Arab Cinema Center Organized by MAD Solutions - The Golden 101

In what has become an annual tradition, the Arab Cinema Centre is unveiling here its latest survey of those currently seen as having the greatest international influence on Arab filmmaking. The Golden 101 lists the names of individuals, companies and institutions who have made the most significant waves over these past two years—and are most likely to keep doing so in the year ahead. This longer-than-usual qualifying period reflects the COVID-enforced interruptions of the past 18 months—a prolonged hiatus that also explains the absence of some of the more regular names in film sales from our previous lists. Their presence at film markets have not been quite as keenly felt as in previous years. They will surely return in greater force next year.

Over the following pages you will see names of the golden one hundred and one talents and entities that the filmmaking world needs to know based on our latest assessment of recent dealings in Arab cinema. This year’s entries come from thirteen different Arab countries as well as seven non-Arab countries that help knit the ecosystem together. While Egypt continues to dominate in numerical terms, Saudi Arabia has a noticeably much bigger presence now.

Once again, this annual parade of those who matter in the Arab film industry is being released to coincide with the Cannes Film Festival. You’ll see that these not names are not ranked, but rather they are ordered alphabetically by first names and grouped together alongside their immediate peers in various categories. More than ever, hard choices had to be made: with Arab talents being increasingly recognized around the world, we were unable find room to include several Arab filmmakers and actors who have burst onto the scene of late, including: the two Venice winning actors, Morocco’s Khansa Batma (ZANKA CONTACT) and Syria’s Yahya Mahayni (THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN); the filmmakers Jimmy Kerouz of Lebanon (BROKEN KEYS) and Mayye Zahed of Egypt (LIFT LIKE A GIRL); and the likes of British-born STAR WARS actor Amir El-Masry and Tunisian acting star Dhafer L’Abidine, who has just made his directorial debut with the film GHODWA. No doubt their names will start appearing on future lists.

And just to be clear, these names were all chosen for their recent contributions to Arab-language cinema, rather than their sway over the television or digital media business. But since so much of cinema now overlaps with the business of streaming platforms, it should come as no surprise to see a large contingent of those who traverse the big, the small and mobile screens. Cinema is becoming platform-agnostic and so too, clearly are its flourishing artists, artisans and power-brokers.

THE FILMMAKERS

Ali Alarabi

Director-Producer

EGYPT

Ameen Nayfeh

Director

Palestine

Amjad Abu Alala

Writer-Director

Sudan

Amr Salama

Writer-Director

EGYPT

Annemarie Jacir

Writer-Director

Palestine

Ayten Amin

Writer-Director

Egypt

Arab and Tarzan Nasser

Directors

Palestine

Bassel Ghandour

Writer-Director

Jordan

Eliane Raheb

Writer-Director

Jordan

Haifaa Al-Mansour

Writer-Director

Saudi Arabia

Hana Al Omair

Writer-Director

Saudi Arabia

Hany Abu-Assad

Writer-Director

Palestine

Kaouther Ben Hania

Writer-Director

Tunisia

Majid Al Ansari

Director-Producer

UAE

Marwan Hamed

Director

Egypt

Mehdi Barsaoui

Director

Tunisia

Mohamed Diab

Writer-Director

Egypt

Nabil Ayouch

Writer-Director

Morocco

Nadine Labaki

Writer-Director-Actress

Lebanon

Najwa Najjar

Writer-Director

Palestine

Nejib Belkadhi

Director

Tunisia

Sameh Alaa

Writer-Director

Egypt

Sameh Zoabi

Writer-Director

Palestine

Ahmed Amer

Writer-Director-Producer

Egypt

Ahmed Mourad

Writer

Egypt

The Producers

Dora Bouchoucha

Founder & Manager of Nomadis Images

Tunisia

Georges Schoucair

Founder and CEO of Abbout Productions

Lebanon

Habib Attia

Managing Director of CineteleFilms

Tunisia

Lamia Chraibi

Founder and Manager of La Prod

Morocco

Mohamed Hefzy

Founder and Manager of Film Clinic

Egypt

Daniel Ziskind

FILM CLINIC AND MAD SOLUTIONS REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

