Prominent Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, whose epic “Kira and El Gen” about local resistance to British occupation recently scored at the local box office, is being feted with a career award by the El Gouna Film Festival.
The Egyptian fest, running Oct. 13-20 in the Red Sea resort roughly 250 miles south of Cairo, is also paying tribute to the Sudanese Film Group, a groundbreaking collective of filmmakers, and is planning an homage to late great British-French icon Jane Birkin.
Hamed (pictured above) broke out internationally in 2006 with his bold adaptation of Alaa Aswany’s bestselling novel “The Yacoubian Building” that became a game-changer in Egytian cinema due to the way it depicted homosexuality, Islamic fundamentalism and government corruption. After “Yacoubian” become a local hit and travelled widely Hamed scored again big time with “The Blue Elephant,” a thriller with supernatural elements and its sequel “The Blue Elephant 2” that more...
The Egyptian fest, running Oct. 13-20 in the Red Sea resort roughly 250 miles south of Cairo, is also paying tribute to the Sudanese Film Group, a groundbreaking collective of filmmakers, and is planning an homage to late great British-French icon Jane Birkin.
Hamed (pictured above) broke out internationally in 2006 with his bold adaptation of Alaa Aswany’s bestselling novel “The Yacoubian Building” that became a game-changer in Egytian cinema due to the way it depicted homosexuality, Islamic fundamentalism and government corruption. After “Yacoubian” become a local hit and travelled widely Hamed scored again big time with “The Blue Elephant,” a thriller with supernatural elements and its sequel “The Blue Elephant 2” that more...
- 10/6/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
The El Gouna Film Festival (Gff) will honor Egyptian director Marwan Hamed with a life Career Achievement Award at its upcoming sixth edition, running from October 6 to 12.
It marks the first element of the program to be announced as the Egyptian Red Sea festival returns this year following a one year hiatus in 2022.
Hamed studied film at the Higher Institute of Cinema in Cairo. His first short Li Li, adapted from a short story by Yusuf Idris, played at numerous festivals, winning the Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and the Golden Award at the Carthage Film Festival.
He broke out with his 2006 first feature The Yacoubian Building, adapted from Alaa Al-Aswany’s best-selling novel, which captures Egyptian society in the 1990s and the consequences of its extremes of wealth and poverty.
Featuring an ensemble cast, including Egyptian icons Adel Imam, Nour El-Sherif and Yousra alongside then...
It marks the first element of the program to be announced as the Egyptian Red Sea festival returns this year following a one year hiatus in 2022.
Hamed studied film at the Higher Institute of Cinema in Cairo. His first short Li Li, adapted from a short story by Yusuf Idris, played at numerous festivals, winning the Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and the Golden Award at the Carthage Film Festival.
He broke out with his 2006 first feature The Yacoubian Building, adapted from Alaa Al-Aswany’s best-selling novel, which captures Egyptian society in the 1990s and the consequences of its extremes of wealth and poverty.
Featuring an ensemble cast, including Egyptian icons Adel Imam, Nour El-Sherif and Yousra alongside then...
- 7/24/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Jury
Italy’s Giuseppe Tornatore, director of the Oscar, BAFTA and Cannes winning film “Cinema Paradiso,” will preside over the features competition jury at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival (Dec. 6-15). Tornatore’s latest documentary, “Ennio,” about revered composer Ennio Morricone, which bowed at Venice, will have its Arab premiere at the festival out-of-competition in the International Spectacular strand.
Joining Tornatore on the jury are Tunisian actor Hend Sabry (“The Blue Elephant 2”) Palestinian-American director, writer, actor and producer Cherien Dabis (“Amreeka”), Morelia International Film Festival director Daniela Michel and Saudi filmmaker Abdulaziz Alshlahei (“Zero Distance”).
The Red Sea shorts competition jury will be led by Egypt’s Marwan Hamed, director of Tribeca winner “The Yacoubian Building”) who will be joined by Saudi Arabian actor and director Ahd Kamel (“Wadjda”) and Finnish-Somali director and writer Khadar Ayderus (“The Gravedigger’s Wife”).
Trailer
Universal Pictures has released a trailer for “Redeeming Love,...
