PRESS RELEASE
MIDDLE EAST SPOTLIGHT
A Spotlight to the cinema of the Middle East will feature in the 49th edition of the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, showcasing films produced in recent years and from countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Yemen.
In Edward Said’s 1993 book, Culture and Imperialism, it is stated that “narrative is the site in which struggle takes place, where people assert their identity and the existence of their history”. The Middle Eastern region, synonymous with political, religious and social conflicts, exhibits a substantial cinematic diversity that indeed paints portraits of different histories and distinct identities. From a country such as Egypt, with its long film tradition and its strong industry but also its recent foray into a more politicized cinema, to a country such as Yemen that is now making the first films in its history, the region is experiencing change, growth and the need to be heard around the world through its films. The Middle East, a hotbed of everyday struggle and perpetual changes, is -now more than ever- revealing its issues and sentiments through the cinemas of its different nations. In this context, the 49th Thessaloniki International Film Festival will offer to its inquisitive audience the opportunity to experience the films of the region and, through various events, acquaint themselves with the varied realities of making films in the Middle East.
The Middle East Spotlight will showcase films such as Ahlaam (Iraq, 2005) by Mohamed Al Daradji and American East by Hesham Issawi (USA, 2007). Ahlaam, the hugely impressive tale of three war casualties living in a mental hospital, was shot in Baghdad under harrowing conditions, with its crew abducted, beaten up and kidnapped. American East, directed by an Egyptian director and situated in Los Angeles, provides a unique view of the status of the Arab-American in today’s USA.
The Spotlight will be accompanied by a special publication, as well as a roundtable focusing on the present and future of Middle Eastern film. Guests attending the 49th TIFF will include film professionals, industry delegates, film critics and members of the academia.
Additional information on the Middle East Spotlight films, guests and parallel events will be provided at a later date.
