Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Arab Film Institute (AFI) Launched during DIFF 2016 | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Dubai – In a step previously announced by Asharq Al-Awsat, the Arab Film Institute (AFI) was launched two days ago aiming to promote the Arabian cinema. According to its brochure, this institute intends to create a platform to exchange expertise and ideas among professionals from the Arabian cinema industry and to provide training programs that enjoy international levels for creative filmmakers in different fields.

During a press conference held as part of the fifth day of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) held to launch the new institute, Antoine Khalife, Dora Bouchoucha, George David, and Hafiz Al Ali attended to reveal their ideas in this field and to announce Oscar-like contests starting 2018 to highlight best actors, directors, scenarios, and others.

How can this institute overcome obstacles which face production and marketing in this industry? Many other questions were posed with the launch of this institute to secure its success.

The establishment of such an institute is considered as a very promising step as long as the AFI stays away from personal interests; the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has also focused on uncovering many new talents – supported this year by “Screen” (publisher of the British Screen magazine released daily in both English and Arabic), which was keen to spotlight many talented Arab stars who just begun their journey in this field like the Lebanese Monia Akel directot of the “Beirut, I Love You” movie.

In fact, the Arabian cinema does not lack new talents, where a number of new directors emerge to show their works in the Dubai Festival, reflecting major creative and artistic attempts every year.

However, the DIFF also features a number of eminent signatures in the Arabian cinema like Elian al-Raheb who introduced “Mayl ya Ghzayel”, a movie from the core of the Lebanese community.

This year, the festival also dedicated a corner for the Syrian crisis by showing movies that sheds the lights on the tragedy lived of the Syrian people – facing war and asylum.