France

Rula Nasser

Founder of Imaginarium Films

Jordan

Shahinaz El Akkad

Founder and CEO of Lagoonie Film Production

Egypt

Talal Al-Muhanna

Founder and Manager of Linked Productions

Kuwait

Tamer Morsi

Founder of Synergy Films

Egypt

Ahmed Badawy

General Manager of Synergy Films

Egypt

The Actors

Ahmed Ezz

Actor

Egypt

Ahmed Malek

Actor

Egypt

Ali Suliman

Actor

Palestine

Hend Sabry

Actress-Director-Producer

Tunisia-Egypt

Hiam Abbass

Actress-Director

Palestine

Karim Abdel Aziz

Actor

Egypt

Kinda Alloush

Actress

Syria-Egypt

Maisa Abd Elhadi

Actress

Palestine

Menna Shalabi

Actress

Egypt

Mohammad Bakri

Actor

Palestine

Saleh Bakri

Actor

Palestine

Ziad Bakri

Actor

Palestine

Adam Bakri

Actor

Palestine

Saba Mubarak

Actress-Producer

Jordan

Sami Bouajila

Actor

Tunisia-France

Salim Dau

Actor

Palestine

Yousra

Actress-Singer

Egypt

The Exhibitors & Distributors

Adam Aron

CEO of AMC Entertainment

USA

Sari Khumaiyes

Commercial Director of AMC Cinemas KSA

Saudi Arabia

Alaa Karkouti

Co-Founder and Managing Partner of MAD Solutions

Egypt

Maher Diab

Co-founder and Managing Partner

Egypt

Colin Brown

Managing Partner-International

USA

Abdallah Al-Shami

Managing Partner-GCC

LEBANON-UAE

Ahmad Golchin

Founder and Director of Phars Film

UAE

Andrei Kamarowsky

Acting CEO of Gulf Film

UAE

Butheina Kazim

Founder of Cinema Akil

UAE

Cameron Mitchel

CEO of VOX Cinemas

UAE

Jacques Kruger

General Manager Distribution, VOX

UAE

Toni Massih

Director of Film Content and Distribution, VOX

UAE

Gaby Khoury

MISR International Films and Orient Films

Egypt

Ramzi Khoury

MISR International Films and Orient Films

Egypt

Hania Mroué

Co-Founder and Managing Director of Metropolis cinema and MC Distribution

Lebanon

Hisham Abdel-Khalek

AL-MASSA COMPANY

EGYPT

Hisham Al-Ghanim

Chairman and CEO of Kuwait National Cinema Company

Kuwait

Gianluca Chakra

Managing Partner of Front Row

UAE

Mamdouh Salem

CEO of Rowad Media & Cinema 70

Saudi Arabia

Marianne Khoury

Producer, Director, Distributor and Exhibitor

Egypt

Youssef Shazli

Managing Director of Zawya Cinema

Egypt

Mario G. Haddad

CEO of Empire International

Lebanon

Mohammed Nagro

Chairman of N Stars

Saudi Arabia-UAE-Egypt

Selim Ramia

Chairman of Selim Ramia & Co. Holding

Lebanon

Zaid Fadel

CEO of Iraqi Cinemas

Iraq

Zaid Kurdi

CEO of Dollar Film and Managing Director of New Century Production

Egypt

THE ENABLERS

Christian Mouroux

Managing Director of Latin-Arab Film Festival and Latin Arab Co-Production Forum

Argentina

Edgardo Bechara El Khoury

Executive Director, LAFF

Argentina

Edouard Waintrop

Artistic Director, Red Sea Film Festival

Saudi Arabia

Antoine Khalife

Director of Arab Programme, RSFF

Saudi Arabia

Kaleem Aftab

Director of International Programme, RSFF

Saudi Arabia

Hanna Atallah

Artistic Director of FilmLab: Palestine

Palestine

Husam Sam Asi

Member of Golden Globes and TV Presenter on BBC Arabic

U.K.

