Variety, Sept. 2012
Transcription
Variety, Sept. 2012
29-10-12 Creative spring for femme helmers - Entertainment News, Venice Features, Media - Variety Log in Online Subscription Help Slanguage Dictionary SEARCH Search variety.com Home Latest News FILM Latest Reviews TV LEGIT Features MUSIC Text size: a- A+ People News DIGITAL Charts Subscribe to VARIETY at 77% off the cover price Opinions Events Photos Videos INTERNATIONAL VarietyMediaCareers.com Variety Insight | Archives Today's Issue Get the lowest rate available! Posted: Sun., Sep. 2, 2012, 4:00am PT Share Print Get Variety: Creative spring for femme helmers Venice Daily Spotlight 2012: Arab Fest Preview / Arab Cinema Advertisement By ALISSA SIMON Arab women represent part of the critical mass of femme helmers in Venice this year. Tunisian Hinde Boujemaa's docu, "It Was Better Tomorrow," scores a special event platform. Two pics compete in Horizons: "Wadjda," a coming ofager from Haifaa Al Mansour, Saudi Arabia's first female feature director; and Algerian helmer Djamila Sahraoui's "Yema," the tale of a mother (Sahraoui) mourning the death of her soldier son who was probably killed by his Islamist brother. "The Inheritance," the directing debut of Palestinian thesp Hiam Abbas, screens in Venice Days. 'Wadjda' Advertisement Venice topper Alberto Barbera says, "One interesting phenomenon concerning the changes occurring in Arab cinema is the unexpected role played by the new generation of Arab women directors. Because the female works are sometimes more courageous and innovative, capable of dealing with sensitive issues like terrorism in Algeria or the female condition in Saudi Arabia, they are surprising and full of promise for the future." The rise of a diverse generation of Arab filmmakers, women and men alike, comes about in part because of funding and training initiatives sponsored by festivals in the Middle East (particularly Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai), the U.S. (Sundance, Tribeca) and Europe (Berlin's World Cinema Fund, Cannes' Atelier, Torino's FilmLab, Rome's New Cinema Network) plus support from film commissions, film schools such as the Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts, and the Lebanonbased Arab Fund for Arts and Culture. 'Inheritance' "I think they (the Gulf festivals) helped some films those that took a lot of political as well as artistic risks get made," says Toronto fest programmer Rasha Salti. Many of these films were well received by critics overseas and won fest accolades, from Annemarie Jacir's "Salt of This Sea" (2008), which Kino Lorber released in the U.S., to PalestinianAmerican Cherien Dabis' "Amreeka," 'Yema' which bowed to critical acclaim at Sundance in 2009 and won the Fipresci in Cannes among other kudos, and cumed $2.34 www.variety.com/article/VR1118058075/ 1/2 29-10-12 Creative spring for femme helmers - Entertainment News, Venice Features, Media - Variety million worldwide, according to Rentrak. So, what might audiences look forward to seeing in the near future? For starters, LebaneseAmerican Susan Youssef's Gazaset tragic romance "Habibi" is touring North America through the Global Film Initiative. And Youssef is now developing "Marjoun and the Flying Headscarf," a comingof ager about a Muslim teen in Arkansas. Jacir's soph effort, "When I Saw You," a 1960sset dramedy about a boy who runs away from a Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan, will world preem in Toronto. Jacir Variety Entertainment Apps Conference in association with Application Developers Alliance + Entertainment Apps Awards November 29, 2012 Sheraton Universal Hotel, Los Angeles, CA Another eagerly anticipated second feature is "May in Summer" from Dabis. Now in post, the Ammanset romantic comedy follows the secrets, lies and loves of three ArabAmerican sisters and their strongwilled, single mother. Further on the horizon, Palestinian Najwa Najjar ("Pomegranates and Myrrh") is prepping "Eyes of a Thief," a thriller based on a true story, while Lebanon's Dima ElHorr ("Every Day Is a Holiday") is readying romantic comedy "Ideal Love." Variety Home Entertainment Hall Of Fame Dinner December 3, 2012 Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA Youssef Future of Film Summit Produced by Variety & Digital Media Wire December 5, 2012 Sofitel Hotel, Los Angeles, CA Egypt, the Arab country with the largest and most developed film industry, will soon see three debuts by women from the independent sector. Content Protection Summit Produced by Variety & CDSA December 6, 2012 Hilton Los Angeles, Universal City, CA Maggie Morgan is cutting "Asham," six intertwining stories set against the backdrop of a restless Cairo before the recent revolution. Hala Lotfy is in post on "Coming Forth by Day," a drama about a mother and daughter taking care of the family's ailing patriarch. And Ayten Amin is prepping "69 Messaha Square," which she describes as "a human comedy about facing death." Venice Daily Spotlight 2012: Arab Fest Preview / Arab Cinema Creative spring for femme helmers | Region's sprocket operas tangled in their own dramas | Half a dozen area fests worth watching Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com Read Next Article: Region's sprocket operas tangled in their own dramas > © Copyright 2012 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. Subscribe Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions About Us Advertise Contact Us Sitemap Help RSS Media: LA 411 | New York 411 | Variety | Variety Arabia | Variety Russia Research & Data: Variety Insight | TVtracker | FlixTracker | Archives | Premium Email Alerts www.variety.com/article/VR1118058075/ 2/2