MAD Solutions has revealed a new strategy for its Arab Cinema Centre (ACC) during 2016, where the Centre’s activities will be hosted by more than 15 festivals and international film markets across the world’s five continents. In addition, the ACC will release a new magazine highlighting information on the Centre’s platforms and activities during 2016. […]
MAD Solutions has revealed a new strategy for its Arab Cinema Centre (ACC) during 2016, where the Centre’s activities will be hosted by more than 15 festivals and international film markets across the world’s five continents. In addition, the ACC will release a new magazine highlighting information on the Centre’s platforms and activities during 2016.
Making its earliest announcements on its upcoming destinations for 2016, the Centre’s list included International Film Festival Rotterdam (Jan 27- Feb 7), for the second year in a row Berlin International Film Festival (11-21 Feb), the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), Asia’s largest Entertainment Market (March 14- 17) and the Qumra industry programme at Doha Film Institute (17-23 March), an initiative that seeks to provide mentorship, nurturing, and hands-on development for filmmakers from Qatar and around the world.
It was also revealed that a new magazine will be released in Berlinale introducing the Centre partners and designated festival destinations during 2016 in addition to highlights on the Arab Film Market updates.
On the new strategy, Film Analyst Alaa Karkouti, CEO of MAD Solutions, stated: “Our goal is to expand the Arab Cinema Centre to cover the world’s five continents through different film festivals and international markets, opening bigger opportunities to further support the Arab film industry and boost interest in Arab cinema culture and business.”
“With its diverse and rich experiences, the Arab Cinema deserves to gain wider exposure with constant presence in international festivals and film markets,” added Karkouti.
The company also started a new campaign to promote the Centre with a hashtag #ISupportACC and a videograph boasting the Centre’s achievements with facts and numbers through its three successful editions, which debuted earlier this year, across three of the world’s most prestigious film festivals; Berlinale, Cannes and Malmo Arab Film Festival (MAFF).
The video highlighted the ACC’s strong debut at Berlinale 2015, promoting 11 film industry institutions, companies and organizations. The 1st ACC received 1500 daily visits, on average, and hosted seven networking sessions that were held with key international industry professionals, such as the Robert Bosch Stiftung (Germany), in addition to connecting with 20 film festivals, including Venice, Berlin, Locarno, Beijing, and Toronto, that were eyeing for a strong Arab participation in their festivals. It is worth noting that the ACC was the only official and physical Arab industry presence at the festival’s famed EFM.
The second edition of ACC was launched at the 68th Cannes Film Festival, this time with a 40% increase of partners, reaching to 18 partners. For the Cannes edition, MAD Solutions, the entity behind the ACC, partnered with Variety Magazine, the world’s longest-standing entertainment magazine, as its exclusive media partner, as well as Festival Scope online film platform. Director Basil Khalil’s Ave Maria, which is promoted by the Centre, was screened within the Cannes Short Film Corner with the attendance of more than 600 audience members, making the film one of the most viewed films at the festival’s digital library. During this edition, ACC welcomed more than 5000 visitors throughout the festival.
The third ACC took the Arab industry to the heart of the first Market Forum at MAFF, which focused on highlighting and encouraging collaborations between Nordic and Arab film industries. The center partnered with 10 organizations and companies involved with Arab films distribution, production, support, and promotion. For MAFF, more than 200 daily visits were recorded at the Centre and under the flag of MAD, the third ACC held a presentation on ways to promote film distribution of Nordic films in the Arab world, which successfully attracted key names from the Nordic film industry.
ACC is the first Arab platform created to promote Arab cinema at international film festivals. The Centre provides numerous activities that range between market screenings for Arab films, hosting networking sessions and meetings for Arab filmmakers with key international film companies and organisations.
