[fusion_text]On the 18th of March, Fondation Liban Cinema, organized in the framework of Beirut Cinema Platform, a round table on Distribution of Arab films in the Arab countries.
Distributors and VOD managers were invited to be part of it: Hania Mroueh (MC distribution), Youssef Shazli (Zawya), Mario Jr. Haddad (Empire Cinema), Dora Bouchoucha (Tunisian Producer, member of AFI, ex-president of Carthage Cinema Days), Afnan Sarraj (ART), Karim Safieddine (Cinemoz).Maya De Freige inaugurated the round table and Antoine Khalife moderated it.
The lack of Arab films in Lebanon and in the Arab countries was the main idea of the round table. Even though the Arab films are tackling important issues but still, they lack audiences in the Arab countries, therefore, the discussion evolved around the factors that prohibit Arab films from being distributed there.
Suggestions and solutions were enumerated such as:
– try to keep a film in theatres for at least a month, in return for incentives
– Create a star system in Arab films to make it more accessible to the audience
– Televisions should help boosting the whole system by buying rights of the films and screening them.
– Subtitling the different Arab dialects to be understood by everyone. Apart from the Egyptian dialect, no other dialect is understood by all the Arab countries.
– Use digital platforms to promote Arab films, since they have more freedom in experimenting with films and with the audience.
– Having more noncommercial and experimental movie theaters in each country.
– Distribute Arabic movies same way than American movies
-Encouraging co-productions between Arab countries
– Encourage the exchange of Arab actors
– Exchanging figures and statistics
-Abolishing censorship: Having the freedom to deal with all subjects brings the audience closer to the movies
In Lebanon 25% of the box office comes from Lebanese Films. FLC is working on improving the number of entries. A film doesn’t exist without an audience and an Arab audience that speaks the same language is a must.[/fusion_text][slider width=”90%” height=”90%” class=”” id=””][slide type=”image” link=”” linktarget=”_self” lightbox=”no”]http://l5i.c3c.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_0398.jpg[/slide][slide type=”image” link=”” linktarget=”_self” lightbox=”no”]http://l5i.c3c.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_0399.jpg[/slide][slide type=”image” link=”” linktarget=”_self” lightbox=”no”]http://l5i.c3c.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_0402.jpg[/slide][slide type=”image” link=”” linktarget=”_self” lightbox=”yes”]http://l5i.c3c.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_0407.jpg[/slide][slide type=”image” link=”” linktarget=”_self” lightbox=”yes”]http://l5i.c3c.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_0408.jpg[/slide][slide type=”image” link=”” linktarget=”_self” lightbox=”yes”]http://l5i.c3c.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_0409.jpg[/slide][slide type=”image” link=”” linktarget=”_self” lightbox=”yes”]http://l5i.c3c.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_0410.jpg[/slide][/slider]