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Exclusive: Dubai-based global management and production company 75East has signed Egyptian writer, director and producer Omar Hilal, director of feel-good drama comedy Voy! Voy! Voy!, which was Egypt’s 2023 Oscar submission.

The picture, which is Hilal’s first feature, is inspired by the true story of a man who fakes blindness to join a team of visually impaired footballers bound for Poland to fulfil his dream of escaping Egypt to live in Europe.

75East Principal and Talent Manager Antone Saliba announced the signing at the Red Sea Film Festival, where he is attending the Red Sea Souk market and joined FilmNation CEO Glen Basner and Mbc Studios General Manager Zeinab Abul Al Samh among others on an industry panel this week.

Voy, Voy, Voy! was Hilal’s first feature after a 20-year career as one of the preeminent advertising directors of the Arab world.

After topping the Egyptian box office...

Exclusive: Dubai-based global management and production company 75East has signed Lebanese writer-director Nay Tabbara, whose short film Ebb & Flow won the Student Visionary Award at its Tribeca world premiere in June.

Inspired by real events and the political instabilities of the early 2000s in Lebanon, the short follows 14-year-old Loulwa whose plans for a secret date behind her family’s back take an unexpected turn when a bomb explodes in Beirut.

The short followed its Tribeca success with an impressive Academy-Qualifying festival run, screening in competition at festivals including Palm Springs International ShortFest, IndyShorts International Film Festival, HollyShorts Film Festival, and Nashville Film Festival.

Nay Tabbara is a multi-hyphenate Lebanese filmmaker based between New York City and Beirut.

She gained experience on set, working as an assistant director in her native Lebanon for the likes of Ziad Doueiri and Mounia Akl, before moving to the U.S. to earn a...

Jordan has picked My Sweet Land, a documentary by director Sareen Hairabedian, to represent the country at the 97th Academy Awards next year in the best international feature film category.

The film follows Vrej, an 11-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a dentist. But Vrejj lives in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, the area at the center of a decades-long ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. When violence again erupts, Vrej and his family have to flee. They return to find their home, and Vrej’s dreams of a normal life, in ruins.

My Sweet Land premiered at the Sheffield Documentary Film Festival this year. It is Hairabedian’s debut feature, following her documentary short We Are Not Done Yet, made for HBO.

Jordanian filmmaker Azza Hourani produced My Sweet Land, which was set up as an Irish-French-Jordanian-u.S. co-production.

To date, Jordan has only one single Oscar nomination to its credit,...

Principal photography has commenced on the Arab underworld thriller “Boomah” (“The Owl”), written and directed by Zaid Abu Hamdan and marking the Jordanian filmmaker’s second feature following his critically acclaimed “Daughters of Abdul Rahman.”

Previously announced in December, Rakeen Saad is set to play the titular role of the female thug Boomah. Saad rose to acclaim for her central roles in hit shows “The Giza Killer” and the Netflix original “Al Rawabi School for Girls,” and will next be seen as the lead in a new Netflix series production “Echoes of the Past” and “The Way of the Wind,” the biblical drama by Terrence Malick.

“Boomah” — now shooting in Jordan — reunites Saad with Rawabi co-star Joanna Arida who will play the role of her best friend and confidant Anoud. Arida will next appear in “Laura H,” a Dutch TV series based on the bestseller by journalist Thomas Rueb. Rounding...

The cast of upcoming Arab crime thriller Boomah has been revealed as director Zaid Abu Hamdan begins filming in Jordan.

As previously reported, the title role is to be played by Rakeen Saad, star of Netflix hit AlRawabi School For Girls and who will next be seen in Netflix series Echoes Of The Past and Terrence Malick’s biblical drama The Way Of The Wind.

Boomah will see Saad reunite with Rawabi co-star Joanna Arida, who will play the role of her best friend and confidant Anoud. Arida will next be seen in Dutch TV series Laura H.

Rounding out the cast are Majd Eid,...

Zaid Abu Hamdan has begun principal photography in Jordan on new film Boomah which is being positioned as an Arab world thriller with a similar gritty edge as City of God, Gomorrah and La Haine.

Boomah marks Jordanian director Abu Hamdan’s second feature after his critically acclaimed female focused drama Daughters of Abdul Rahman.

The Giza Killer and Al Rawabi School For Girls actress Rakeen Saad stars in the titular role of a female thug, who goes by the name of Boomah. The actress is also soon to be seen as the lead in new Netflix series production Echoes of the Past, as well as in Terrence Malick’s biblical drama The Way of the Wind.

She will be joined by Rawabi co-star Joanna Arida in the role of Boomah’s best friend and confidant Anoud. Rounding out the cast are Majd Eid, Nabil Al Raee and Hanan Al Hilo, who previously starred in Daughters of Abdul Rahman.

The new film is billed as an “expansive crime thriller” set against the backdrop of Jordan’s underworld. Protagonist Boomah is notorious and knife-savvy female gang member who becomes embroiled in a power struggle between street thugs and religious extremists while battling the traumas of her harrowing orphaned past.

The film is produced by Front Row Productions with Ahmad Abu Koush and director Abu Hamdan’s Jordan-based Bounce Productions.

Also on board is Amman-based production company Bayt Al Shawareb, which worked on 2014 Oscar-nominated film Theeb and the 2023 Cannes Critics’ Week breakout Inshallah a Boy.

A joint venture between Mena distributors Front Row Filmed Entertainment and Empire Entertainment, Front Row Productions’ previous credits include Netflix originals Perfect Strangers, The Sandcastle, starring Nadine Labaki and Ziad Bakri, and the upcoming Cliffhanger reboot.

“We’re proud to be a part of this project, supporting Jordanian and Levantine talent during this extremely difficult and trying period, with so much risk inherent in cinema and arts coming out of this region,” said Front Row Productions partners Gianluca Chakra and Mario Jr. Haddad.