Italy’s Giuseppe Tornatore, director of the Oscar, BAFTA and Cannes winning film “Cinema Paradiso,” will preside over the features competition jury at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival (Dec. 6-15). Tornatore’s latest documentary, “Ennio,” about revered composer Ennio Morricone, which bowed at Venice, will have its Arab premiere at the festival out-of-competition in the International Spectacular strand.
Joining Tornatore on the jury are Tunisian actor Hend Sabry (“The Blue Elephant 2”) Palestinian-American director, writer, actor and producer Cherien Dabis (“Amreeka”), Morelia International Film Festival director Daniela Michel and Saudi filmmaker Abdulaziz Alshlahei (“Zero Distance”).
The Red Sea shorts competition jury will be led by Egypt’s Marwan Hamed, director of Tribeca winner “The Yacoubian Building”) who will be joined by Saudi Arabian actor and director Ahd Kamel (“Wadjda”) and Finnish-Somali director and writer Khadar Ayderus (“The Gravedigger’s Wife”).
Trailer
Universal Pictures has released a trailer for “Redeeming Love,...
- 11/24/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Egyptian filmmaker Marwan Hamed, the director of “The Yacoubian Building,” “The Blue Elephant” and “The Blue Elephant 2,” which last year became the highest-grossing Egyptian film in history, is shooting “Kira and El Gen,” based on Ahmed Mourad’s book “1919,” about Egyptian resistance to British occupation. He spoke to Variety about the project at the Cairo Film Festival.
Produced by Ahmed Badawy, managing director of Tamer Morsi’s Synergy Films, the budget is north of $10 million, making it the most expensive film in Egyptian cinema history. The film stars some of the biggest names in Arab cinema, including Karim Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Ezz, Hind Sabri and Ahmad Malek. British actor Sam Hazeldine also appears.
Hamed says that the opening of cinemas in Saudi Arabia with its sizeable box-office potential has created a landscape where Arab financiers can plan for better returns on films. “What actually encouraged such an investment...
Produced by Ahmed Badawy, managing director of Tamer Morsi’s Synergy Films, the budget is north of $10 million, making it the most expensive film in Egyptian cinema history. The film stars some of the biggest names in Arab cinema, including Karim Abdel Aziz, Ahmed Ezz, Hind Sabri and Ahmad Malek. British actor Sam Hazeldine also appears.
Hamed says that the opening of cinemas in Saudi Arabia with its sizeable box-office potential has created a landscape where Arab financiers can plan for better returns on films. “What actually encouraged such an investment...
- 12/6/2020
- by Kaleem Aftab
- Variety Film + TV
Shahid VIP, the premium Middle East streamer run by Mbc Group, will begin premiering Arabic feature films prior to their theatrical release for the first time.
The endeavor will star with the exclusive premiere of Mohamed El Adl’s Saheb El Makam, which will debut on the platform on July 30, the first day of Eid Al-Adha. Starring Yousra, Asser Yassin, and Amina Khalil, the drama revolves around a troubled man whose only hope for a better future is in the hands of one woman who tries to get him closer to God.
Produced by Ahmed El Sobky, the movie is Yousra’s first feature film in nearly eight years, her last being Game Over. It also marks the third collaboration between Yousra and Yassin, who have previously starred together in the film The Yacoubian Building and the TV series Lahazat Harega.
The second film premiere will be Al Hareth, starring...
The endeavor will star with the exclusive premiere of Mohamed El Adl’s Saheb El Makam, which will debut on the platform on July 30, the first day of Eid Al-Adha. Starring Yousra, Asser Yassin, and Amina Khalil, the drama revolves around a troubled man whose only hope for a better future is in the hands of one woman who tries to get him closer to God.
Produced by Ahmed El Sobky, the movie is Yousra’s first feature film in nearly eight years, her last being Game Over. It also marks the third collaboration between Yousra and Yassin, who have previously starred together in the film The Yacoubian Building and the TV series Lahazat Harega.
The second film premiere will be Al Hareth, starring...
