The ACC's programme for this year will include four distinct panel sessions, alongside the traditional beach-side ceremony for the Critics Awards for Arab Films.
The Arab Cinema Centre (ACC) has announced its ongoing collaboration with the Marché du Film, alongside MAD Celebrity, to present a series of engaging panel discussions and events during this year’s market edition at the 77th Festival de Cannes, scheduled from May 14 to 25.
With a spotlight on Arab creative talent, the ACC’s activities aim to showcase the wealth of storytelling expertise and artistic brilliance from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, contributing to the flourishing Golden Age of Arab Cinema.
The programme features four distinct panel sessions, along with the ACC’s highly anticipated annual beach-side ceremony for the Critics Awards for Arab Films, all set to unfold at the esteemed Plage des Palmes — the official beachside venue shared by the Festival de Cannes and Marché du Film.
ACC Co-Founders Alaa Karkouti and Maher Diab said: “These panels always attract a huge crowd in Cannes, which speaks volumes about the international demand to both see more Arab films in the global arena and to collaborate with talents and changemakers in the region to make sure more exciting, entertaining and relevant stories see the light of day. We are forever thankful to the Cannes Film Festival, their incredible team at the Marché du Film, and all our partners and collaborators for giving us the space to keep elevating the pan-Arab film industry in the eyes of the global community.”
The festivities will commence with the star-studded event titled “Talent Hotbed: How Arab Artists & Artisans are Conquering the Entertainment World” on May 17. The event, presented by ACC and MAD Celebrity, will feature two celebrity-filled panels followed by an hour-long invite-only reception.
The first panel, “The Arab New Wave: The Actors,” moderated by Melanie Goodfellow of Deadline, will spotlight Arab cinema’s rising stars in a joint discussion about the opportunities and challenges they face in breaking into the international marketplace. Following this, “The Arab New Wave: The Artists and Artisans,” moderated by Michael Rosser of Screen International, will celebrate the work of the newest generation of talents working behind the camera. This session will dive into their international career paths, shedding light on the necessary steps for more of these exceptional artists to garner recognition beyond the MENA region.
The following day, May 18, ACC, MAD Solutions, IEFTA (International Emerging Film Talent Association), and NEFT Emerging Film Talent International Competition will come together to host the annual Critics Awards for Arab Films ceremony (17:00-19:00). Launched in 2017 by the ACC at the Festival de Cannes, this awards event offers a platform for over 200 prominent international film critics to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in recent Arab cinema across multiple award categories.
On May 20, the ACC, in partnership with IEFTA and UNHCR, will host an urgent and relevant panel titled “Displacement: Cinematic Perspectives” (9:30-11:00). Journalist Hadley Gamble will lead an insightful conversation featuring a UNHCR goodwill ambassador and Princess Grace Award Winner & IEFTA selected filmmaker, Daniela Repas. This moderated discussion will shed light on the impactful role of cinema in depicting and confronting the complexities of displacement.
Following that, ACC will present its concluding event titled “Jordan: A Case Study in Sustainable Growth,” featuring a high-profile panel moderated by Nick Vivarelli from Variety. This session will convene key figures from the Jordanian film industry, showcasing their efforts in establishing the nation as a global exemplar for constructing a robust local storytelling framework, ensuring enduring success.
Guillaume Esmiol, Executive Director of the Marché du Film, added: “The Arab Cinema Center’s commitment to highlighting Arab talent perfectly mirrors the spirit of diversity and creativity that Cannes represents. We are thrilled to collaborate once again with ACC and eagerly anticipate hosting these events at our prestigious Plage des Palmes venue. Together, we will foster engaging discussions and, unequivocally, celebrate the vibrancy of the Arab film industry in all its brilliance.”
The Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes opens its doors on May 14, with the film market running until May 22 and the Festival concluding its activities on May 25.