“Zaid is an outstanding young and ambitious director with a very bright future ahead, a true visionary and difference-maker. His understanding of the nuances of Jordanian street culture is exceptional,” they added.

“We are concentrating on a script and storytelling that transcends borders and nationality while looking to break the limits of background and identity to bring Boomah to a wide Arab audience and beyond. We see Boomah positioned as a film with Arab and international appeal, as a crime thriller reminiscent of great underworld juggernaut works like City of God, Gomorrah, La Haine and others.”...

Exclusive: Dubai-based management and production company 75East has signed Palestinian director Mahdi Fleifel, whose narrative feature debut To A Land Unknown is playing in Directors’ Fortnight this year.

75East, was launched last December by former Mister Smith sales executive Antone Saliba under the banner Untamed Talent with a focus on the Swana region (South West Asia and North Africa), and has recently rebranded.

The only Palestinian feature in Cannes this year, To A Land Unknown tells the story of the desperate attempts of two Palestinian cousins stranded in Athens to find a way to reach Germany.

Chatila and Reda are saving to pay for fake passports to get out of Athens. When Reda loses their hard-earned cash to his drug addiction, Chatila hatches an extreme plan, which involves them posing as smugglers and taking hostages in an effort to get him and his best friend out of their hopeless environment before it is too late.

It’s a momentous Cannes for Cairo-based film professionals Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab as they mark the 15th anniversary of the creation of marketing and distribution company Mad Solutions and the 10th anniversary of spin-off the Arab Cinema Center (Acc).

Under these banners, the pair have been at the forefront of promoting Arab cinema internationally and played a part in growing its prominence on the world stage.

Acc kicks off its 10th Cannes program on Friday with a panel entitled “The Arab New Wave: The Actors” on the market’s Plage des Palmes venue.

Speakers on the panel will include iconic Egyptian actress Yousra, Mbc Studios Saudi Arabia General Manager Zeinab Abu Alsamh, top Lebanese TV presenter Raya Abi Rashed, Egyptian superstar Ahmed Malek and Yagoub Alfarhan, star of Saudi Arabia’s first film in Official Selection Norah as well as casting director Cassandra Han.

The swanky location and...

Untamed Talent, the recently launched Arab world management and production company led by former Mister Smith Entertainment executive Antone Saliba is rebranding as 75East and bringing on board Shams Mohajerani, a former acquisitions executive at Cairo-based Mad Solutions, as manager and producer.

The change in name to 75East of the company, which launched last December with backing from Front Row Productions – a joint venture between leading Middle East distribution companies Front Row Filmed Entertainment and Empire Entertainment – is a geographical reference to the wider Southwest Asian and North African (Swana) region from Morocco to Pakistan, “reflecting the company’s commitment to representing talent beyond Arabic-speaking territories,” according to a statement.

The addition of Mohajerani, an Iranian-American raised in Boston, will expand the company’s reach outside the Arab world and commit to its focus on neighboring territories “including the Persian-speaking world, as well as filmmakers with ties to the region...

The moves comes as the leading Mena distributor ramps up activity.

Dubai-based distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment has promoted Nicolas Torloting, Carine Chaiban and Elie Touma to partners as the company increases activity in the region.

The trio joined in early 2019 as part of a revamp of the company, which is one of the leading distributors of independent and genre films in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena). Torloting is Front Row’s COO, with Chaiban heading post-theatrical sales and Touma leading acquisitions and theatrical distribution.

The company, founded by Gianluca Chakra in 2003, handles the release of more than 200 films per year,...

Untamed Talent, a management and production company led by former Mister Smith Entertainment executive Antone Saliba, is launching with the backing of Dubai-based Front Row Productions, a joint venture of leading Middle East distribution companies Front Row Filmed Entertainment and Empire Entertainment.

Front Row Productions will provide capital and strategic value to support Untamed Talent’s goals to innovate new business models covering the South West Asia and North Africa region, the fastest-growing entertainment market in the world. The focus will be not only on representing filmmakers from established Middle East industry hubs of Egypt and Saudi, it will also identify, develop and promote talent from traditionally underrepresented countries within the region such as Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey and Iran.

Untamed will work on a non-exclusive basis with all production and distribution parties in the region, as well as U.S. and international studios and streamers to maximize opportunities for its clients.

‘Hajjan’ director Abu Bakr Shawky and ‘Theeb’ producer’ Bassel Ghandour on initial clint roster.

Untamed Talent, a new management and production company led by former Mister Smith Entertainment executive Antone Saliba, has launched with the backing of Dubai-based Front Row Productions and unveiled its first roster of clients.

The firm will represent filmmakers from the established Middle East industry hubs of Egypt and Saudi as well as promoting talent from more underrepresented countries in South West Asia and North Africa such as Jordan, Morocco, Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Iran.

Front Row Productions, a joint venture of leading Middle East distribution...

Jordan has submitted Amjad Al-Rasheed’s female inheritance rights drama Inshallah A Boy for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

The picture made history earlier this year when it became the first Jordanian feature film to premiere in Cannes, when it was selected for parallel section Cannes Critics’ Week.

It won the Gan Foundation Award for Distribution, putting $21,000 towards distribution costs in France.

Greenwich Entertainment acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film ahead of its North American premiere at TIFF earlier this month.

The Amman-set drama stars Muna Hawa as a newly widowed young woman, who is in danger of losing the home that she helped pay for with her late husband due to Jordan’s anachronistic inheritance laws.

In the face of pressure from her in-laws and with little support from her the wealthy household where she works as a carer for the ageing grandmother,...

As Saudi Arabia diversifies from an oil-based economy, the kingdom is pinning a significant portion of its hopes of becoming a major media industry hub on Neom, a futuristic megacity in-the-making.

It is where the $100 million seventh century actioner “Desert Warrior,” featuring an all-star international cast led by “Captain America” star Anthony Mackie, is currently shooting.