Jamal Al-Sharif

Director of Dubai Studio City and Dubai Film Commission

UAE

Hans Fraikin

Manager of Abu Dhabi Film Commission

UAE

Lana Al Jundi

TV Presenter in Sky News Arabia

Syria-UAE

Hamoud al Rumayan

CEO OF INTIGRAL

Saudi Arabia

Markus Golder

Managing Director of Intigral and CEO of Jawwy TV

Saudi Arabia

Maryam Al-Mheiri

Vice-Chair of the Board of Media Zone Authority – Abu Dhabi

UAE

Mohamed Al Mubarak

Chairman, Image Nation Abu Dhabi

UAE

Michael Garin

CEO, Image Nation & twofour54

UAE

Ben Ross

Head of Narrative Film and Television, Image Nation

UAE

Raya Abirached

TV Presenter, MBC

LEBANON-KSA-UK

Princess Rym Ali

Commissioner, Royal Film Commission of Jordan

Jordan

Mohannad Bakri

Managing Director, RFC

Jordan

Talal Afifi

Curator of Sudan Film Factory and President of Sudan Film Festival

Sudan

Turki Al-Sheikh

Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority

Saudi Arabia

Wayne Borg

Managing Director of Media, Entertainment, Culture & Fashion, NEOM

Saudi Arabia

Zeina Sfeir

Co-Founder of Beirut DC, Publicist and Director

Lebanon

THE PLATFORMS

Hadeel Kamel

Managing Director of ART

Saudi Arabia

Nickhil Jakatdar

Founder and CEO of VuClip

Singapore

Abe Shady Aboul Naga

MENA Chief of VuClip

UAE

Patrick Tillieux

CEO of OSN

UAE

Rolla Karam

SVP Content Acquisition and Programming

UAE

Prince Al Waleed bin Talal

Owner of Rotana Media Group

Saudi Arabia

Waleed Arab Hashem

CEO, Rotana Studios

Saudi Arabia

Michael Cairns

COO, Rotana Studios

Saudi Arabia

Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim

Founder and Chairman of MBC

Saudi Arabia

Sam Barnett

CEO of MBC Group

UAE

Peter Smith

Managing director of MBC Studios

UAE

Safa Aburizik

Head of Operations

UAE

Yasser Hareb

Founder and CEO, Genomedia

UAE

THE FESTIVALS

Elias Khlat

Producer and founder of Tripoli Film Festival

Lebanon

Jad Abi Khalil

Director of Beirut Cinema Platform

Lebanon

Mohamed Hefzy

President of CIFF

Egypt

Mohamed Keblawi

Director of Malmo Arab Film Festival and Arab Cinema in Sweden

Palestine-Sweden

Nada Doumani

Director of Amman International Film Festival

Jordan

Orwa Nyrabia

Artistic director of IDFA

Syria

Naguib Sawires

Founder of El Gouna Film Festival, iProductions

Egypt

Intishal Al-Tamimi

Manager of El Gouna Film Festival

Iraq

Amir Ramsis

Artistic Director of El Gouna Film Festival

Egypt

Rosh Abdelfatah

Artistic Director | Rotterdam Arab Film Festival

Syria

Shirin Ghareeb

Deputy Director of Washington DC International Film Festival and Festival Director of Arabian Sights

US

THE FUNDERS

Alessandra Speciale

Head of Final Cut in Venice

Italy

Fatma Al Remaihi

CEO of Doha Film Institute

Qatar

Khalil Benkirane

Head of Grant Unit of DFI

Qatar

Rima Mismar

Director of AFAC (The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture)

Lebanon

Vincenzo Bugno

PROJECT MANAGER OF WORLD CINEMA FUND

GERMANY

THE PATHFINDER

The brainchild of MAD Solutions (see above), the ACC was created seven years ago as an umbrella presence at film events to advocate – and where necessary agitate - on behalf of Arab cinema and culture the world over. New co-production opportunities have been forged; new market doorways opened; and new talented career paths launched into orbit. This very magazine is one visible expression of that commitment, and so also are all the new avenues that are opening for Arab projects and filmmakers in countries where not so long ago they were invisible.

What better time and place than Cannes, the annual parade of cinema’s superpowers, to reveal who in the Arab film industry has mattered most in the past twelve months? So here it is, our second GOLDEN 101. Over the following pages you will see names of the hundred talents and entities – plus one extra thrown in for good measure at the end – that the world really needs to know based on our assessment of their recent business history in Arab film. They are not ranked, please note, but ordered alphabetically by first names and grouped together alongside their immediate peers. And just to be clear, the names were all chosen for their recent contributions to Arab-language cinema. Inevitably, more of more of the Arab world’s top talents are being poached by the streaming giants. We recognize this overlap but we have tried to focus on those who matter in the context of the Cannes Film Festival. This also means that the emergent powers from Arab television and digital media will have to wait for future editions when we take measure of their particular contributions to Arab storytelling. Let the debates begin!

