NEWS ARAB FILM FESTIVAL (USA)
Short Film Corner @ Festival de Cannes Organized by the Festival de Cannes, the Short Film Corner is the essential rendez-vous for short film makers worldwide. The event includes workshops, screenings, networking opportunities and special competitive awards. The next edition of the Short Film Corner will take place from May 12-21, 2010 and submissions for entry will be accepted until April 18, 2010 (though the cut-off date may come sooner if the maximum quota for films is filled early on). Each film registered at the Short Film Corner is allowed to use the ‘Short Film Corner - Cannes 2009’ label. This distinction certifies the potential of the short film and its viewing by a wide audience of professionals during the Cannes Festival. For further information about the Short Film Corner, visit www.shortfilmcorner.com
The Arab Film Festival is now accepting submissions for the 14th Annual Arab Film Festival 2010 held in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Festival dates will soon be announced. Founded in 1996, AFF has grown into an important bridge between the Arab world, Arab-American communities, and the broader American public. The mission of the Arab Film Festival (AFF) is to enhance public understanding of Arab culture and to provide alternative
representations of Arabs that contradict the stereotypical images frequently encountered in the mass media. The Arab Film Festival screens films from and about the Arab World that provide realistic perspectives on Arab people, culture, art, history and politics. The deadline for entries is May 15th, 2010. Entry form and information at www.aff.org/call.php
Gulf Film Festival in Dubai Book your flights and get ready to pack your bags because the 3rd annual Gulf Film Festival is soon underway. From April 8-14, 2010, the GFF will host two film competitions in Dubai as part of its mission to encourage creativity and excellence among filmmakers from the GCC region. The Festival will also present International Cinema in order to fulfill its primary objectives of developing the film culture in the Gulf and creating greater opportunities for the region’s
filmmakers to screen their films and build on future film projects. Just don’t forget to pack your show reels and get some attractive business cards for all the networking you’re going to be doing! For more information about the Gulf Film Festival, visit www.gulffilmfest.com GFF is brought to you by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority in association with Dubai Studio City.
Launch of Production Support Project In January 2010, the Culture and Arts Programme of the A.M. Qattan Foundation announced the launch of a new audiovisual initiative intended to stimulate the growth and development of filmmaking in the Palestinian territories. The A.M. Qattan Foundation is an independent development organization working in the fields of culture and education in Palestine
and the Arab World. Co-funded by the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Production Support Project aims to increase and attract investment in Palestinian film production (specifically short and medium length films); build-up technical infrastructure for filmmaking; and develop local capacity in specific technical departments. There will be a particular emphasis placed on improving the availability of lighting and grip equipment and access to training in this department too. The deadline for applications for the first round of PSP funding is on April 15, 2010.
For more information about the Production Support Project, visit www.qattanfoundation.org/psp