Situated along the kingdom’s Red Sea coast in Tabuk, in the northwest of the kingdom, Neom is a sprawling area roughly the size of Belgium that besides coral reefs and heritage sites, also comprises mountains and generally has a cooler temperature than most of the region.

Bankrolled by Saudi-owned Mbc Group, “Desert Warrior” — which stars Saudi-British actor Aiysha Hart (“Mogul Mowgli”) alongside Mackie and is being directed by Rupert Wyatt (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”) and produced by Jeremy Bolt (“Resident Evil”) — is the biggest Hollywood-style tentpole ever shot entirely in the Arab world.

Guatemala has only submitted three films for Oscar consideration in the history of the Best International Feature category. In 1995 it entered “The Silence of Neto” and in 2016 “Ixcanul,” but neither advanced in the race toward a nomination. This year, the director of “Ixcanul” Jayro Bustamante is back in the race with Guatemala’s third-ever submission “La Llorona.” In February the film became the country’s first submission to make the 15-title shortlist and is now on pace to be its first nominee.

The supernatural drama film reimagines a Latin American fable using magical realism and horror to examine Guatemala’s dark past in a story of cultural guilt and justice. “La Llorona” had its world premiere at the 2019 Venice Film Festival where it won the Best Film prize at the Venice Days sidebar and then screened at TIFF shortly after, a full year before it was made available stateside via...

Jordanian multihyphenate Bassel Ghandour since graduating from USC film school has among other things worked closely with Kathryn Bigelow on “The Hurt Locker,” and penned and produced Naji Abu Nowar’s groundbreaking Bedouin Western “Theeb.” Now he is making a splash with his first feature as director “The Alleys,” even before its launch.

Ghandour’s multi-character tale, which is now in post, is set – and was shot – in a claustrophobic neighborhood in East Amman called Jabal Al Natheef where violence, and gossip, run rampant. “The Alleys” involves a young hustler named Ali who pretends to be a white-collar career man, his secret love interest Lana, and an extortion attempt that brings Lana’s mother and an older cutthroat gangster into the picture. The promising pic just scored several prizes at the Cairo Film Festival’s Cairo Film Connection co-production market.

“Ali is a hustler who takes tourists to dodgy night clubs in exchange for kickbacks,...

The films are tipped for 2021 festivals.

Egyptian director Sameh Alaa’s coming-of-age story I Can Hear Your Voice… Still and Jordanian director Bassel Ghandour’s drama The Alleys, have led the awards at the Cairo Film Connection, the co-financing platform of the Cairo International Film Festival (Ciff).

Eleven projects in development and four works in post-production were showcased at the event which meted out prizes from some 19 organisations worth $250,000 in total

I Can Hear Your Voice… Still won the $10,000 Arab Radio Television (Art) prize, a $10,000 cash award from Egyptian production and distribution company Red Star Films, as well as participation...

“The Alleys,” “The Legend of Zeineb and Noah” and “I Can Hear Your Voice… Still” were the big winners of the Cairo Film Connection, the co-production platform of the Cairo International Film Festival.

“The Alleys,” the directorial debut from the Oscar-nominated “Theeb” producer Bassel Ghandour, was awarded the $10,000 Badyã Award and $10,000 New Century Productions Prize.

Currently in post-production, “The Alleys” is a Jordan, Egyptian, French and Saudi co-production about a charming hustler who pretends to be a white-collar career man in a gossip-ridden, violent neighborhood.

The jury, comprising Jordanian actor and producer Saba Mubarak, Moroccan producer Lamia Chraibi, and Egyptian filmmaker Abubakr Shawky, was slated to give out 21 awards from 18 different companies, but they added three more to the list during the ceremony.

“The Legend of Zeineb and Noah” by acclaimed Egyptian director Yousry Nasrallah, whose 2012 film “After the Battle” competed for the Palme d’Or, took home five of...

Bookmark this page for all the latest international feature submissions.

Submissions for the best international feature film award at the 2021 Academy Awards have started to come in, and Screen is keeping a running list of each film below.

Scroll down for the full list

The 93rd Academy Awards is set to take place on April 25, 2021. It was originally set to be held on February 28, before both the ceremony and eligibility period were postponed for two months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Submitted films must have been released in their respective countries between the expanded dates of October 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. (Last year it was October-September.

The producers and funding bodies behind “The Furnace” took quite a chance when they agreed to back Roderick MacKay in his debut feature, yet clearly the young writer-director knows how to sell his vision just as well as he knows how to make a movie. Set in the deserts of Western Australia in the late 19th century, this ambitious, ethnically diverse and visually dramatic Western about an Afghani camel driver and a hard-bitten gold thief in the outback is a classic oater on every level, reminiscent of the more sensitive Westerns of the 1970s in which natives are accorded dignity and depth and moral quandaries aren’t black and white. Premiering in the Horizons section at Venice, the film combines racial sensitivity with good old-fashioned storytelling, which should be a winning competition on big screens at home but also abroad.

It opens in 1897, when a title explains that Western Australia...

Father-daughter drama ‘Wild Roots’ won the top prize at the Eastern Promises industry showcase.

Wild Roots, the feature debut of Hungarian director Hajni Kis, has won the Works In Progress award at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival’s industry showcase, Eastern Promises.

A cash prize of €10,000 was awarded to the Hungary-Slovak Republic co-production by Turkey’s Trt.

Wild Roots, which is in post-production, centres on an aggressive ex-con whose troubled 12-year-old daughter seeks him out following his release from prison. The cast includes Gusztáv Dietz, Zorka Horváth and Éva Füsti Molnár.

Co-written by Kis and Fanni Szántó, the producers are...

Films include Hany Abu-Assad’s Huda’s Salon and Mohammed Diab’s Amira.

Cairo-based Mad Solutions has boarded Arab sales and distribution rights for 11 anticipated films from the Middle East and North Africa, most of which are now in post-production.