- 7/27/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
A psychiatrist for the criminally insane, Dr. Yehia Rashed (Karim Abdel Aziz), is called out of early retirement, where he vanished after his exertions in the original The Blue Elephant (2014), to deal with a young murderess who appears to have supernatural powers. In Blue Elephant: Dark Whispers (El Feel-el Azra’a 2), director Marwan Hamed (who made his name internationally with his acclaimed first film The Yacoubian Building) turns a basically schlocky horror tale into a wild fantasy ride that benefits from more CGI than Egyptian movies have ever seen and a mesmerizing star turn by Hend Sabry as ...
A psychiatrist for the criminally insane, Dr. Yehia Rashed (Karim Abdel Aziz), is called out of early retirement, where he vanished after his exertions in the original The Blue Elephant (2014), to deal with a young murderess who appears to have supernatural powers. In Blue Elephant: Dark Whispers (El Feel-el Azra’a 2), director Marwan Hamed (who made his name internationally with his acclaimed first film The Yacoubian Building) turns a basically schlocky horror tale into a wild fantasy ride that benefits from more CGI than Egyptian movies have ever seen and a mesmerizing star turn by Hend Sabry as ...
‘You Will Die at Twenty’, ‘Talking About Trees’ and ‘Exam’ Win Golden Stars, and ‘Cinema for Humanity’ Award Goes to Ladj Ly’s Les MisérablesEl Gouna Film Festival concluded its third edition with a closing ceremony where the award-winning films were announced, with total award value at Us$224,000.
The winners were as follows.
Watch the Awards on Euronews here.
Feature Narrative Competition
El Gouna Golden Star for Narrative Film: You Will Die at Twenty by Amjad Abu Alala. See my review.
El Gouna Silver Star for Narrative Film: Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa
El Gouna Bronze Star for Narrative Film: Adam by Maryam Touzani. See my review.
El Gouna Star for the Best Arab Narrative Film: Papicha by Mounia Meddour
El Gouna Star for the Best Actor: Bartosz Bielenia, Corpus Christi
El Gouna Star for the Best Actress: Hend Sabry, Noura’s Dream
The gritty, Tunisian film tells the story...
The winners were as follows.
Watch the Awards on Euronews here.
Feature Narrative Competition
El Gouna Golden Star for Narrative Film: You Will Die at Twenty by Amjad Abu Alala. See my review.
El Gouna Silver Star for Narrative Film: Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa
El Gouna Bronze Star for Narrative Film: Adam by Maryam Touzani. See my review.
El Gouna Star for the Best Arab Narrative Film: Papicha by Mounia Meddour
El Gouna Star for the Best Actor: Bartosz Bielenia, Corpus Christi
El Gouna Star for the Best Actress: Hend Sabry, Noura’s Dream
The gritty, Tunisian film tells the story...
- 10/5/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Cairo-based Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, who is at the Venice Film Festival as a member of the jury for debut films, is having a good year.
“The Blue Elephant 2,” a thriller with horror elements in which she stars – directed by Marwan Hamed who cast her more than a decade ago in “The Yacoubian Building” – recently became Egypt’s all-time top box office earner. And right after Venice, she is heading to Toronto to promote first-time Tunisian director Hinde Boujemaa’s “Noura Dreams,” a drama about a woman who dreams of divorcing her husband who is about to be released from jail.
Sabry spoke to Variety about how the Arab film industry is changing and the ongoing role that women are playing in its transformation.
What’s changing in the Arab film industry? Is Netflix, which recently announced it’s first Egyptian original titled “Paranormal,” impacting the landscape?
The arrival...
“The Blue Elephant 2,” a thriller with horror elements in which she stars – directed by Marwan Hamed who cast her more than a decade ago in “The Yacoubian Building” – recently became Egypt’s all-time top box office earner. And right after Venice, she is heading to Toronto to promote first-time Tunisian director Hinde Boujemaa’s “Noura Dreams,” a drama about a woman who dreams of divorcing her husband who is about to be released from jail.
Sabry spoke to Variety about how the Arab film industry is changing and the ongoing role that women are playing in its transformation.
What’s changing in the Arab film industry? Is Netflix, which recently announced it’s first Egyptian original titled “Paranormal,” impacting the landscape?
The arrival...
