BBC Arabic will launch a film and documentary festival in partnership with the British Council in London. Named Aan Korb (Close up), the festival will take place from October 31 to November 3, 2014 at BBC Radio Theatre. Aan Korb will screen the very best feature films, short films, investigative reports, citizen journalism and television documentaries created […]
BBC Arabic will launch a film and documentary festival in partnership with the British Council in London. Named Aan Korb (Close up), the festival will take place from October 31 to November 3, 2014 at BBC Radio Theatre.
Aan Korb will screen the very best feature films, short films, investigative reports, citizen journalism and television documentaries created about the Arab world.
Tarik Kafala, Head of BBC Arabic said: The BBC Arabic Film and Documentary Festival aims to draw young talent from around the world and to give filmmakers the platform to share their distinctive journalistic and artistic work. Hosting the festival in London will also benefit British audiences. Many people in the UK know little about Arab cinema, the challenges of filmmaking in the region and the personal stories behind the news. We hope the festival will bring them closer to the Middle East and to some of the people through telling its stories. We are delighted to run this festival in partnership with the British Council.
The festival is open to filmmakers, producers, documentary makers, journalists and citizen journalists whose work explores key issues around the Arab world since December 2010.
BBC Arabic will reward the most promising young person with an award worth up to £10,000. This will include training, mentoring and equipment. There is the potential for their project to be commissioned by the BBC.
Stephen Stenning, British Council Regional Director for the Arts, said: The British Council has been working in the Middle East and North Africa for nearly 80 years. Through our work in culture and arts we have connected people, built understanding, enabled channels of expression, and created opportunities for talented individuals to contribute to the development of a vibrant regional film industry. In a year of increasing international recognition of Arab filmmaking talent, including BAFTA and Academy Award nomination; we are proud to be partnering with BBC Arabic to create the Aan Korb Film Festival, providing an international platform for these emerging talents.
Festival selection will be made by two panels of judges:
Feature & Shorts Jury will be chaired by Liliane Landor, Controller, Languages, Global News and include:
Kaleem Aftab, Film Correspondent
Briony Hanson. Director of Film, the British Council
Sara Ishaq, Director
Rose Issa, Curator, Writer, Publisher
Documentary, Investigation & citizen Journalism Jury will be chaired by Tom Giles, Editor, BBC Panorama, and include:
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, Foreign Correspondent, The Guardian
Hussain Currimbhoy, Director of Programming, Sheffield Doc/Fest
Marc Perkins, BBC Arabic Head of Documentaries
Ahdaf Soueif, Writer, Political and Cultural Commentator