It is handling three of the titles with Shahinaz El-Akkad’s Lagoonie Film Production: Amira, Huda’s Salon and Daughters Of Abdulrahman

Amira, the third film from Egypt’s Mohamed Diab following the award-winning dramas 678 and Clash, is in post-production. Palestinian Oscar-nominated director Hany Abu-Assad thriller Huda’s Salon is midway through shooting.

Daughters Of Abdulrahman is the debut feature...

As social distancing, shuttered theaters, and self-quarantine become daily life, chances are you’ve turned to your plethora of streaming services to quell the boredom. But there’s more to life than Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+: several niche streaming services are offering free trials and discounts, giving you plenty of offbeat and hard-to-find content choices. Among them is horror specialist Shudder, British-focused Acorn TV, nonfiction purveyor Dox, and Sundance Now.

IndieWire has compiled a list of services currently offering discounts and free trials, along with some of their most notable offerings, and will update it with any new additions. Also included are other streaming services that regularly offer free trials.

More from IndieWireThe Best Movies New to Every Major Streaming Platform in February 2020A Mysterious Plane Crash Unravels Into Global Conspiracy in 'Cold Case Hammarskjöld' Doc -- Exclusive Clip Shudder

The offer: 30 days free with promo code...

Netflix has unveiled a global teaser for its first Arabic original series, Jinn, and has set a release of June 13 for the young adult fantasy drama.

The series comes from exec producers Elan and Rajeev Dassani, who are the VFX specialists behind a raft of hit U.S series such as Scandal and Justified as the creatives responsible for Oscar-nominated drama Theeb, Bassel Ghandour and Very Big Shot, Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya. It is produced by Master Key Productions and Kanter Productions.

Jinn is described as a “contemporary”, supernatural drama focused on young Arab characters that follows a group of teenagers, whose lives are disrupted when a spiritual figure appears in front of them in the ancient city of Petra. They must try and stop Jinn from destroying the world.

Salma Malhas stars as Mira, a rebellious teen still devastated after the loss of her mother who learns to love again when she meets Keras,...

Qatar gives grants to TV and two web series for the first time.

The Doha Film Institute (Dfi) has announced the latest round of 38 projects to be supported under its autumn 2018 grants cycle.

Among the grantees is Lebanese filmmaker Mounia Akl who won Dfi funding for her upcoming film Costa Brava Lebanon about a family whose idyllic mountain retreat home is blighted when the government decides to build a landfill by their home. It was one of seven projects hailing from Lebanon.

Other grantees included Palestinian director Laila Abbas’s comedy-drama Barzakh about two sisters who hide their father’s...

Two new film festivals in the Arab world — and not in the Gulf States region where Kuwait had its first festival last month — announced their first editions during Tiff ‘17. Jordan and Egypt, along with the first ever Arab Critics Awards casts a new light onto just what Arab cinema is. Since that time, Dubai has announced it is bowing out of the festival circuit for now and Saudi Arabia has entered the film circuit. What will Toronto 2018 bring to the public and trade, always so avid for new and original films?

What began several years ago in the recently oil-rich Gulf nations of Dubai, Abu-Dhabi and Qatar who first brought the notion of Arab cinema to the western world with expensive receptions (including a camel one year at the Toronto Film Festival) and ultra fancy festivals (Abu Dhabi has since bowed out of its Tribeca Ff partnership and pulled back...

Film Movement has acquired North American rights for “Rafiki,” Wanuri Kahiu’s moving Lgbt drama that world premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard this month.

The film is a coming-of-age story about two teenage girls whose blossoming romance is opposed by their families and community. The movie was banned in Kenya, where homosexuality is illegal, with the country’s film board claiming it attempted to “promote lesbianism.”

“We’ve long championed first-time directors, releasing the first films by such notable filmmakers as Maren Ade (‘The Forest for the Trees’) and Alice Rohrwacher (‘Corpo Celeste’), among others. And we continue to champion important new voices in cinema, such as Naji Abu-Nowar (‘Theeb’), Atsuko Hirayanagi (‘Oh Lucy!’), Maysaloun Hamoud (‘In Between’), and Rungano Nyoni (‘I Am Not a Witch’),” said Film Movement president Michael Rosenberg.

“We believe that Wanuri Kahiu is another important voice, and look forward to bringing ‘Rafiki’ to North American audiences.

Driven by still nascent streamers and pay-tv platforms in the region, Middle East producers are rethinking formats and storylines for Arabic TV dramas, adapting some Western shows and venturing beyond the constraints of so-called Ramadan soaps and skeins that have long been the bulk of their output.

Netflix, after entering the Middle East market in 2016, recently announced its first Arabic original series, “Jinn,” in which the lives of a group of present-day teenagers in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra are disrupted by a supernatural being who is their age.

The six-episode show will be directed by Lebanon’s Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya, whose dark comedy debut “Very Big Shot” made a splash, and written by Bassel Ghandour who penned Jordan’s Oscar-nominated “Theeb.”

Leading Middle East pay-tv operator Osn recently picked up groundbreaking show “Qalb Al Adala” (“Justice”), inspired by “L.A. Law,” but based on real cases from the Abu Dhabi Judicial Dept.

Exclusive: Proceeds from the dialogue-free project will support filmmakers from the region.

Production has wrapped on experimental Saudi Arabian film Joud, the first feature produced by The King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture. The first image from the project is above.

The documentary feature is directed by Andrew Lancaster (The Lost Aviator), with production taking place in 16 locations accross Saudi Arabia including Jeddah, Tabuk, Mecca and Ha’il.

The screenplay from Safya Al-Marri and Hussam Alhulwah uses an experimental story structure derived from a pre-Islamic form of poetry, the “Qasida”, described as an “ancient poem for modern times.”

Producer Todd Albert Nims said Joud is “an ambitious production in that it chooses to avoid the use of narration or dialogue to engage audiences.”