- 9/6/2019
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
One of the most prominent names in Egyptian cinema, Marwan Hamed rose to fame thanks to his acclaimed directorial debut, The Yacoubian Building. Based on the much-loved novel by Alaa Al Aswany about the colorful residents of a Cairo apartment block, the 2006 drama is still considered the Egyptian film with the highest budget ever, but would also become one of the country's most successful productions.
Eight years later, Hamed turned his attention to another best-selling novel, Ahmed Mourad's thriller The Blue Elephant. The film became another local blockbuster and dominated the 2014 edition of the Egyptian Film Association Festival, with nine wins (including...
Eight years later, Hamed turned his attention to another best-selling novel, Ahmed Mourad's thriller The Blue Elephant. The film became another local blockbuster and dominated the 2014 edition of the Egyptian Film Association Festival, with nine wins (including...
- 4/27/2018
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wild Bunch and Le Pacte are joining forces on Egyptian-Austrian director A.B. Shawky’s drama “Yomeddine,” the sole feature debut set to world premiere in competition at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.
Wild Bunch has taken international sales on the feature, while Le Pacte has acquired French distribution rights. Both deals were done before “Yomeddine” was selected to compete at Cannes.
“Yomeddine,” produced by Dina Emam at Egypt’s Desert Highway Pictures and co-produced by Mohamed Hefzy and Daniel Ziskind at Cairo-based production company Film Clinic (“Clash”), is an adventure-filled drama about a Christian Egyptian leper, Beshay, who lives in an aging leper colony in the middle of nowhere. After the death of wife, he bravely decides to leave the colony for the first time since he was abandoned there as a child, and embarks on a journey across Egypt to his hometown to find out why his father never kept his promise to return.
Wild Bunch has taken international sales on the feature, while Le Pacte has acquired French distribution rights. Both deals were done before “Yomeddine” was selected to compete at Cannes.
“Yomeddine,” produced by Dina Emam at Egypt’s Desert Highway Pictures and co-produced by Mohamed Hefzy and Daniel Ziskind at Cairo-based production company Film Clinic (“Clash”), is an adventure-filled drama about a Christian Egyptian leper, Beshay, who lives in an aging leper colony in the middle of nowhere. After the death of wife, he bravely decides to leave the colony for the first time since he was abandoned there as a child, and embarks on a journey across Egypt to his hometown to find out why his father never kept his promise to return.
- 4/17/2018
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Marwan Hamed is a famous Egyptian director. He made his directing debut with a short film that was titled “Li Li.” It was after this that he directed his fist major film, “The Yacoubian Building,” which was an adaptation of the Alaa Al Aswany novel, which firmly established him in the industry. The name is not familiar to many people in the United States, unless you’re in the film industry or a lover of foreign films. To bring you up to speed on this remarkable Egyptian celebrity, here are five things that you didn’t know about him. He is a
Five Things You Didn’t Know About Marwan Hamed...
Five Things You Didn’t Know About Marwan Hamed...
- 12/22/2017
- by Dana Hanson-Firestone
- TVovermind.com
Event will focus on sustainable film production in the Arab world.
Cairo-based pan-Arab distributor and films promotions outfit Mad Solutions will launch a new development and production financing incubator, the Arab Cinema Lab at the upcoming Dubai Film Market in December.
Around 10 upcoming films will be showcased at the inaugural edition on December 12, including The Originals, the latest film from Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, best known for his 2006 The Yacoubian Building, and Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi’s Writing On Snow.
La-based Saudi director Aymen Khoja will also preview his upcoming soccer-themed work Shoot, produced under his Khoja Bros production banner and billed as the “first Saudi American film”.
An Egyptian James Bond-style feature — provisionally entitled Man Of The Impossible — will also be unveiled.
Mad Solutions co-founder and CEO Alaa Karkouti explained the aim of the event was to unveil productions that will be “the talk of the Arab cinema world next year”, source finance and stimulate discussion...
Cairo-based pan-Arab distributor and films promotions outfit Mad Solutions will launch a new development and production financing incubator, the Arab Cinema Lab at the upcoming Dubai Film Market in December.
Around 10 upcoming films will be showcased at the inaugural edition on December 12, including The Originals, the latest film from Egyptian director Marwan Hamed, best known for his 2006 The Yacoubian Building, and Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi’s Writing On Snow.