the DIRECTORS

ABU BAKR SHAWKY

DIRECTOR

EGYPT

AMR SALAMA

DIRECTOR & WRITER

EGYPT

ELIA SULEIMAN

DIRECTOR

PALESTINE

HAIFAA AL-MANSOUR

DIRECTOR & WRITER

SAUDI ARABIA

HAJOOJ KUKA

DIRECTOR

SUDAN

HICHAM LASRI

DIRECTOR, WRITER & PRODUCER

MOROCCO

MARWAN HAMED

DIRECTOR

EGYPT

MIR-JEAN BOU CHAAYA

DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER & EDITOR

LEBANON

MOHAMED BIN ATIYA

DIRECTOR & WRITER

TUNISIA

MUAYAD ALAYAN

DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER & CINEMATOG-RAPHER

PALESTINE

NADINE LABAKI

DIRECTOR, ACTRESS & WRITER

LEBANON

NEJIB BELKADHI

DIRECTOR

TUNISIA

SAMEH ZOABI

DIRECTOR

PALESTINE

SOUDADE KAADAN

DIRECTOR

SYRIA

TALAL DERKI

DIRECTOR

SYRIA

the writers

AHMED MOURAD

WRITER

EGYPT

BASSEL GHANDOUR

WRITER & PRODUCER

JORDAN

RAMI ALAYAN

WRITER & PRODUCER

PALESTINE

the actors

AHMED EZZ

ACTOR

EGYPT

AHMED MALEK

ACTOR

EGYPT

ALI SULIMAN

ACTOR

PALESTINE

ASSER YASSIN

ACTOR

EGYPT

DHAFER L’ABIDINE

ACTOR

TUNISIA-UK

MOHAMED BAKRI

ACTOR

PALESTINE

SALEH BAKRI

ACTOR

PALESTINE

ADAM BAKRI

ACTOR

PALESTINE

HEND SABRY

ACTRESS

TUNISIA

HIAM ABBASS

ACTRESS

PALESTINE

KAIS NASHIF

ACTOR

PALESTINE

KAMEL EL BASHA

ACTOR

PALESTINE

KARIM ABDEL AZIZ

ACTOR

EGYPT

MAISA ABD ELHADI

ACTRESS

PALESTINE

MENNA SHALABI

ACTRESS

EGYPT

SABA MUBARAK

ACTRESS & PRODUCER

JORDAN

YOUSRA

ACTRESS

EGYPT

the festivals

ELIAS KHLAT

PRODUCER & FOUNDER OF TRIPOLI FILM FESTIVAL

LEBANON

JAD ABI KHALIL

DIRECTOR OF BEIRUT CINEMA PLATFORM

LEBANON

MOHAMED KEBLAWI

DIRECTOR OF MALMO
ARAB FILM FESTIVAL & ARAB CINEMA IN SWEDEN

PALESTINE-SWEDEN

NAGUIB SAWIRES

FOUNDER OF EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL, IPRODUCTIONS

EGYPT

INTISHAL AL-TAMIMI

MANAGER OF EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL

IRAQ

AMIR RAMSIS

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL

EGYPT

NAJIB AYAD

DIRECTOR OF CARTHAGE FILM FESTIVAL

TUNISIA

ORWA NYRABIA

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF
IDFA

SYRIA

ROSH ABDELFATAH

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | ROTTERDAM ARAB FILM FESTIVAL

SYRIA

SERGE BAKALIAN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ARAB FILM FESTIVAL & ARAB FILM AND MEDIA INSTITUTE

LEBANON-USA

SHIRIN GHAREEB

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WASHINGTON DC INTERNATION AL FILM FESTIVAL AND FESTIVAL DIRECTOR OF ARABIAN SIGHTS

US

MOHAMED HEFZY

PRESIDENT OF CAIRO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (CIFF)

EGYPT

YOUSSEF SHERIF
RIZALLA

FILM CRITIC AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CIFF

EGYPT

AHMED SHAWKY

DEPUTY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

EGYPT

the commissions

JAMAL AL-SHARIF

CHAIRMAN OF DUBAI STUDIO CITY AND DUBAI FILM COMMISSION

UAE

JASSIM AL NOWAIS

MANAGER OF ABU DHABI FILM COMMISSION

UAE

PRINCESS RYM ALI

COMMISSIONER, ROYAL FILM COMMISSION OF JORDAN

JORDAN

NADA DOUMANI

COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE PROGRAMING OF RFC

LEBANON

SARIM FASSI FEHRI

DIRECTOR OF MOROCCAN CINEMA CENTER (CCM)

MOROCCO

the funders

FATMA AL REMAIHI

CEO OF DOHA FILM INSTITUTE

QATAR

KHALIL BENKIRANE

HEAD OF GRANT UNIT OF DFI

QATAR

RIMA MISMAR

DIRECTOR OF AFAC (THE ARAB FUND FOR ARTS AND CULTURE)

LEBANON

VINCENZO BUGNO

PROJECT MANAGER OF WORLD CINEMA FUND

GERMANY

FRANK ALBERS

HEAD OF FILM PRIZE OF ROBERT BOSCH STIFTUNG

GERMANY

ALESSANDRA SPECIALE

HEAD OF FINAL CUT IN VENICE

ITALY

MICHEL MERKT

PRODUCER, KNM PRODUCTIONS

SWITZERLAND - MONACO

the organizations

CHIRAZ LATIRI

GENERAL DIRECTOR OF CNCI (THE NATIONAL CENTER OF CINEMA AND IMAGE)

TUNISIA

HANNA ATALLAH

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF FILMLAB: PALESTINE

PALESTINE

MARYAM AL-MHEIRI

CEO OF MEDIA ZONE AUTHORITY - ABU DHABI & TWOFOUR54

UAE

SAWSAN DARWAZA

CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF AL MA3MAL 612 THINK FACTORY

JORDAN

SAM LAHOUD

FOUNDING DIRECTOR & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF
NDU INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

