Venice Film Festival To Showcase Second Golden Age Of Arab Cinema

The 81st Venice International Film Festival, running from August 28 to September 7, will feature a panel titled 'Talent Hot List: Showcasing Arab Cinema's Golden New Wave’. This event is organised in collaboration with MAD Celebrity and the Venice Production Bridge.

A star-studded panel will discuss the second golden age of Arab cinema. This era is marked by an increase in Arab films celebrated at international festivals and their commercial success in regional markets. The panel will take place on Saturday, August 31, from 4:30 pm to 6 pm at Hotel Excelsior, Spazio Incontri.

This renaissance has introduced a new generation of acting, filmmaking, and producing talents ready for global recognition. Many leading figures of this movement will speak on the panel. 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.

Ryan Ashore, Head of Red Sea Labs, will moderate the discussion. The event aims to capitalise on the creative blossoming within Arab cinema by bringing together top-level talents from various Arab filmmaking countries.

Kareem Samy, Managing Partner and Executive Director of MAD Celebrity, expressed his excitement about the collaboration. He stated, "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."

Pascal Diot, Head of the Venice Production Bridge (VPB), also shared his enthusiasm for supporting new Arab talents. "As a platform dedicated to production," he said, "the Venice Production Bridge is honoured to support the new Arab talents and to offer them unique exposure to international producers."

Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab, Co-Founders of the ACC and MAD Solutions, expressed their gratitude for showcasing Arab talent at Venice once again. They stated: "The Arab Cinema Center has always dedicated itself to expanding the global reach of Arab talent... Our stellar panel brings together a who's who of leading Arab film talents and professionals from a multitude of different Arab filmmaking countries."

Diot further highlighted the long-standing relationship between VPB and ACC. He noted that this partnership has allowed more time and space for the Arab industry at VPB events. "It is logical that we are now all together highlighting the talents of tomorrow," he added.

The event promises to be a significant moment for Arab cinema. It aims to bring wider attention to what is being recognised as a new golden age of creativity and success in the region's film industry.