La-based Saudi director Aymen Khoja will also preview his upcoming soccer-themed work Shoot, produced under his Khoja Bros production banner and billed as the “first Saudi American film”.
An Egyptian James Bond-style feature — provisionally entitled Man Of The Impossible — will also be unveiled.
Mad Solutions co-founder and CEO Alaa Karkouti explained the aim of the event was to unveil productions that will be “the talk of the Arab cinema world next year”, source finance and stimulate discussion...
- 11/21/2016
- ScreenDaily
Paris-based industry veteran, who also works with actor Amr Waked, deepens ties with Egypt.
Paris-based producer Daniel Ziskind has signed to act as the European representative of Egyptian Mohamed Hefzy’s Cairo-based production house Film Clinic.
Under the accord, Ziskind will support Film Clinic’s co-production and sales activities in Europe.
“I’m very happy to join the Film Clinic family,” Ziskind said. “The company has a great line-up and strategy.”
First feature
The first project under the collaboration will be Mohamed Diab’s drama Clash, his second film after the much-praised Cairo 678 tackling sexual harassment through the experiences of women on a bus.
Set against the backdrop of violent demonstrations that erupted at the end of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s Islamist reign in summer of 2013, Clash revolves around two groups of opposing protestors who find themselves trapped in the same police van as fighting rages around them.
“It’s a timely...
Paris-based producer Daniel Ziskind has signed to act as the European representative of Egyptian Mohamed Hefzy’s Cairo-based production house Film Clinic.
Under the accord, Ziskind will support Film Clinic’s co-production and sales activities in Europe.
“I’m very happy to join the Film Clinic family,” Ziskind said. “The company has a great line-up and strategy.”
First feature
The first project under the collaboration will be Mohamed Diab’s drama Clash, his second film after the much-praised Cairo 678 tackling sexual harassment through the experiences of women on a bus.
Set against the backdrop of violent demonstrations that erupted at the end of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s Islamist reign in summer of 2013, Clash revolves around two groups of opposing protestors who find themselves trapped in the same police van as fighting rages around them.
“It’s a timely...
- 4/9/2015
- ScreenDaily
Egyptian actor Nour El-Sherif and Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle will both receive lifetime achievement awards at this year’s Dubai International Film Festival (Diff).
El-Sherif’s career of 47 years has seen him produce and star in notable Arabic-language films such as The Yacoubian Building, Atef E-Taieb’s Sawak al-Utubis (1982) and Youssef Chahine’s An Egyptian Story (1982) and Destiny (1997).
He also produced the 1976 action thriller Circle Of Revenge and went on to produce Zaman Hatem Zahran in 1986.
Diff is also screening the world premiere of El-Sherif’s latest film, Amir Ramses’ Cairo Time, which also stars Mervat Amin, Samir Sabri, Dorra and Ayten Amer.
Meanwhile, 81-year-old playback singer Asha Bhosle has recorded more than 12,000 songs for more than 850 films. She is known for her range and versatility across various style of music from folk songs and Indian classical music to pop songs, ghazals and bhajans.
Bhosle also has a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records...
El-Sherif’s career of 47 years has seen him produce and star in notable Arabic-language films such as The Yacoubian Building, Atef E-Taieb’s Sawak al-Utubis (1982) and Youssef Chahine’s An Egyptian Story (1982) and Destiny (1997).
He also produced the 1976 action thriller Circle Of Revenge and went on to produce Zaman Hatem Zahran in 1986.
Diff is also screening the world premiere of El-Sherif’s latest film, Amir Ramses’ Cairo Time, which also stars Mervat Amin, Samir Sabri, Dorra and Ayten Amer.
Meanwhile, 81-year-old playback singer Asha Bhosle has recorded more than 12,000 songs for more than 850 films. She is known for her range and versatility across various style of music from folk songs and Indian classical music to pop songs, ghazals and bhajans.
Bhosle also has a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records...