LEBANON

NICOLAS KHABBAZ

FOUNDING DIRECTOR & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF
NDU INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

LEBANON

MOHAMED ALMUBARAK

CHAIRMAN, IMAGE NATION ABU DHABI

UAE

MICHAEL GARIN

CEO OF IMAGE
NATION ABU DHABI

UAE

BEN ROSS

HEAD OF NARRATIVE FILM AND TELEVISION

UAE

CHRISTIAN MOUROUX

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LATIN-ARAB FILM FESTIVAL AND LATIN ARAB CO-PRODUCTION FORUM

ARGENTINA

EDGARDO BECHARA
EL KHOURY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ARGENTINA

ZEINA SFEIR

CO-FOUNDER OF BEIRUT DC, PUBLICIST & DIRECTOR

LEBANON

TALAL AFIFI

CURATOR OF SUDAN FILM FACTORY & PRESIDENT OF SUDAN FILM FESTIVAL

SUDAN

the gatekeepers

PRINCE BADR BIN ABDULLAH BIN FAR-
HAN AL SAUD

SAUDI ARABIA’S FIRST MINISTER OF CULTURE

SAUDI ARABIA

FAISAL BALTYUOR

CEO OF SAUDI FILM COUNCIL

SAUDI ARABIA

NOURA AL-KAABI

MINISTER OF CULTURE & KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT

UAE

the platforms

HADEEL KAMEL

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ART

SAUDI ARABIA

HUSAM SAM ASI

MEMBER OF GOLDEN GLOBES AND TV PRESENTER ON BBC ARABIC

PALESTINE - UK

LANA ALJUNDI

TV PRESENTER IN SKY
NEWS ARABIA

SYRIA-UAE

PATRICK TILLIEUX

CEO OF OSN

UAE

NICKHIL JAKATDAR

FOUNDER AND CEO OF VUCLIP

SINGAPORE-UAE

ABE SHADY ABOUL NAGA

MENA CHIEF OF VUCLIP

SINGAPORE-UAE

RAYA ABIRACHED

TV PRESENTER

LEBANON

WALEED BIN IBRAHIM AL IBRAHIM

FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF MBC

SAUDI ARABIA

PRINCE AL WALEED
BIN TALA

OWNER OF ROTANA
MEDIA GROUP

SAUDI ARABIA

TURKI AL-SHABANA

CEO OF ROTANA

SAUDI ARABIA

the producers

ALI AL MARZOUQI

CO-FOUNDER OF
GHABSHA FILMS

UAE

DORA BOUCHOUCHA

FOUNDER & MANAGER OF NOMADIS IMAGES

TUNISIA

GEORGES SCHOU-CAIR

FOUNDER AND CEO OF ABBOUT PRODUCTIONS

LEBANON

HABIB ATTIA

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CINETELEFILMS

TUNISIA

MOHAMED HEFZY

WRITER, PRODUCER & PRESIDENT OF CIFF, FOUNDER & MANAGER OF FILM CLINIC

EGYPT

DANIEL ZISKIND

FILM CLINIC REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

FRANCE

RULA NASSER

FOUNDER OF
IMAGINARIUM FILMS

JORDON-CANADA

SHAHINAZ AKKAD

FOUNDER AND CEO OF LAGOONIE FILM PRODUCTION

EGYPT

STEVEN MARKOVITZ

PRODUCER

SOUTH AFRICA

TALAL AL-MUHANNA

FOUNDER AND MANAGER OF LINKED PRODUCTIONS

KUWAIT

the exhibitors & distributors

ADAM ARON

CEO OF AMC ENTERTAINMENT

USA

AHMAD GOLCHIN

FOUNDER & DIRECTOR OF PHARS FILM

UAE

ALAA KARKOUTI

CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER OF MAD SOLUTIONS

SYRIA - EGYPT

MAHER DIAB

CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER

LEBANON - CANDA

COLIN BROWN

MANAGING PARTNER-INTERNATIONAL

USA

ABDALLAH AL-SHAMI

MANAGING PARTNER-GCC

LEBANON - UAE

BUTHEINA KAZIM

FOUNDER OF CINEMA AKIL

UAE

CAMERON MITCHEL

CEO OF VOX CINEMAS

UAE

JACQUES KRUGER

GENERAL MANAGER DISTRIBUTION

UAE

TONI MASSIH

DIRECTOR OF FILM CONTENT AND DISTRIBUTION

UAE

HANIA MROUE

CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF METRPOLIS CINEMA AND MC DISTRIBUTION

LEBANON

HISHAM ABDELKHALEA

AL-MASSA COMPANY

EGYPT

HISHAM AL-GHANIM

CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF INTERNATIONAL FILM DISTRIBUTOR

