Page 9 - CMN2_web

DAY 2
1 Haruko Watanabe and
Natalie Miura (Gaga Corporation)
2 John Buffalo (Film Mode Entertainment)
and Fazia Madouni (FuturIkon)
3 Igor Princ (Princ Films) and Brittney
Cech (Student, Texas Christian
University)
4 Ying Liu (Mendovision), Miao Zhang
(Realisator/Director) and Hanhui Zhang
(Mendovision).
5 Crystal Ho and Rachel Wan
(Golden Network Asia)
6 Namita Lal (Producer - Independent
Films), Emily Haigh (actress) and
Ashish Wagh (Indian Film Studios
Private Limited)
ALL PHOTOS © ÉRIC BONTÉ/1000IMAGES contributor to the global film
Wednesday 9 May 2018
VILLAGE
INTERNATIONAL
EVERY DAY, A FOCUS ON A PAVILION AT THE VILLAGE
INTERNATIONAL. TODAY, THE SAUDI ARABIA PAVILION.
© ÉRIC BONTÉ/1000IMAGES
Ali AlKalthami (C3Films), Faisal Baltyuor (Saudi Film Council),
Abdulrahman Al Nafisah (Nebrasfilms) and Hajar Alnaim (Saudi Film Council)
SAUDI ARABIA BRINGS ITS ‘RICH
TRADITION OF STORYTELLING’ TO CANNES.
HE Saudi Film Council Arabia, as well as to engage an important and growing part of
(SFC), an entity under the global international film the country’s economy. “The film
the General Culture community”. He added: industry has the potential and
Authority of Saudi “With a rich tradition of ability to contribute as a vibrant,
T Arabia, has for the first storytelling, Saudi Arabia is commercially-sustainable sector,
time established a Saudi Arabia embarking on the development of supported by both the public and
Pavilion in Cannes. a sustainable and dynamic industry private sectors,” Almaziad says.
“The Saudi Pavilion offers several that supports and encourages our “Through talent development,
opportunities for international local talent [at] all stages of a film such as masterclass workshops,
delegates to interact with Saudi cycle and offers an incredible scholarships, grants and
filmmakers, participate in range of locations for the world’s knowledge-transfer programmes,
roundtables with the Saudi filmmakers to discover.” along with funding, equipment,
industry representatives and to The Saudi Pavilion is hosting a and location support throughout
understand the Kingdom’s industry series of panels and roundtables the Kingdom, SFC will build a
ambitions through its various covering a range of topics, sustainable industry that generates
initiatives and programmes,” said including “distribution significant employment
General Culture Authority CEO opportunities, groundbreaking opportunities and makes a material
Ahmed Almaziad. “The more than women in film, creative contribution to Saudi Arabia’s
40 SFC participants will also be production, filming locations, GDP.” He adds: “The SFC is an
able to engage with – and learn the digital revolution, and fostering important signal of intent from the
from – industry leaders for global new talent”. Also in Cannes this government to support films and
filmmakers. Our timing is perfect
year, a selection of nine short films
best practices and knowledge
will screen in the Short Film future-ready film industry, with the
by Saudi Arabia’s young filmmakers
sharing as we become an active
to leapfrog forward and build a
country and its population already
Corner on May 14 and 15.
community.”
digitally-fluent and our ability to
Almaziad says the Kingdom’s
The SFC has been tasked with
draw from the experiences of other
developing and reinforcing the film
presence in Cannes is in line with
“a strategy to develop a vibrant and
markets around the region and the
industry’s role in the Kingdom,
sustainable film industry in Saudi
which is increasingly seeing film as
world.”✦
Julian Newby
9
NEWS