Venice Film Festival Panel Celebrates Arab Cinema Renaissance

Arab Cinema Center joins forces with MAD Celebrity and Venice Production Bridge for star-studded discussion

The Arab Cinema Center (ACC) — in collaboration with MAD Celebrity and the Venice Production Bridge — is set to host a panel titled ‘Talent Hot List: Showcasing Arab Cinema's Golden New Wave’ as part of the festivities of the 81st Venice International Film Festival, which will take place from August 28th to September 7th.

A star-studded panel, featuring top-level Arab talents on both sides of the camera, will discuss how best to capitalize on what is being recognized as the second golden age of Arab cinema. It’s a creative blossoming that is reflected in both the increasing number of Arab films and filmmakers being celebrated at international film festivals and also in the commercial performance of recent Arab films at the regional box office.

This renaissance has ushered in a new generation of exciting acting, filmmaking, and producing talents who are now primed for global recognition. Many of those at the forefront of this new wave will be speaking on the panel, which will take place on Saturday, August 31st, from 4:30 pm to 6 pm at Hotel Excelsior, Spazio Incontri.

Moderated by Head of Red Sea Labs Ryan Ashore, the speakers include Tunisian actor and director Dhafer L'Abidine, Egyptian actor Ahmed Malek, British Lebanese TV personality Raya Abirached, Egyptian producer Mohamed Hefzy, Tunisian producer Dora Bouchoucha, Saudi Arabian actress and screenwriter Summer Shesha, and Co-Founder of the ACC and MAD Solutions Alaa Karkouti.

In a joint statement, the two Co-Founders of the ACC and MAD Solutions, Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab, expressed their excitement and gratitude for getting the chance to once again shine a spotlight on talents from across the Arab World at Venice.

“The Arab Cinema Center has always dedicated itself to expanding the global reach of Arab talent, be it behind or in front of the camera. Our year’s activities at the Venice Film Festival take that mission another step forward: Our stellar panel brings together a who’s who of leading Arab film talents and professionals from a multitude of different Arab filmmaking countries to bring wider attention to what is Arab cinema’s new golden age of creativity and success.”

Kareem Samy, MAD Celebrity’s Managing Partner and Executive Director also expressed his delight in being a part of this collaboration saying, “As Executive Director of a company that has tirelessly worked to put Arab talents at the forefront of international stages as well as our own Arab ones, it thrills me to be able to usher in a new wave for Arab cinema with Venice as our starting point.”

As for Head of the Venice Production Bridge Pascal Diot, he expressed his delight to be collaborating with the ACC again, saying, “As a platform dedicated to production, the Venice Production Bridge is honored to support the new Arab talents and to offer them unique exposure to international producers.”

He continues, “Thanks to a long and fruitful relationship with the Arab Cinema Center, the VPB has been able to give more and more time and space to the Arab industry and it is logical that we are now, all together, highlighting the talents of tomorrow.”

Arab Cinema Center (ACC)

Organized by MAD Solutions in 2015, the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) is a nonprofit organization registered in Berlin. The ACC is an international promotional platform for Arab cinema as it provides the filmmaking industry with a professional window

to connect with their counterparts from all over the world through a number of events that it organizes.

The ACC also provides networking opportunities with representatives of companies and institutions specialized in co-production and international distribution, among others. The ACC's activities vary between film markets, stands, and pavilions, networking sessions, and one-on-one meetings bringing together Arab and foreign filmmakers, welcome parties, as well as meetings with international organizations and festivals, and the issuance of the Arab Cinema Magazine to be distributed at the leading international film festivals and markets.

Furthermore, a newsletter subscription is now available on the ACC's website, allowing users to obtain digital copies of the Arab Cinema Magazine, as well as news on the ACC's activities, notifications of application dates for grants, festivals, and offers from educational and training institutions, updates on Arab films participating at festivals, exclusive news on the Arab Cinema LAB, and highlights from the ACC's partners and their future projects.

The ACC also launched an English-language Arab Cinema Guide, available on its website, which is a comprehensive cinematic guide that comprises a variety of tools presented collectively for the first time to offer information on Arab cinema to filmmakers inside and outside of the Arab world. It also aims to facilitate filmmakers' access to international markets and help film industry representatives to identify Arab film productions easily.

Venice Production Bridge

The Venice Production Bridge is a dynamic platform that operates within the Venice Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. It serves as a meeting point for professionals in the film industry, including producers, distributors, sales agents, and financiers, providing them with a space to network, collaborate, and explore new opportunities.

Launched in 2012, this initiative aims to support and facilitate the development and funding of film projects at various stages, from development to distribution. Through the Venice Production Bridge, emerging and established filmmakers gain access to a wide range of resources, such as co-production markets, workshops, and panels, enabling them to connect with potential partners and secure funding for their projects.

MAD Celebrity

MAD Celebrity, the world’s largest promotional agency and management company for Arab creative talent, empowers artists and artisans to become ambassadors of their own careers by building awareness campaigns for their clients that drive more traffic and engagement; managing their press, publicity and film festival exposure; providing consultancy services that enhance their presence on stage, film, television, and online; and strategizing on their participation in international projects and work to include them on global festival juries, panel discussions, events, and luxury brand endorsements.

Clients include top-tier celebrities, rising stars, and behind-the-camera creative talents.