Algeria calls for more funding for Arab cinema
By Amanda Georges
AFF Staff
On Monday, Algerian Secretary of State for Communication Azzedine Mihoubi proposed the creation of a fund to support local Arab film production, the Algerian Press Service reported.
“Funding Arab films is difficult and restrictive because of the lack of film supporting funds in the Arab world, and due to this reason, the Arab producers tend to seek a foreign party to finance their works,” Mihoubi said.
Mihoubi also commented that it is important to ensure a real contribution of Arab filmmakers and to move beyond merely honorary participants on an international level.
The same issue of foreign financing dependency is true with Arab film distribution. At last year’s Dubai Film Market, an event where distributers bid on rights to Arab and other international films, the majority of films were picked up by non-Arab distribution companies, including American, Dutch, Finnish and Swedish companies.
The proposed fund would also finance Arab co-productions as well as artistic and technical training.
Mihoubi also appealed to filmmakers to draw influence from Arab literature to create scripts.
“Today’s cinema has moved away from its objectives and film producers have limited interests in producing their movies based on literary works”