- 12/8/2014
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
The Doha Tribeca Film Festival (Dtff), the annual cultural celebration of Doha Film Institute (Dfi), has announced the juries to select the winners of the Arab Film Competition, the only competition at any regional film festival dedicated wholly to honouring Arab cinema talent. The members of the four juries, drawn from across the world, include internationally acclaimed film professionals, authors and cultural thought leaders. They will evaluate the Arab Film Competition's three segments - Feature Narrative, Feature Documentary and Short Film - as well as the 'Made in Qatar' segment of the festival, devoted to films made by Qatar-based talent. The awards have total prize money of over Us$440,000. The Feature Narrative jury will be headed by renowned Tunisian actress Hend Sabry (The Yacoubian Building, Whatever Lola Wants and Asmaa). The other jury members are: Indian director Ashutoush Gowariker (Lagaan, Jodhaa Akbar); Dr. Emad Amralla Sultan, Deputy General Manager of...
- 11/19/2012
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
London Spanish Film Festival
This year's festival includes a separate focus on Catalan cinema, just weeks after Catalans came out in droves to campaign for independence. Partisan or not, Spanish cinema still looks to be in decent shape. There are accessible commercial movies here – Los Pelayo is a sort of Mallorcan Ocean's Eleven; A Game Of Werewolves is a Galician horror. But there's also more pensive cinema, such as Los Pasos Dobles, a Mali-set meditation on art and memory.
Ciné Lumière, SW7, Fri to 10 Oct
Safar: A Journey Through Popular Arab Cinema, London
Call yourself a global cinema aficionado? If names like Soad Hosny or Adel Imam mean nothing to you, you're still a few regions short of all-encompassing movie omnipotence. So here's the place to quickly fill that gap. Despite the title, what we're mostly talking about here is Egyptian cinema – the biggest player in the region. Hosny, who...
This year's festival includes a separate focus on Catalan cinema, just weeks after Catalans came out in droves to campaign for independence. Partisan or not, Spanish cinema still looks to be in decent shape. There are accessible commercial movies here – Los Pelayo is a sort of Mallorcan Ocean's Eleven; A Game Of Werewolves is a Galician horror. But there's also more pensive cinema, such as Los Pasos Dobles, a Mali-set meditation on art and memory.
Ciné Lumière, SW7, Fri to 10 Oct
Safar: A Journey Through Popular Arab Cinema, London
Call yourself a global cinema aficionado? If names like Soad Hosny or Adel Imam mean nothing to you, you're still a few regions short of all-encompassing movie omnipotence. So here's the place to quickly fill that gap. Despite the title, what we're mostly talking about here is Egyptian cinema – the biggest player in the region. Hosny, who...
- 9/21/2012
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Afther 30 years of increasing conservatism, young directors are rebelling by examining complex and contentious relationships
The trouble with the Arab Spring is that people who have never been to the Middle East think they know it. There is a kind of finality in rolling news footage: a moment caught within a certain political context encourages pundits and casual observers alike to make sweeping assumptions. Movies, however, have always provided, à la Cervantes, truth through lies. The new crop of popular films from the Middle East are no different: characters that start out as troubled stereotypes evolve into complex and engaging figures.
This is best exemplified in what many consider the most successful Arab film of all time, The Yacoubian Building, a Middle Eastern Rear Window made in 2006. From the eponymous apartment building's gay newspaper editor to a young woman sexually harassed at work, these characters from Alaa al-Aswany's novel had...
The trouble with the Arab Spring is that people who have never been to the Middle East think they know it. There is a kind of finality in rolling news footage: a moment caught within a certain political context encourages pundits and casual observers alike to make sweeping assumptions. Movies, however, have always provided, à la Cervantes, truth through lies. The new crop of popular films from the Middle East are no different: characters that start out as troubled stereotypes evolve into complex and engaging figures.
This is best exemplified in what many consider the most successful Arab film of all time, The Yacoubian Building, a Middle Eastern Rear Window made in 2006. From the eponymous apartment building's gay newspaper editor to a young woman sexually harassed at work, these characters from Alaa al-Aswany's novel had...
- 9/6/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
Concerns have been raised this week after censors stepped in to ban three of the films submitted for this year's Cairo Film Festival. Although censorship was rife under the now ousted Mubarek regime, its approach had been growing more relaxed, particularly in relation to social taboos. Now filmmakers fear that the religious focus of the new regime may lead to further restrictions on the subjcts they are able to tackle.
