News

Ten Arab film directors trained by EU project Med Film Factory

19-07-2012

As part of a workshop organised by the Euromed Audiovisual III programme in the framework of its Med Film Factory project, ten Arab directors working on their first or second feature narrative film project have been mentored by international tutors, directors, script editors, film experts and technicians to develop their creative skills and help their projects come to life.
 
The eight-day hands-on-training session, held in Amman from 11 to 18 July, marked the kick off of Med Film Factory’s second cycle of workshops. Tutors and experts for this workshop included Ghassan Salhab (Lebanon), Jérôme Boivin (France), Raja Amari (Tunisia), Gary Sanctuary (UK), Diane Baratier (France), and Pauline Dairou (France).
 
"Now that we have started the second round, we are already thinking about the programme’s next workshop, focused on creative producing, which is the cornerstone of this programme,” said Dora Bouchoucha from Med Film Factory's pedagogical committee. “In this respect, we are seriously thinking of reshuffling the format to make it more efficient and better adapted to the specific needs of the participants." 

"Throughout its first cycle, Med Film Factory has proved to be one of the best training opportunities in the region for Arab filmmakers,” said George David, General Manager of the Royal Film Commission. “Our aim is to have an excellent second round with the participation of talented directors and producers, and needless to say wonderful tutors and experts." 
 
The eight projects from the Middle East and North Africa that were selected this year are: A few days in Syria, by writer/director Ahmad Ameen and producer Majd Hijjawi from Jordan, The kidnap, by writer/director Dima Hamdan and producer Vida Rizq, also from Jordan, Cold coffee by writer/director Toufic Khreich and producer Lara Ayoub from Lebanon, 1982 by writer/director Oualid Mouaness and producer Feyrouz Serhal from Lebanon, Trees also die by writer/director Rabih El-Amine and producer Ihab El-Amine also from Lebanon, Situation under control by writer/director Hany Fawzi and co-director Essam Youssef and producer Eman Hameda from Egypt, Full moon night by writer/ director Fares Naanaa and co-writer Nadia Khammari and producer Sarra Ben Hassen from Tunisia, and The late life by writer/director Youssef Chebbi and producer Melik Kochbati also from Tunisia. 

"I believe this is a very useful and necessary exercise to understand what the process of filmmaking implies,” said Rabih El-Amine, one of the directors taking part in the current workshop. “Also, the ongoing meetings with the tutors and experts, as well as the exchange between the participants themselves, will enable me to progress at all levels."
 
Two other training sessions will follow this Directors' Workshop for this second cycle of Med Film Factory: a Producers' Coaching Programme in December 2012 and an Independent Film Assembly in Spring 2013.
 
Med Film Factory was initiated in 2011 by the Royal Film Commission in Jordan in partnership with Sud Ecriture in Tunisia and the Huston School of Film and Digital Media in Ireland. It is co-financed by Euromed Audiovisual, and aims to support directors and producers and enhance the filmmaking industry in the region.

The Euromed Audiovisual III programme aims to contribute to the development and strengthening of the capacity of the film sector in the ENPI South region (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Syria, Tunisia) and to contribute significantly to mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity, in line with the Strategy for the Development of Euro-Mediterranean Audiovisual Cooperation, approved by Euromed culture ministers in Athens in May 2008. (EU Neighbourhood Info)
 
Read more
 
Press release
 
Med Film Factory factsheet
 
Med Film Factory website
  
Euromed Audiovisual III – fiche and news
 
Euromed Audiovisual – website
 
 


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