The film is scored by Jerry Lane, composer for the Oscar-nominated film Theeb and produced by Abdullah Aleyaf and Todd Albert Nims of the King Abdulaziz Centre in association with the UK’s The...

Two new film festivals in the Arab world — and not in the Gulf States region where Kuwait had its first festival last month — have announced their first editions. Jordan and Egypt, along with the first ever Arab Critics Awards casts a new light onto just what Arab cinema is.

What began several years ago in the recently oil-rich Gulf nations of Dubai, Abu-Dhabi and Qatar who first brought the notion of Arab cinema to the western world with expensive receptions (including a camel one year at the Toronto Film Festival) and ultra fancy festivals (Abu Dhabi has since bowed out of its Tribeca Ff partnership and pulled back on all but its film fund) has now come to a more balanced sharing of Arabic cinema as a multi-culturally wealthy medium.

With the growth of Cairo-based Mad Solutions which started as a public relations agency for Arab-content cinema and expanded into...

New event will focus on first features from the Arab world.

The Royal Film Commission Jordan (Rfc) is launching a film festival aimed at debut features from the Arab world as well as promoting the country’s burgeoning pool of professional film and TV crew.

The inaugural edition of the Amman International Film Festival, which is beind held in the nation’s capital, will take place at the beginning of June 2018. It is a joint initiative between the Rfc and Cairo-based Mad Solutions through its Arab Cinema Centre platform.

Speaking to Screen in Cannes, Rfc executive commissioner Hrh Princess Rym Ali said the festival was a “natural step” for the commission under its double remit of promoting Jordan as a shooting location and building a local film and TV industry.

In recent years, the territory has put itself on the locations map, hosting productions like The Martian and X-Men: Apocalypse, while the Oscar...

Moves mean British film and outstanding debut nominees must show they have boosted opportunities for ethnic minority and socially disadvantaged film-makers

The British Film Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) has announced a number of changes designed to boost diversity in its membership, and thereby have a knock-on effect on its high-profile awards programme.

The most direct change is in the eligibility criteria for two of its award categories: outstanding British film; and outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer (won in 2016 by, respectively, Brooklyn, and Naji Abu Nowar and Rupert Lloyd for Theeb). Bafta has now instituted a requirement that, from 2019, films put forward must conform to the BFI’s Diversity Standards, which were established in 2014 to increase participation and representation of minorities and socially disadvantaged in British film.

Continue reading...

Twenty-two emerging producers to receive up to £2.2m; almost 500 applicants.Scroll Down For Recipients

The BFI has announced the recipients of its 2016-18 Vision Awards, comprising 22 investments in up-and-coming UK producers.

The awards, generally spread over two years, are designed to enable producers to build and develop their companies, slates and creative relationships.

The BFI had intended to give 20 awards but increased that allocation to 22 in response to the number of strong applications it received. Almost 500 companies applied for the awards, which are backed by a total commitment from the BFI of £2.2m of National Lottery funding.

Fifteen of the awards are to women producers or partnerships, while eight of the companies are based outside of London, located in Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield and York.

In a bid to foster sustainability, the third iteration of the Vision Awards will include an allowance to cover a producer’s fees and overheads of up to half...

Sales agent Fortissimo Films’ bankruptcy last week represented a major loss for members of the independent film industry that had worked with the company, based in Amsterdam and Hong Kong, for 25 years. A pioneer in the Asian and art house movie world, Fortissimo represented narrative films from acclaimed directors like Wong Kar-wai (“In the Mood for Love”), Tsui Hark (“Seven Swords”) and Jim Jarmusch (“Mystery Train”). It also handled sales for documentaries like Andrew Jarecki’s “Capturing The Friedmans,” Robert Kenner’s “Food Inc.,” Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me” and Martin Scorsese’s “Shine a Light.”

Fortissimo was known for its impeccable taste that shunned mainstream titles, landing recent award-winners like writer-director Yi’nan Diao’s 2014 crime-drama “Black Coal, Thin Ice,” which won Berlin’s Golden Bear award, and Naji Abu Nowar’s adventure-drama “Theeb,” which earned Nowar the Best Director award at the 2014 Venice Film Festival. Though awards...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit the interwebs. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

Aferim! (Radu Jude)

Leave it to a Romanian director to make a movie that best expresses the dangers of the dyed-in-the-wool mindset of modern America. Culled partly from historical documents, Aferim! is a twisted history lesson whose messages transcend its insular time period of 19th-century Romania. Its story concerns Constable Costandin (Teodor Corban) and his son, Ionita (Mihai Comanoiu), who chase after a wanted Gypsy slave...

The second edition of Qumra, March 4 - 9, organized by the Doha Film Institute has wrapped. Through a series of one-on-one meetings, consultations and tutorials, delegates at Qumra - the producers and directors associated with the 33 projects from 19 countries selected for the industry program - are provided with deep insights on how their films can find their voice in the global film market.

Only 100+ people, all working hard and all meeting every day is especially appealing. Seen in light of mega-events as Berlin, Cannes, Tiff and Sundance, the intimacy of everyone sharing meals, attending the same party, staying at the same hotels within the famed souk and in walking distance to the incredibly beautiful Museum of Islamic Art, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect I.M. Pei where morning events, classes and screenings take place makes this event forever memorable.

Mentoring is a natural result of the rich mix of people from all levels of the industry sharing themselves along with their expertise.

In my closing conversation with Doha Film Institute CEO Fatma Al Remaihi, Qumra Deputy Director Hanaa Issa and Artistic Advisor for the Doha Film Institute, filmmaker Elia Suleiman, I had quite pointed questions to ask but in fact, they were too pointed because as Elia said, “While the Qatar film industry is still in its infancy, we are all discovering and learning about the region and Qatar, the power of the filmmakers’ voices. We have no target to hit, because that would be too confining.”

What is the objective of all the activity of Dfi?

