Arab Cinema Center Organized by MAD Solutions - The Golden 101

CINEMA’S CHANGE-MAKERS OF 2023

In what has now become an eagerly awaited - and sometimes hotly disputed - annual tradition, Arab Cinema Magazine presents the artists, artisans and power-brokers who have had the biggest impact on Arab-language cinema over the past twelve months. The 101 number is a somewhat arbitrary cut-off, we admit, especially now that the Arab entertainment industry has developed and broadened to such an exciting extent. With the wealth of creative and executive talent on offer, we would easily fill the entire magazine with the names of those you need to know or be in business with. But the numerical cap does at least force a certain editorial rigor, and internal debate about who should make the final cut. As in previous editions, all these names are not ranked, but rather grouped together alongside their immediate peers in various categories. Regular readers of the GOLDEN 101 will also notice something different this year: several of the entries are accompanied by a quick-fire Question & Answer session with those who made this year’s Hot List. Apart from making this a more fun read, these Q&As also serve to lend some personality to individual names and faces who would otherwise remain just a collection of corporate bios. In doing so, we learned that the dream job that many on this list would have wanted had they not become successful in cinema was to be an airline pilot. Who knew? And with that revelation, please buckle up and enjoy this year’s flight across the Arab world of cinema change-makers.

THE FILMMAKERS

abdullah al arak

KUWAITI

abdulelah alqurashi

Saudi

amjad al-rasheed

JORDANIAN

ahmed yassin daradji

JORDANIAN

amr gamal

Yemeni

bassel ghandour

jordanian

Darin J. Sallam

jordanian

ERIGE SEHIRI

FRENCH / TUNISIAN

FIRAS KHOURY

PALESTINIAN

Kaouther Ben Hania

TUNISIAN

Lotfy Nathan

AMERICAN / TUNISIAN

maha haj

Palestinian

Marwan Hamed

egyptian

MARYAM TOUZANI

Moroccan

MUAYAD ALAYAN

Palestinian

NOEL & MICHELLE KESERWANY

FRENCH / LEBANESE

SALLY EL-HOSAINI

EGYPTIAN WELSH

wissam charaf

Lebanese

SOUDADE KAADAN

Syrian

TALAL DERKI

Syrian

The Actors

ADAM BESSA

Actor

Egypt

ADILA BENDIMERAD

ACTRESS, PRODUCER, WRITER

ALGERIAN

Ahmed Malek

Actor

EGYPT, UK | EGYPTIAN

Dhafer L’Abidine

ACTOR, DIRECTOR, PRODUCER

UK | TUNISIAN

FATIMA AL-BANAWI

ACTRESS, DIRECTOR, WRITER

SAUDI

Hend Sabry

Actress-Director-Producer

Tunisia-Egypt

Kinda Alloush

Actress

EGYPT, SYRIA | SYRIAN

SALEH BAKRI

ACTOR

PALESTINIAN

TAMER HOSNY

ACTOR, SINGER, DIRECTOR, WRITER

EGYPTIAN

RAZANE JAMMAL

ACTRESS

UK | BRITISH LEBANESE

Saba Mubarak

Actress and Producer

EGYPT, JORDAN | JORDANIAN

Yousra

Actress

EGYPTIAN

The Producers

Mohamed Hefzy

FOUNDER & MANAGER of Film Clinic

EGYPTIAN

Daniel Ziskind

PRODUCER of FILM CLINIC

FRENCH

Shahinaz El Akkad

FOUNDER AND CEO of LAGOONIE FILM PRODUCTION

EGYPTIAN

Rula Nasser

FOUNDER of THE IMAGINARIUM FILMS

Jordan

ZEINAB ABU ALSAMH

GENERAL MANAGER of MBC STUDIOS

SAUDI

CHRISTINA WAYNE

MANAGING DIRECTOR of MBC STUDIOS

AMERICAN

AMJAD ABU ALALA

DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER

SUDANESE

MOHAMED AL OMDA

DIRECTOR, PRODUCER

SUDANESE

Georges Schoucair

Founder and CEO of Abbout Productions

LEBANESE

Habib Attia

Managing Director of CineteleFilms

Tunisia

ALAA YOUSEF FADAN

CHAIRMAN AND CEO of TELFAZ11

SAUDI

SAWSAN ASFARI

FOUNDER AND MANAGER

LEBANESE

THE PRESENTERS

RAYA ABIRACHED

TV PRESENTER FOR MBC, PRODUCER

UK, KSA | BRITISH LEBANESE

Lana Al Jundi

TV PRESENTER ON SKY NEWS ARABIA, SCREENWRITER AND DIRECTOR

UAE | SYRIAN

THE CREW

AHMAD AL MORSY

DOP, DIRECTOR

EGYPTIAN

Ahmed Hafez

EDITOR

EGYPTIAN

AHMED MOURAD