KUWAIT

GIANLUCA CHAKRA

MANAGING PARTNER OF FRONT ROW

LEBANON

MAMDOUH SALEM

CEO OF ROWAD
MEDIA & CINEMA 70

SAUDI ARABIA

MARIANNE KHOURY

PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, DISTRIBUTOR & EXHIBITOR

EGYPT

YOUSSEF SHAZLI

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ZAWYA CINEMA

EGYPT

MARIO G HADDAD

CEO OF EMPIRE INTERNATIONAL

LEBANON

SELIM RAMIA

CHAIRMAN OF SELIM RAMIA & CO. HOLDING

LEBANON

SELIM AAZAR

CEO OF GULF FILM

QATAR

ZAID FADEL

CEO OF IRAQI CINEMAS

IRAQ

the internationals sales

HEDI ZARDI

CEO OF LUXBOX

FRANCE

JEAN LATBADIE

FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT, LE PACTE

FRANCE

SARAH CHAZELLE

CO-OWNERS OF JOUR2FETE

FRANCE

ETIENNE OLLANGIER

CO-OWNERS OF JOUR2FETE

FRANCE

VINCENT GRIMOND

CEO, WILD BUNCH

FRANCE

VINCENT MARAVAL

CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER

FRANCE

the pathfinder

The brainchild of MAD Solutions (see above), the ACC was created five years as an umbrella presence at film events to advocate and where necessary agitate - on behalf of Arab cinema and culture the world over. This very magazine is one visible expression of that commitment, and so also are all the new avenues that are opening for Arab projects and filmmakers in countries where not so long ago they were invisible (read the special tribute in this issue).

What better time and place than Cannes, the annual parade of cinema’s superpowers, to reveal who in the Arab film industry has mattered most in the past twelve months? So here it is, our inaugural CANNES 100. Over the following pages you will see names of the golden hundred talents and entities – plus one extra thrown in for good measure at the end – that the world really needs to know based on our assessment of their recent business history in Arab film. They are not ranked, please note, but ordered alphabetically by first names and grouped together alongside their immediate peers. And just to be clear, for those wondering why someone like Algerian-born Sofia Boutella is not on the list just as she is making a splash on the Croisette with FAHRENHEIT 451, the names were all chosen for their recent contributions to Arab-language cinema. This also means that the emergent powers from Arab television and digital media will have to wait for future editions when we take measure of their particular contributions to Arab storytelling. Let the debates begin!

The 100 Most Important Names in the Arab Film Industry includes industry professionals that either represent themselves or entities they work for. The names were all chosen for their contributions to Arab-language cinema in the past twelve months, which is why Arab names who participated in international films/TV series are not on the list. They are ordered alphabetically by first names and grouped together alongside their immediate peers.

the DIRECTORs

AMR SALAMA

DIRECTOR & WRITER

EGYPT

ANNEMARIE JACIR

DIRECTOR & WRITER

PALESTINE

FERAS FAYYAD

DIRECTOR, WRITER & EDITOR

SYRIA

HAIFAA AL-MANSOUR

DIRECTOR & WRITER

SAUDI ARABIA

HANY ABU-ASSAD

DIRECTOR, WRITER & PRODUCER

PALESTINE

HICHAM LASRI

DIRECTOR, WRITER & PRODUCER

MOROCCO

KAOUTHER BEN HANIA

DIRECTOR & WRITER

TUNISIA

MARWAN HAMED

DIRECTOR

EGYPT

MAHDI FLEIFEL

DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER & CINEMATOGRAPHER

LEBANON-PALESTINE

MIR-JEAN BOU CHAAYA

DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER & EDITOR

LEBANON

MOHAMED AL DARRADJI

DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER, EDITOR & CINEMATOGRAPHER

