Hawk: The Yellow House, Amor Hakkar, Algeria
Best Actor: George Khabbaz for his role in Under the Bombs, Lebanon
Best Actress: Hind Sabri for her role in Aquarium, Egypt

(From Left to Right) Festival Artistic Director Intishal El Temimi, Golden Hawk Winner Amor Akkar and Festival President Khaled Chouket
Kasim Abid wins the award for best documentary with his intimate look at daily struggles in Baghdad: Life After the Fall (both Photos Courtesy of Cinearabe.net by Ihab Kamel)

Panel discussions included the ‘Family in Egyptian Cinema,’ ‘The Case of El Adl Brothers,’ and ‘The Challenges of Arab Women Filmmakers’ featuring Hala Khalil, Selma Baccar and Layl Badr. (photos courtesy of cinearabe.net Ihab Kamel)

(Left to right) Festival organizer Nezha Sakioudi, Moroccan Actor Hicham Bahloul, Bernardus Manders, Sonia El-Feki, and Moroccan Actress Sana Mouziane. Up and coming Egyptian director Sherif El Bendary and Intishal El Temimi. (Photos by Amer Al-Zuhair)

A captivated audience enjoys the opening night celebration with festival president Habib Chawki Hamraoui.

Distinguished Festival Jury made up of Jury president Duraid Laham, Algerian Actress Bahia Rachedi, Lebanese Actress Claudia Marachalian, Dubai Film Festival Artistic Director Massaoud Amralla Ali, Iraqi Director Erfan Rachid, Moroccan star Mohamed Miftah.

Last Thursday, July 3rd marked the finale of the the 2nd Annual Oran Arab Film Festival with a closing night ceremony announcing the winners of the competition

The Syrian film Out of Coverage by Abdelatif Abdel Hamid won the Golden “Ahaggar” prize. For Best Director, the Moroccan Ahmed Al Maanouni won with his film Burned Hearts, an intimate look at a young man’s struggle to fit in in his hometown after many years abroad. The Aquarium by the Egyptian filmmaker Yousry Nasrallah received the Best Script award. A special Jury Mention for Cinematography was given to Waiting For Pasolini by Daoud Oulad Sayyed while the official prize was given to the Algerian Ahmed Mossaad for his work in the film Ayrouwen.

In the shorts competition, the Egyptian filmmaker Karim Fannous won with his film Clean Hands, Dirty Soap. The Jury also distinguished the Moroccan film Funerary Song by Mohamed Mouftakar and the Tunisian film Dead Fish by Malik Amara.

The Lebanese actress Nada Abou Ferhat won for her leading role in Under the Bombs by Philippe Aractingi while the Egyptian actor Ahmed Essaqa won for his role in The Island.

This international film event brought together over 250 guests from all over the Arab world, including famous personalities like Doureyd Lehham, the actress Mouna Wassef, the Algerian actress Bahia Rachedi, the legendary director Lakhdar Hamina, the actors Mahmoud Yacine and Mahmoud Abdelaziz and many others.

Beyond the glitter and exclusive parties, the International Film Festival of Oran brought together some promising young filmmakers. Among them the following short film directors whose originality and unique perspectives will hopefully fuel a new generation of Arab films:
Hachimiya Ahamada is a pioneer by directing the first film in the Comoros Islands, Residence Yang Yang. Mahdi Fleifel uses humor in Arafat & I, to explore the quirkiness of a young Palestinian looking for love in London. A bold experimental debut Souss wa Nokta by Lebanese filmmaker Reine Razouk jolted audiences in Oran. Local filmmaker Yanis Koussim depicted a touching story of sisterhood set one night in Algiers, Khti (Sister). Nawaf Al-Janahi dispeled all stereotypes by finding poetry and soul in the modern urban landscape in his film Mirrors Of Silence. Malik Amara‘s Dead Fish brings together an incredible cast of burlesque characters in the first Tunisian zombie movie.

International guests enjoy a concert featuring Algerian music. Tunisian Director Malik Amara, actor/producer Fathi Heddaoui, actress Hind Elfehem and director Hachimia Ahamada.

Directors Malik Amara and Mahdi Fleifel.
(photos Sonia El-Feki)