The collection includes films such as 'The Present', 'White Helmets' and more from 47 filmmakers.
Netflix will launch a new collection of iconic Arab films under the title Celebrating Arab Cinema on December 9. The collection will include 58 films that have been globally recognised by events such as the Academy Awards, BAFTAs, Cannes and Venice Film Festival among others.
The collection includes films from renowned filmmakers such as Nadine Labaki, Annemarie Jacir, Elia Suleiman, Hany Abu-Assad and Ziad Doueiri, as well as many recognisable titles such as The Present, Lift Like a Girl and White Helmets. The collection builds on the previously released Prestige collection 2020, celebrating outstanding talent from different parts of the Arab world and their iconic stories.
Nuha El Tayeb, Director of Content Acquisitions, Turkey and MENA at Netflix said: “Each year, the entertainment community and cinephiles around the world turn their attention to global award ceremonies such as the Academy Awards, the BAFTAs, Cannes, Venice and more. All eyes are on the films, no matter where they’re from and what they’re about, welcoming authentic storytelling from all parts of the world.
“We pride ourselves on giving people the opportunity to experience the content they may not have had a chance to see and have made this even easier, with the launch of the Prestige collection in 2020 which celebrates iconic Arab films. Today, we build on that legacy, with a catalogue of 58 films that celebrate Arab cinema, bringing the best of the Arab world to the global stage.
“The collection isn’t just fictional stories but also includes powerful documentaries, such as the exploration of first responders in war-torn Syria in White Helmets which won an Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject. The Celebrating Arab Cinema collection does just that, bringing together the best from the Arab world.
“Many of these movies were also selected to represent their country in the Academy Award submissions for Best International Feature Film, spanning different parts of the Arab world covering Egyptian, Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian, Jordanian and Iraqi stories. These are stories of love, romance, family, friendship, childhood, war, separation, big dreams and ordinary lives.”
She added: “The 58 films come from 47 different filmmakers, including champions of the region’s film industry like Nadine Labaki, Annemarie Jacir, Elia Suleiman, Hany Abu-Assad and Ziad Doueiri, among others. These directors, in their own ways, set a benchmark in the region’s entertainment industry, which is why we’re delighted to bring these films together and showcase the best of the Arab world to our members across the globe.”