Fatma : Qumra marks the beginning of new collaborations, new creative partnerships and new friendships. At its heart, the mission of this event is to support emerging filmmakers. The program has been designed with the constant goal of creating a supportive and productive space for projects by emerging filmmakers to be nurtured and to provide maximum opportunities for our filmmakers to benefit from the wisdom of the most experienced industry experts in the world.

“Last year, we launched Qumra and embarked on an ambitious journey to provide emerging talent with an industry platform to help them build their skills and foster meaningful industry connections. In its second edition, we are excited to see it define its own niche with experts from across the world taking part in the discussions and asserting their commitment to supporting young filmmakers. We thank them for being here in Qatar and sharing their experience with the spirit of generosity that has come to embody this event.”

The objective of supporting Arab voices is being met faster than expected as shown by the success of ‘ Theeb’.

Editor: “Theeb” has won numerous awards in festivals including its debut in Venice where director-writer Naji Abu Nowar won for Best Director, winning the U.K.’s top BAFTA Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer by Naji Abu Nowar and Rupert Lloyd and reaching the level of nominee for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

This coproduction between Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and U.K. was funded by Doha Film Institute, Visions Sud Est and Anad of Abu Dhabi and it has been sold by top international sales agent Fortissimo to Australia (Jiff Distribution), Belgium (ABC), Middle East (Mad Solutions), Netherlands (ABC – Cinemien), Norway (As Fidalgo), Switzerland (trigon-film) U.K. (New Wave) and U.S. (Film Movement).

Hanaa Issa : “In many ways, Qumra is the culmination of the work we have been doing at the Doha Film Institute over the past five years. It builds on the existing support we give to filmmakers through our education and development programs, our funding programs, and our screenings and film appreciation initiatives. Our first edition showed us that the format worked and provided meaningful results to all those who participated, and we are confident that the second edition has contributed to extending further support to our talents.

I notice how many young filmmakers are here, and how shorts seem to be a strong suit right now for them. How does this objective apply specifically to Qatar?

Hanaa : The Dfi is making Qatar voices heard by traveling, bringing a package of films and selected participants to Berlin, Cannes, Dubai and Clermont-Ferrand, the world’s first and still most prestigious short film festival.

Elia: Qumra is for the young filmmakers and to inspire them, especially at a time when fences and borders are being built all around, and new ones are springing everywhere in the world. The imagination and poetry of our young filmmakers serve as a resistance to these borders. The fact that we are here at Qumra shows our confidence in our filmmakers in breaking down these barriers.

Are you getting any feedback yet?

Elia : I mix among everyone and am hearing very positive things from the filmmakers, the experts and festival programmers.

I heard James Schamus say it is unique. I’ve had several conversations with young women filmmakers that go beyond the subject of filmmaking.

Elia: There are more women here than last year, perhaps because the doors are so recently opened.

How do you evaluate all that has happened here?

Fatma: Very soon after the event, all together, every person involved in the event reviews every step and we forecast trends from what we see has taken place so far. We plan how to fulfil the needs of the filmmakers as we grow.

How do you see the future?

Hanaa: Many more people want to come and some want to come at their own expense. We want to meet the demands and also to keep the integrity of Qumra and insure that projects develop with follow up by all participants. We want to keep the format and avoid getting too big, to keep it relevant…We want to see the evolution of the projects here.

I myself love the intimacy and fear its loss as more people become aware of how great this program is. As press, I hesitate to write to tell more people about it because I want to keep it small as a participant.

Elia: In ten years perhaps one of the Masters will be someone who began here.

Fatma: The returnees from the first year are here with passion. And yet we need to guard the windows for new comers.

Hanaa: I would say Qumra is “elastic”.

Those are good closing words. “Elastic” defines Qumra now. Thank you for this look at what has happened so far at Qumra. I hope to remain a part of the Qumra family now that I have participated with the short filmmakers myself and have experienced the people’s warm hospitality!

From the official press notes:

Doha Film Institute CEO Fatma Al Remaihi said: “Qumra offers audiences highly engaging film experiences presenting new insights into the language of cinema and the process behind the creation of compelling films. They will also be educational and inspirational, underlining our commitment to strengthening film culture in Qatar by promoting access to and appreciation of world cinema.”

Masters and master classes with James Schamus, Joshua Oppenheimer, Naomi Kawase, Aleksandr Sokurov and Nuri Bilge Ceylan interested all participants and much of the public.

The Masters screenings, accompanied by Q&A sessions with the visiting Qumra Masters linked to each film were “The Look of Silence” (Denmark, Indonesia, Finland, Norway, UK / Indonesian, Javanese /2014) by Qumra Master Joshua Oppenheimer, “Once Upon a Time in Anatolia” (Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina / Turkish / 2011) by Qumra Master Nuri Bilge Ceylan; “Russian Ark” (Russian Federation, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan / Russian / 2002) by Qumra Master Aleksandr Sokurov; “The Mourning Forest” (Japan, France / Japanese / 2007) by Qumra Master Naomi Kawase; and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (Taiwan, Hong Kong, USA, China / Mandarin / 2001) by Ang Lee, co-written and produced by Lee’s longtime collaborator and Qumra Master, James Schamus.

The ‘New Voices in Cinema’ screenings included two feature films granted by the Doha Film Institute: “ Mediterranea” (Italy, France, Germany, Qatar/ Arabic, English, French, Italian; 2015) by Jonas Carpignano being sold internationally by Ndm and Wme; “ Roundabout in my Head”/ “Fi rassi roun-point” (Algeria, France, Qatar/Arabic/2015); and two award-winning short films “Waves 98” by Ely Dagher (Lebanon, Qatar / Arabic / 2015), winner of the Palme d’Or for Best Short Film at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival and “The Palm Tree ” (Qatar, No Dialogue, 2015) by Jasim Al Rumaihi, winner of the 2015 Ajyal Youth Film Festival Made in Qatar Award for Best Documentary.