IRAQ

MOHAMED BEN ATTIA

DIRECTOR & WRITER

TUNISIA

MUAYAD ALAYAN

DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER & CINEMATOGRAPHER

PALESTINE

NABIL AYOUCH

DIRECTOR, WRITER & PRODUCER

MOROCCO

NADINE LABAKI

DIRECTOR, ACTRESS & WRITER

LEBANON

RAED ANDONI

DIRECTOR & PRODUCER

PALESTINE

RASHID MASHARAWI

DIRECTOR, WRITER & PRODUCER

PALESTINE

ZIAD DOUEIRI

DIRECTOR AND WRITER

LEBANON

the writers

AHMED AMER

WRITER & DIRECTOR

EGYPT

BASSEL GHANDOUR

WRITER & PRODUCER

JORDAN

RAMI ALAYAN

WRITER & PRODUCER

PALESTINE

the Gatekeepers

MOHAMED BIN SALMAN

CROWN PRINCE, SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA

AHMED BIN AQEEL AL-KHATIB

CHAIRMAN OF THE GENERAL ENTERTAINMENT AUTHORITY

SAUDI ARABIA

NOURA AL-KAABI

MINISTER OF CULTURE & KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT

U.A.E

the Actors

ADEL KARAM

TV PRESENTER & ACTOR

LEBANON

ALI SULIMAN

ACTOR

PALESTINE

MOHAMMAD BAKRI

ACTOR

PALESTINE

SALEH BAKRI

ACTOR

PALESTINE

ADAM BAKRI

ACTOR

PALESTINE

ASHRAF BARHOM

ACTOR

PALESTINE

DIAMAND ABOU ABBOUD

ACTRESS

LEBANON

DHAFER L’ABIDINE

ACTOR

TUNISIA - UK

HIAM ABBASS

ACTRESS

PALESTINE

KAMEL EL BASHA

ACTOR

PALESTINE

MAISA ABD ELHADI

ACTRESS

PALESTINE

MENNA SHALABY

ACTRESS

EGYPT

SABA MUBARAK

ACTRESS & PRODUCER

JORDAN

YASMIN RAEIS

ACTRESS

EGYPT

the PRODUCERs

AYMAN JAMAL

PRODUCER, DIRECTOR & WRITER

SAUDI ARABIA

DORA BOUCHOUCHA

FOUNDER & MANAGER OF NOMADIS IMAGES

TUNISIA

GEORGES SCHOUCAIR

FOUNDER AND CEO OF ABBOUT PRODUCTIONS

LEBANON

HABIB ATTIA

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CINETELEFILMS

TUNISIA

DANIEL ZISKIND

FILM CLINIC REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

FRANCE

MOHAMED HEFZY

Writer, Producer, Festival President of CIFF & FOUNDER MANAGER OF FILM CLINIC

EGYPT

HANI OSAMA

CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE PRODUCERS

EGYPT

ROMAN PAUL

CO-FOUNDER OF RAZOR FILM PRODUKTION

GERMANY

RULA NASSER

FOUNDER OF THE IMAGINARIUM FILMS

JORDAN - CANADA

TALAL AL-MUHANNA

FOUNDER AND MANAGER OF LINKED PRODUCTIONS

KUWAIT

the festivals

ABDULHAMID JUMA

PRESIDENT OF DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (DIFF)

U.A.E

MASOUD AMRALLA AL ALI

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (DIFF)

U.A.E

SHIVANI PANDYA

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (DIFF)

U.A.E

ANTOINE KHALIFE

DIRECTOR OF ARAB PROGRAMMING AT DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (DIFF)

LEBANON

ELIAS KHLAT

PRODUCER & FOUNDER OF TRIPOLI FILM FESTIVAL

LEBANON

JAD ABI KHALIL

DIRECTOR OF BEIRUT CINEMA PLATFORM

LEBANON

MAMDOUH SALEM

CEO OF ROWAD MEDIA & CINEMA 70

SAUDI ARABIA

MOHAMED KEBLAWI

DIRECTOR OF MALMO ARAB FILM FESTIVAL & ARAB CINEMA IN SWEDEN

PALESTINE-SWEDEN

NAGUIB SAWIRES

FOUNDER OF EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL & IPRODUCTIONS

EGYPT

INTISHAL AL-TAMIMI

MANAGER OF EL GOUNA FILM FESTIVAL

IRAQ

NAJIB AYAD

DIRECTOR OF CARTHAGE FILM FESTIVAL

TUNISIA

ORWA NYRABIA

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL AMSTERDAM (IDFA)

SYRIA

ROSH ABDELFATAH

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF ROTTERDAM ARAB FILM FESTIVAL

SYRIA

SERGE BAKALIAN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ARAB FILM FESTIVAL & ARAB FILM AND MEDIA INSTITUTE

LEBANON - U.S.A

SHIRIN GHAREEB

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WASHINGTON DC INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL & FESTIVAL DIRECTOR OF ARABIAN SIGHTS

U.S.A

YOUSSEF CHERIF RIZKALLAH

FILM CRITIC & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CAIRO FILM FESTIVAL (CIFF)