Although the names of the three banned films have not yet been released, it is understood that one of them contained a sex scene, one dealth with the subject of adultery and the other had a gay theme. Films with sexual imagery have previously been restricted at the festival, with only critics allowed to see them, but it is unusual for one to be banned altogether. Following the success of films like The Yacoubian Building and Scheherazade, Tell Me A Story.
Although the names of the three banned films have not yet been released, it is understood that one of them contained a sex scene, one dealth with the subject of adultery and the other had a gay theme. Films with sexual imagery have previously been restricted at the festival, with only critics allowed to see them, but it is unusual for one to be banned altogether. Following the success of films like The Yacoubian Building and Scheherazade, Tell Me A Story.
- 9/5/2012
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
With all this excitement about former President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation in Egypt, I decided to highlight famous Egyptian director, Youssef Chahine.
Egypt is known for supporting filmmaking to promote nationalism, since the late 1930s, and many films are about class struggle. So I believe that this Egyptian revolution (I’m calling it a revolution) was a long time coming especially using media to promote national pride and the voices of the disadvantaged.
Chahine is one of the more well-known Egyptian filmmakers. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1926 and learned acting in Los Angeles. He won a lifetime achievement award from Cannes in 1997. Chahine made films from 1950 to 2007 including Saladin (1963), The Sparrow (1972), Alexandria, Why (1978) and my favorite, Cairo Station (1958).
Cairo Station takes place over the course of a day at a train station, in the capital and largest city in Egypt. The main character, Qinawi lives near the train...
Egypt is known for supporting filmmaking to promote nationalism, since the late 1930s, and many films are about class struggle. So I believe that this Egyptian revolution (I’m calling it a revolution) was a long time coming especially using media to promote national pride and the voices of the disadvantaged.
Chahine is one of the more well-known Egyptian filmmakers. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1926 and learned acting in Los Angeles. He won a lifetime achievement award from Cannes in 1997. Chahine made films from 1950 to 2007 including Saladin (1963), The Sparrow (1972), Alexandria, Why (1978) and my favorite, Cairo Station (1958).
Cairo Station takes place over the course of a day at a train station, in the capital and largest city in Egypt. The main character, Qinawi lives near the train...
- 2/16/2011
- by Alece Oxendine
- ShadowAndAct
The Unofficial List Of Important Films Of The Decade by ArtMattan Productions
Happy New Year! Here at ArtMattan Productions, we are very happy to celebrate a new decade with more challenges ahead and we are sure plenty of new emotions.
The past decade was turbulent and brought many important moments to our lives and our activities in the film industry. Just over the last two years, we released Gospel Hill, Youssou N’Dour: Return to Gorée, Maria Bethania: Music is Perfume and the controversial Made in Jamaica. Music was the thing here at ArtMattan Productions headquarters.
Theatrical releases of Independent and Foreign Language films were many and diverse all over the country, with some more exciting than others. As some companies folded, other started and the turbulence in the field was intense and sometimes very emotional.
For ArtMattan Productions, it was business as usual. Getting to release a film in theaters was a nightmare,...
Happy New Year! Here at ArtMattan Productions, we are very happy to celebrate a new decade with more challenges ahead and we are sure plenty of new emotions.
The past decade was turbulent and brought many important moments to our lives and our activities in the film industry. Just over the last two years, we released Gospel Hill, Youssou N’Dour: Return to Gorée, Maria Bethania: Music is Perfume and the controversial Made in Jamaica. Music was the thing here at ArtMattan Productions headquarters.
Theatrical releases of Independent and Foreign Language films were many and diverse all over the country, with some more exciting than others. As some companies folded, other started and the turbulence in the field was intense and sometimes very emotional.
For ArtMattan Productions, it was business as usual. Getting to release a film in theaters was a nightmare,...
