MEDIA WEEK
BIG QUESTION
Reel choice
Are there too many film festivals in the Middle East?
I DON’T THINK there can ever be too many film to a wide audience, and so the more film festivals
festivals. At present there are about 3,000 world- there are that allow filmmakers to get recognition
wide, and the biggest thing for them is to try to get for their work, the better. Serious filmmakers will
noticed. If an organiser can create a film festival go to festivals that help them sell their projects, or
that gets recognition—one that wades through that help them get funding for their projects.
the plethora of other festivals—then I think you’ve The second factor is that film festivals should
achieved a lot. help stimulate the industry. That hasn’t happened
Dubai is already recognised as the leading fes- in the Gulf yet,
tival in the Middle East, and Abu Dhabi—by ap- but with the ini-
Film festivals
pointing people of high calibre like Peter Scarlet as tiatives that are
should help
executive director, who is very well respected—is being shown—
stimulate the
attaching a lot of credibility. Doha gets a lot of cred- especially in Abu
ibility by its alignment with the New York-based Dhabi with Ima-
industry.
TIM SMYTHE
Tribeca film festival and Robert De Niro. You also genation, and the
CEO and
have festivals in Egypt, Morocco and Beirut. announcements likely to happen in Doha—the
executive producer
Festivals are there for two reasons. Firstly, they potential of the film industry in the Gulf to develop
Filmworks
give a platform for people to showcase their films further is really enhanced by these festivals.
FILM FESTIVALS around
the world celebrate the art of
An essential
in the Middle East can actually
be seen as an essential mech-
film-making—they are places mechanism anism for changing Western
where upcoming and estab-
for changing
industry executives, filmm’ ak-
lished talent can utilise the
opportunity to showcase their
Western
ers’ and interested visitors’
perceptions about the Arab
films on a large platform. That
perceptions
region and its film industries.
said, regional festivals, such
as the Middle East Interna-
about the
Therefore my feeling is that,
no, there are not too many
tional Film Festival, Dubai In- Arab film film festivals in the region at
ternational Film Festival and
industries.
this point as they are para-
the Beirut International Film mount for developing and
Festival do not only revolve seminars and networking op- nurturing film industries in
around international talent portunities, allows regional their respective regions, and
and film-makers, but also local talent to learn from their in- help improve global percep-
and emerging young ara tists— ternational counterparts, and tions of the region.
STEFAN BRUNNER
Chief operating
thus providing them with a can thus, in many way ways, ,
officer
launch pad, which they oth- be seen as a necessitycessity
Imagenation
erwise would not have had. for the developmenpment
Abu Dhabi
This platform, in combina- of local filmmaking.
tion wti ith a host of workshops, Conversely, festivalstivals
COVERS A SUITED ESQUIRE
WWEE’RE VERY much looking forward to the the mag made up of ads.
MMiiddle East version of Esquire, not least be- Editorially, there’s certainly an eclecc--
cause we’re sick of stumping up Dhs42 for the tic mix, with articles on Nick Cave, Ant t
international edition. & Dec and Mark Ronson. The ‘grazing’’
Dubai-based ITP plans to launch the men’s reads—short, punchy snippets at the
title in Nti ovember, with Jeremy Lawrence, beginning of the mag—are strong:
prp eviously editor of Time Out Dubai, as there are snappy advice columns on
editore -in-chief. It will be published in English, everything from haggling, to how to
with an initial print run of 15,000. start a bank.
Given that the mag will draw on content There are plenty of articles suitable for the Mfor the Middle East market. In the Au-
from the international editionsal editions, we took a look at a couple of recent copies gust edition, for instance, there’s a cover pieces on Daniel Radcliff, and a rare
for a guide of what to expect. October’s UK issue—with a special cover in gold interview with Russian billionaire Evgeny Lebedev. But articles on the birth of
foiling—certainly looks healthy on the advertising front, with over 40 per cent of Penthouse and a guide to alfresco sex? Probably won’t go down too well…
18 OCTOBER 2009 / 19
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