Beirut Film Foundation: Initiatives

Film Festival. The Foundation is to insure the permanent continuity of this event. The festival was born in 1997, and is now in its 7th edition. The festival is competitive in Mideastern Feature Films, Short. A Cinereach CASH PRIZE is awarded to the Best Director. Due to our Mideastern film competition, the festival has become an important hunting ground for international talent scouts. Sundance supported the festival by sending a film and its director to attend the festival in Beirut. Region covered by the festival: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Turkey and Iran.

Mid East Script Competition. Covers the same region as above. Once the winner with the required resources is chosen, then they are sent to a scriptwriting Lab at Sundance. This competition is held throughout the year. The competition was launched early 2003, and the first winner from Beirut Assad Fouladkar, attended the June 17, 2004 script writing lab. This is the first time for an Arab speaking filmmaker to attend such a workshop at Sundnace. This is the most significant advancement in the development of film in the Middle East region. Several of our candidates have been invited to apply for the NHK awards that are organized by Sundance Institute.

The competition is headed by an international and regional panel of experts.

Mid East Film Institute. Plans are to have it operational by 2007. It will host workshops for young regional filmmakers. The first workshops will be on script writing, eventually adding, directing, production, cinematography, acting… The property for this institute has already been pledged. It is in the beautiful wine growing region of the Bekaa.

Restoration of Old Regional Film Prints. The Italian foundation FOCSE "Fondazione Officine Cinema Sud Est" in collaboration with the Beirut Film Foundation, will commence restoration with the first lot of Arab musicals, not seen by several generations.

Film Fund / Production base covers the region: Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Turkey and Iran. The objective of this fund is to develop, support and encourage regional productions/co-productions. This fund will be launched at the end of 2005.