- 1/5/2010
- by ArtMattan
- ShadowAndAct
Sales continue to be made, but deals are being negotiated down. It's a buyers market. What sold at AFM and was signed for $75,000 is being driven down by fire sales of similar films of competitors to $60,000 and buyers are not hesitating to try to renegotiate similar prices. One Brazilian who had signed a $200,000 deal wanted to renegotiate to half the price or not pay at all. In one day, one seller lost $350,000 of committed money, leaving her far short of the $1,000,000 goal in a day's sales. That, in turn, leaves the filmmaker without recoupment of the film's budget. It was a tough day midpoint, and sellers don't want to tell for fear of causing further negative outcomes. Stay positive is the keyword to this quiet Berlin market. We'll see less traffic in Cannes unless things turn around. There remains a need for good films, the young are eagerly seeking to make them. Digital is in the air on all sides, but the brick and mortar sales agents have not, for the most part, factored it into the already prepared mix for 2009, though Celluloid Dreams has created The Auteurs, a curated digital packaging of festival films. One seasoned individual is planning a new sort or sales company, which is not for me to discuss further. New countries are emerging - Turkey with its gentle and Tiger Award winning The Wrong Rosary and Egypt where Marwan Hamed, the director of The Yacoubian Buidling is making his next film are two of the most interesting countries at the moment.
- 2/10/2009
- Sydney's Buzz
- As committees from each individual country select their respective submissions for the Best Foreign Picture Academy Award derby, folks like myself have the arduous task of trying to keep score. Without a doubt the early favorite is Germanyâ.s selection which has already picked up seven German Film Awards this year. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's directorial debut takes place in East Berlin, November 1984. Five years before its downfall, the former East-German government ensured its claim to power with a ruthless system of control and surveillance. Party-loyalist Captain Gerd Wiesler hopes to boost his career when given the job of collecting evidence against the playwright Georg Dreyman and his girlfriend, the celebrated theater actress Christa-Maria Sieland. Sony Pictures Classics will release The Lives of Others early next year, though it could be challenged for the Foreign Oscar category by another Spc pic â. Pedroâ.s Volver. Also let
- 10/20/2006
- IONCINEMA.com
CANNES -- Cinema from the Arab world will be spotlighted at this year's Stockholm Film Festival, which will run Nov. 16-26. Coming after the international uproar over the Mohammed caricatures printed in Denmark and Sweden, the move is sure to be read as an olive branch to the Muslim film world. Three films already have been selected for the Arabica screenings: The Yacoubian Building, from Egyptian director Marwan Hamed; the Algerian drama Barakat! (Enough!), from Djamila Sahraoui; and Heaven's Doors, from Moroccan brothers Imad and Swel Noury.
- 5/23/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CANNES -- Cinema from the Arab world will be spotlighted at this year's Stockholm Film Festival, which will run Nov. 16-26. Coming after the international uproar over the Mohammed caricatures printed in Denmark and Sweden, the move is sure to be read as an olive branch to the Muslim film world. Three films already have been selected for the Arabica screenings: The Yacoubian Building, from Egyptian director Marwan Hamed; the Algerian drama Barakat! (Enough!), from Djamila Sahraoui; and Heaven's Doors, from Moroccan brothers Imad and Swel Noury.
- 5/23/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
- Here are the winners as announced by the festival. The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature â. Blessed By Fire (Iluminados por el Fuego), Directed by Tristán Bauer, Argentina, Spain. Presented by Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal with Dick Walsh. Winner receives $25,000. Art award "Twin City Theatre", created by Wim Wenders. Jury compromised Ed Burns, Terry George, Josh Lucas, Kelly Lynch, Antonio Skármeta, Trudie Styler and Melvin Van Peebles. Best Documentary Feature â. War Tapes, Directed by Deborah Scranton, USA. Presented by Ken Burns and Ira Yohalem. Winner receives $15,000. Art award "Untitled", created by Alex Katz. Jury compromised Ken Burns, Robert Drew, Whoopi Goldberg, Oren Jacoby, Rory Kennedy and Marc Levin. Special Documentary Jury Prize - Voices of Bam, Directed by Aliona van der Horst and Maasja Ooms, Netherlands. Presented by Ken Burns and Ira Yohalem. Winner receives $10,000. Art award "Moroccoâ., created by Clifford Ross. Jury compromised Ken Burns,
- 5/8/2006
- IONCINEMA.com
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