Many of the industry guests included returnees as well as the new guests which count Bero Beyer, Rotterdam; Tine Fisher, Cph Dox; Christophe Le Parc, Director’s Fortnight, Cannes; Vincenzo Bugno, World Cinema Fund, Berlinale; Cameron Bailey, Tiff and Carlo Chatrian, Locarno here for their second time; Sundance for its first year; Matthijs Wouter Knol, European Film Market; Mike Goodridge, Protagonist; Memento Films, Arte; Michael Werner, Fortissimo; Alaa Karkouti, Mad Solutions and Selim El Azar, Gulf Films.

Also attending for the first time was Netflix who picked up “Under the Shadow” an elevated horror/ thriller partially funded by the Doha Film Institute, Film Movement and the Ford Foundation.

The closing night party was a sumptuous affair held in the desert, an homage to the tent dwellings of the Doha Bedouins, grandparents of those who are now forging a new urban and international identity.

A gorgeous, cracking adventure with a smart ring of authenticity, full of pulpy twists and perils, and with a sweetly naive but gruffly charming young hero. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

In the Arabian desert in 1916, a young Bedouin boy, Theeb (Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat), invites himself along on what, we may imagine, he supposes will be a grand adventure: his elder brother, Hussein (Hussein Salameh Al-Sweilhiyeen) is leading a lost English soldier on a secret mission to a distant railroad line. Theeb, who is perhaps eight or nine years old, and the youngest son of his tribe’s recently deceased sheik, doesn’t know what a railroad is, but he is entranced by the mysterious — and strikingly pale and blond! — stranger, and the enticing wooden box he carries, over which the soldier freaks out if Theeb gets too close.

Coming off of a BAFTA win for Outstanding Debut, and as it heads into final contention for the Foreign Language Oscar, Naji Abu Nowar’s Theeb has been sold around the world. Fortissimo Films handles international rights with several deals closed during the Efm; further pacts were sealed in the days since. This is only the second ever entry to the Academy Awards from Jordan and the first nomination. Theeb, a coming-of-age tale set during Wwi, tells the story of a young…...

Coming off of a BAFTA win for Outstanding Debut, and as it heads into final contention for the Foreign Language Oscar, Naji Abu Nowar’s Theeb has been sold around the world. Fortissimo Films handles international rights with several deals closed during the Efm; further pacts were sealed in the days since. This is only the second ever entry to the Academy Awards from Jordan and the first nomination. Theeb, a coming-of-age tale set during Wwi, tells the story of a young…...

Fortissimo secures deals in Europe and South America.

Naji Abu Nowar’s Theeb has been snapped up by distributors following its win at the BAFTAs earlier this month.

Fortissimo Films, which was selling the film at the European Film Market (Efm) this month, has closed deals in Spain (Film Buro), Colombia (Cineplex), Mexico (Cineteca Nacional), Bulgaria (Bulgaria Film Vision), former Yugoslavia (MegaCom), Central Europe (HBO), Turkey (Denk & Sinema TV) and Worldwide Airline rights (Skyline Ife).

The film previously sold to the Middle East (Mad Solutions) and Switzerland (Trigon).

Theeb, which won the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer, is the first ever Arab film to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

The film is set in 1916 amidst the landscapes of the Arabian Desert and tells the coming of age story of the title character, Theeb (‘Wolf’), who embarks upon a treacherous journey across the unforgiving desert plains in order...

The first thing you notice about Naji Abu Nowar is his plummy British accent. In fact, he was educated in London, and picked up the coveted BAFTA Sunday night for outstanding debut by a British director for "Theeb," which won the director's first prize at the 2014 Venice Horizons section, and eventually landed the Jordanian Oscar entry an Oscar nomination. Because "Theeb" is set among nomadic desert Arabs during the same troubled period as "Lawrence of Arabia," it's easy to cite the influence of David Lean, but while Nowar admires the director, "he was not an influence on this film," except as to how not to shoot day for night scenes. "Lean shot on sand, which reflects light with a blue twinge that I didn't like," Nowar told me on the phone. "We discovered that with black basalt volcanic rock in the desert, you don’t get the reflection in the day for night scenes.

"The Revenant" took home five trophies yesterday at the 2016 BAFTA Awards, making the Oscar race even tighter and more unpredictable.

The movie won Best Film, Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, Best Director for Alejandro Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Best Cinematography for Emmanuel Lubezki, and Best Sound. This was Lubezki's third win in a row.

DiCaprio continues to cement his near-lock to win the coveted Academy Award missing from his mantle, as did Brie Larson, who won Best Actress for "Room." Mark Rylance and Kate Winslet took the prizes in the supporting categories.

Aside from "The Revenant," "Mad Max: Fury Road" was the night's big winner with four awards:

Costume Design, Makeup and Hair, Production Design, and Editing.

Here's the full list of winners:

Best Film

"The Revenant"

Best Actor

Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Revenant"

Best Actress

Brie Larson, "Room"

Best Director

Alejandro G. Inarritu, "The Revenant"

Best Supporting Actor

Mark Rylance, "Bridge of Spies...

Theeb, the Anglo-Jordanian feature directorial debut of mercurial talent Naji Abu Nowar, has racked up some strong secondary sales for Fortissimo at Berlin. The film, which is also Academy Award-nominated for best Foreign Language Film, won Abu Nowar and his producer Rupert Lloyd the BAFTA for best outstanding British debut. Jour 2 Fete has now acquired the film for France, Jiff Distribution in Australia, Rialto in New Zealand, Lemon Tree in China, Neo Films in Greece…...

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The Revenant, Mad Max, Brie Larson, Leonardo DiCaprio and more take home BAFTA gold...

The 2016 BAFTA Film Awards took place last night in London, with Stephen Fry returning to host. If you were looking for clues from the evening as to which films to back on Oscar night, then this was an evening for The Revenant, which took home three of the biggest gongs. Leonardo DiCaprio, surely, is now a shoo-in for Best Actor, at last. Furthermore, it'd be a brave version to bet against Brie Larson winning Oscar gold for her stunning work in Room.

