January 2007
1. Sundance funds RECYCLE
2. SEEDS OF DOUBT by Samir Nasr in German theatres
3. Arab Focus and TV-Conference in Augsburg
4. Publication
5. screenings
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1. Sundance funds RECYCLE
Sundance Documentary Film Program funds Mahmoud al-Massad's RECYCLE, an iSee-production in co-production with mec film.
Content:
Abu Amr, an ex-mujahedeen struggles to reconcile his faith and reality. But he faces setback at every turn as he is forced to collect carton in te streets of Zarqa (Jordan), an occupation barely sustaining his family. As his situation deteriorates he has to make a radical decision to save himself from humiliation.
RECYCLE is a documentary addressing the intricate realities of life in the Middle East during spiraling international tensions from inside the community of al-Zarqawi's hometown.
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2. SEEDS OF DOUBT by Samir Nasr in German theatres
mec film is proud to announce that acquired the distribution rights for Samir Nasr's award winning SEEDS OF DOUBT (Germany 2005). The film was awarded – amongst others - with the Golden Gate Award and Naguib Mahfouz-Prize and will open in German theatres in September 2007.
Synopsis:
Tarik Silmani is an Algerian scientist who leads a happy life in Germany with his wife Maya, an art director in a magazine, and his young son, Karim. His tranquil days, however, come to an end when two German intelligence agents enter Maya’s office and interrogate her about her husband. They tell her that he has been filmed at the wedding of one of the 9/11 hijackers and is suspected of being a ‘sleeper’, a hidden terrorist. Maya does not believe the accusation, but when Tarik’s old friend Reza arrives, she begins to feel uncomfortable, especially when she discovers that Tarik has been hiding things from her in order, as he claims, not to burden her. Matters get further complicated when the Ebola virus is discovered in his laboratory…
SEEDS OF DOUBT is a gripping drama about how edgy people have become in the post 9/11 world.
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3. Arab Focus and TV-Conference in Augsburg
In the next edition (March 18th till 25th, 2007) Filmfestival Augsburg focuses on Arab film-making. In 20 programmes with fictional-, documentary-, and short films of the last three years the festival shows the variety of Arab film-making, most of the films will be presented by the directors in person.
In addition there will be a TV-Conference during the festival, at which editors, producers, and directors working for the large satellite-stations al-Jazeera and al-Arabyyia will introduce their work on the basis of selected series. Media experts will give background information on changes of the Arab TV-landscape since the founding of al-Jazeera ten years ago.
Programme-excerpts of the film festival
Bassem Fayad presents his unique documentary „Road beyond Sunset“, a lyrical and beautiful cinematic personal journey told through the eyes of an Arab filmmaker as he and his crew travel through Iraq. The film is a road trip searching for the New Iraq in the faces, towns and hearts of the people.
Hiba Bassem comes with her film-diary „Baghdad Days“, in which she reflects her day-to-day life in Baghdad during the year she graduates from film school. In the „Cinema of Tomorrow“ section more works by students from the „Independent Film and Television School Baghdad“ (IFTS) will be shown, Hiba Bassem and Kasim Abid, co-director of the school, will present the IFTS Baghdad.
Raed Andoni shows his film „Improvisation“, a portrait of famous Joubran Trio from Palestine. Through the encounter with the charming Joubran brothers Andoni opens an unusual view on crisis-ridden Palestinian society.
In „Je voudrais vous rencontre“, Dalilia Ennadre asks if the reform of the family code in Morocco, which strengthens the position of women, really improves the day-to-day situation of the majority of women in Morocco.
In their acclaimed fiction „A Perfect Day“ Joanna Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige tell the story of Claudia and Malek, mother and son, each of them trying to live with the void of lost love. But today me be the „perfect day“ to lay their ghosts to rest.
In „On Monday“ Tamer el-Said is almost flirting with the audiences during these eight minutes they spend with an ordinary couple on an unusual day.
With these an numerous other films, the festival invites you to discover the variety of Arab film-making and live.
The programme will also look art Arab TV. Technical innovation, digital and video formats as well as a growing number of TV-stations changed especially the documentary film-making all over the world. The political and social issues this genre usually deals with are increasingly broadcast as reportage on TV. What are the stories Arab documentary film-makers today tell? Which influence do Arab TV stations have on the production of documentaries? What kind of reportages does Arab TV produce? Who is watching them?
From January 2007 you can find the actual list of synopsis, filmo- and biographies as well as a list if guests at: www.filmfest-augsburg.de .You can also contact the curator of the programme, Irit Neidhardt at info@mecfilm.de
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4. Publication
In the December-edition of Danish Film Magazine p.o.v. You find Irit Neidhardt's (mec film) article „Documenting the Middle East“
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5. screenings
mec film presents in January
in theatres
NEWS FROM HOME (Amos Gitai)
28.1.07 Gasteig Munich
11.-15.1.07 Filmhaus Saarbruecken
4.-10.1.07 Camera Dortmund
YEAR ZERO (Joseph Pitchhadze)
27.1.+3.2.07 Gasteig Munich January 2007