EGYPT

the exhibitors and distributors

Ahmad Golchin

Founder and Director of Phars Film

U.A.E

Hania Mroue

Founder and Director of Metropolis and CEO of MC Distribution

LEBANON

Alaa Karkouti

Co-Founder and Managing Partner of MAD Solutions

SYRIA - EGYPT

Maher Diab

Co-founder and Managing Partner

LEBANON - CANADA

Colin Brown

Managing Partner-International

U.S.A

Abdallah Al-Shami

Managing Partner-GCC

LEBANON - U.A.E

Cameron Mitchell

CEO of VOX Cinemas

U.A.E

Jacques Kruger

General Manager

U.A.E

Toni Massih

Director of Film Content and Distribution

U.A.E

Hisham Al-Ghanim

Chairman and CEO of International Film Distributor

KUWAIT

Gianluca Chakra

Managing Partner of Front Row

LEBANON

Mario G. Haddad

CEO of Empire International

LEBANON

Marianne Khoury

Producer, Director, Distributor and Exhibitor

EGYPT

Youssef Shazli

Managing Director of Zawya Cinema

EGYPT

Selim Ramia

Chairman of Selim Ramia & Co. Holding

LEBANON

Selim Aazar

CEO of Gulf Film

QATAR

Zaid Fadel

CEO of Iraqi Cinemas

IRAQ

the Platforms

Al Waleed bin Talal

Owner of Rotana Media Group

SAUDI ARABIA

Turki Al-Shabana

CEO of Rotana

SAUDI ARABIA

Hadeel Kamel

Managing Director of ART

SAUDI ARABIA

Martin Stuart

CEO of OSN

U.A.E

Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim

Founder and Chairman of MBC

SAUDI ARABIA

Raya Abirached

TV Presenter

LEBANON

Husam Sam Asi

Member of Golden Globes and TV Presenter on BBC Arabic

PALESTINE - UK

Lana Al Jundi

TV Presenter in Sky News Arabia

SYRIA - U.A.E

the funders

Fatma Al Remaihi

CEO of Doha Film Institute

QATAR

Khalil Benkirane

Head of Grant Unit of DFI

QATAR

Abdel Muttalib Al Hammadi

Deputy Chairman of the Ministry of Interior’s Cinema Awards (MOICA)

U.A.E

Rima Mismar

Director of AFAC (The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture)

LEBANON

Vincenzo Bugno

Project Manager of World Cinema Fund

GERMANY

Frank Albers

Head of Film Prize of Robert Bosch Stiftung

GERMANY

Alessandra Speciale

Head of Final Cut in Venice

ITALY

michel merkt

Producer, KNM Productions

SWITZERLAND - MONACO

the Commissions

Jamal Al-Sharif

Chairman of Dubai Studio City and Dubai Film Commission

U.A.E

Jassim Al Nowais

Manager of Abu Dhabi Film Commission

U.A.E

Princess Rym Ali

Commissioner, Royal Film Commission of Jordan

JORDAN

George David

Managing Director of RFC

JORDAN

Nada Doumani

Communication and Culture Programing of RFC

LEBANON

Sarim Fassi Fihri

Director of Moroccan Cinema Center (CCM)

MOROCCO

the internationals Sales

Eric Lagesse

CEO of Pyramide

FRANCE

Francois Morisset

Head of Salaud Morisset

FRANCE AND GERMANY

Frederic Corvez

President and Founder of Urban Distribution International

FRANCE

Hedi Zardi

CEO of Luxbox

FRANCE

Sarah Chazelle

Co-Owner of Jour2Fete

FRANCE

Etienne Ollangier

Co-Owner of Jour2Fete

FRANCE

Ida Martins

CEO of Media Luna

GERMANY

Vincent Grimond

CEO of Wild Bunch

FRANCE

Vincent Maraval

Chief Content Officer of Wild Bunch

FRANCE

the Organizations

Chiraz Latiri

General Director of CNCI (The National Center of Cinema and Image)

TUNISIA

Huda Kanoo

Founder of ADMAF (Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation

U.A.E

Hanna Atallah

Artistic Director of FilmLab: Palestine

PALESTINE

Maryam Al-Mheiri

CEO of Media Zone Authority - Abu Dhabi and twofour54

U.A.E

Sawsan Darwaza

creative director of Al Ma3mal 612 Think Factory

JORDAN

Talal Afifi

Curator of Sudan Film Factory and President of Sudan Film Festival

SUDAN

Sam Lahoud

Founding Director and Artistic Director of NDU International Film Festival

LEBANON

Nicolas Khabbaz

Founding Director and Artistic Director of NDU International Film Festival

LEBANON

Mohamed Al Mubarak

Chairman, Image Nation Abu Dhabi

U.A.E

Michael Garin

CEO

U.A.E

Ben Ross

Head of Narrative Film and Television

U.A.E

Zeina Sfeir

Co-Founder of Beirut DC and Artistic Director of Beirut Cinema Days

LEBANON

Edgardo Bechara El Khoury

Executive Director

ARGENTINA

Christian Mouroux

Managing Director of Latin-Arab Film Festival and Latin Arab Co-Production Forum

ARGENTINA

the Pathfinder

The brainchild of MAD Solutions (see above), the ACC was created as an umbrella presence at film events to advocate – and where necessary agitate - on behalf of Arab cinema and culture the world over. This very magazine is one visible expression of that commitment, and so also are all the new avenues that are opening for Arab projects and filmmakers in countries where not so long ago they were invisible.