Elsewhere, the prizes were scattered between many of the contenders. There were BAFTAs for Spotlight and The Big Short in the screenplay categories, prizes as a reward for the superb production design and editing of Mad Max: Fury Road, and some good old fashioned British loyalty in the supporting categories, as...

Exclusive: Fortissimo Films inks deals for Jordanian feature that won a Bafta last night.

Fortissimo Films has closed several additional deals on Oscar-nominated Jordanian feature Theeb, including sales to Jour 2 Fete for France and Jiff Distribution for Australia.

The award-winning drama, directed by Naji Abu Nowar, has also gone to Rialto Distribution (New Zealand), Lemon Tree (China), Neo Films (Greece), Entremode (Korea) and Edko (Hong Kong).

In addition, Paris Filmes has acquired theatrical rights for Brazil and will be releasing the film on February 18. Jour 2 Fete is planning a French theatrical release for later this year.

The film, which started its awards run by picking up the best director Orrizonti prize at Venice in 2014, has already been released by New Wave Films (UK), Film Movement (Us), Cinemien (Benelux) and As Fidalgo Film Distribution (Norway).

In addition to its Oscar nomination for best foreign-language film, it won a Bafta last night for outstanding debut by a British writer...

BAFTA crowned Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant in London with wins for Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor.Click Here For Full List Of Winners

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant was the big winner at the 69th British Academy Film Awards on Sunday night as the frontier epic converted five of its eight nominations including Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor for Leonardo Di Caprio.

Mexican writer, producer and director Iñárritu, himself nominated in three categories last year for Birdman, praised Leonardo DiCaprio’s “commitment” to the film, and that of his crew which he said “made it all possible in very extreme circumstances”.

BAFTA voters stuck to the script in the lead actor categories with favourites Brie Larson winning for her portrayal of a young mother held captive in Room and Leonardo DiCaprio converting his fourth BAFTA nomination into a win for his muscular performance in The Revenant, which follows...

Best Film The Revenant Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Arnon Milchan, Mary Parent, Keith Redmon Leading Actor Leonardo DiCaprio The Revenant Leading Actress Brie Larson Room Director The Revenant Alejandro G. Iñárritu Production Design Mad Max: Fury Road Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson Film Not In The English Language Wild Tales Damián Szifron Original Screenplay Spotlight Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer Adapted Screenplay The Big Short Adam McKay, Charles Randolph Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer Naji Abu Nowar (Writer/Director) Rupert Lloyd (Producer) Theeb Costume Design Mad Max: Fury Road Jenny Beavan Supporting Actress Kate Winslet Steve Jobs Animated Film Inside Out Pete Docter Supporting Actor Mark Rylance Bridge Of Spies The Ee Rising Star Award John Boyega Special Visual Effects Star Wars: The Force Awakens Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal...

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has just finished presenting their awards, with the results being pretty much as predicted: The Revenant has won five awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound. Mad Max: Fury Road was not far behind with four wins of its own, including Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Make Up & Hair, and Best Costume Design.

These results would seem to support the recent surge of love for The Revenant, making it a favorite for the Best Picture Oscar. Though BAFTA and AMPAS have disagreed on the best film of the year a few times over the last decade, most of the time it tends to match up pretty well.

Speaking of matching up pretty well, the acting categories almost went entirely as expected, with the one exception being Kate Winslet’s win for Best Supporting Actress.

The Revenant won best film while Leonardo Dicaprio, Brie Larson, Mark Rylance and Kate Winslet won the top acting prizes.WinnersBest Film

The Revenant Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Arnon Milchan, Mary Parent, Keith Redmon

The Big Short Bridge Of Spies Carol SpotlightLeading Actor

Leonardo Dicaprio The Revenant

Bryan Cranston, TrumboEddie Redmayne, The Danish GirlMatt Damon, The MartianMichael Fassbender, Steve JobsLeading Actress

Brie Larson Room

Alicia Vikander, The Danish GirlCate Blanchett, CarolMaggie Smith, The Lady In The VanSaoirse Ronan, BrooklynSupporting Actor

Mark Rylance Bridge Of Spies

Benicio Del Toro, SicarioChristian Bale, The Big ShortIdris Elba, Beasts Of No NationMark Ruffalo, SpotlightSupporting Actress

Kate Winslet Steve Jobs

Alicia Vikander, Ex MachinaJennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful EightJulie Walters, BrooklynRooney Mara, CarolDirector

The Revenant Alejandro G. Iñárritu

The Big Short, Adam MckayBridge Of Spies, Steven SpielbergCarol, Todd HaynesThe Martian, Ridley ScottProduction Design

Mad Max: Fury Road Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson

Bridge Of SpiesCarolThe MartianStar Wars: The Force AwakensFilm Not In...

Screen is at the Ee British Academy Film Awards in London where Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett and Steven Spielberg are among those waiting to find out who will take home the golden masks.

The ceremony has started and we are updating the list below with winners as they come in. Refresh the page for the latest updates..

WinnersLeading Actor

Leonardo Dicaprio The Revenant

Bryan Cranston, TrumboEddie Redmayne, The Danish GirlMatt Damon, The MartianMichael Fassbender, Steve JobsLeading Actress

Brie Larson Room

Alicia Vikander, The Danish GirlCate Blanchett, CarolMaggie Smith, The Lady In The VanSaoirse Ronan, BrooklynDirector

The Revenant Alejandro G. Iñárritu

The Big Short, Adam MckayBridge Of Spies, Steven SpielbergCarol, Todd HaynesThe Martian, Ridley ScottProduction Design

Mad Max: Fury Road Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson

Bridge Of SpiesCarolThe MartianStar Wars: The Force AwakensFilm Not In The English Language

Wild Tales Damián Szifron

The Assassin, Hou Hsiao-HsienForce Majeure, Ruben ÖstlundTheeb, Naji Abu Nowar, Rupert LloydTimbuktu...