SCREENWRITER, NOVELIST

EGYPTIAN

HESHAM NAZIH

MUSIC COMPOSER

EGYPTIAN

HEBA OTHMAN

EDITOR

EGYPTIAN

Rana Eid

SOUND DESIGNER

LEBANESE

SUAD BUSHNAQ

MUSIC COMPOSER

CANADA | JORDANIAN

THE STREAMERS

NUHA ELTAYEB

DIRECTOR OF CONTENT FOR TURKEY, MENA, & AFRICA at Netflix

SUDANESE

Ahmed Sharkawi

DIRECTOR OF ARABIC SERIES at Netflix

Egyption

SHEIKHA DANA NASSER SABAH AL-AHMAD AL-SABAH

CHAIRPERSON of OSN

KUWAITI

JOE KAWKABANI

CEO of OSN

LEBANESE

MAAZ SHEIKH

CO-FOUNDER AND CEO of STARZPLAY ARABIA

EMARATI

TONY SAAB

SENIOR VP FOR CONTENT AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS of STARZPLAY ARABIA

LEBANESE

Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim

FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON OF MBC GROUP

SAUDI

SAM BARNETT

CEO of MBC Group

BRITISH

NATASHA MATOS-HEMINGWAY

CHIEF COMMERCIAL AND MARKETING OFFICER OF VOD

SOUTH AFRICAN

NASHWA GAD EL-HAK

CHAIRPERSON & MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WATCH IT

EGYPTIAN

THE LIGHTHOUSES

Butheina Kazim

FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR of Cinema Akil

EMIRATI

HANIA MROUE

CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR of METROPOLIS CINEMA

LEBANESE

HANNA ATALLAH

FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR of FILMLAB: PALESTINE

PALESTINIAN

OLA SALAMA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of FILMLAB: PALESTINE

PALESTINIAN

Marianne Khoury

CO-FOUNDER of ZAWYA CINEMA

EGYPTIAN

Youssef Shazli

MANAGING DIRECTOR of Zawya Cinema

EGYPTIAN

THE BROADCASTERS

HADEEL KAMEL

MANAGING DIRECTOR of ART

SAUDI

PRINCE AL WALEED BIN TALAL

OWNER of Rotana

SAUDI

ASHRAF SALMAN

CEO of UNITED MEDIA SERVICES

EGYPTIAN

THE LAUNCHERS

Nada Doumani

DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER of Amman International Film Festival

JORDANIAN

Jad Abi Khalil

Director of Beirut Cinema Platform

Lebanon

HUSSEIN FAHMY

PRESIDENT of CIFF

EGYPTIAN

AMIR RAMSES

DIRECTOR Of CIFF

EGYPTIAN

LYNDA BELKHIRIA

HEAD OF CFC

TUNISIAN

Ridha Behi

DIRECTOR GENERAL of CARTHAGE FILM FESTIVAL

TUNISIAN

Orwa Nyrabia

Artistic director of IDFA

SYRIAN

MOHAMMED AL-TURKI

CEO of RED SEA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

SAUDI

ANTOINE KHALIFE

DIRECTOR OF ARAB PROGRAM

LEBANESE

SHIVANI PANDYA

MANAGING DIRECTOR of RED SEA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

INDIAN

ZAIN ZEDAN

RED SEA SOUK MANAGER

SAUDI

MYRIAM ARAB

RED SEA SOUK CO-MANAGER

French

Mohamed Keblawi

FOUNDER – HEAD OF FESTIVAL & INDUSTRY Of MAFF

PALESTINIAN

RÉMI BONHOMME

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE MIFF AND DIRECTOR OF THE ATLAS WORKSHOPS

FRENCH

Elias Khlat

Director of Tripoli Film Festival

Lebanon

THE FUNDERS

Rima Mismar

Director of ARAB FUND FOR ARTS AND CULTURE

LEBANESE

Fatma Al Remaihi

CEO OF DOHA FILM INSTITUTE

QATARI

Khalil Benkirane

HEAD OF GRANT UNITOF DFI

MOROCCAN

Alessandra Speciale

Director of Final Cut in Venice

Italian

Marco Orsini

CHAIRMAN of INTERNATIONAL EMERGING FILM TALENT ASSOCIATION

MONÉGASQUE

LACEY TU

PRESIDENT of INTERNATIONAL EMERGING FILM TALENT ASSOCIATION

AMERICAN

Vincenzo Bugno

HEAD OF WORLD CINEMA FUND

ITALY-GERMANY

THE ENABLERS

Hans Fraikin

FILM AND TELEVISION COMMISSIONER AT ABU DHABI FILM COMMISSION

CANADIAN

CHARLENE DELEON-JONES

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of FILM AL ULA

BRITISH

MAJED AL SUWAIDI

MANAGING DIRECTOR of DUBAI MEDIA CITY, DUBAI STUDIO CITY, DUBAI PRODUCTION CITY

EMIRATI

ABDULLAH AL-RASHED

DIRECTOR of Ithra

SAUDI

TURKI ALALSHIKH

DIRECTOR of Ithra

SAUDI

Wayne Borg

MEDIA INDUSTRIES, ENTERTAINMENT & CULTURE MANAGING DIRECTOR of NEOM

AMERICAN

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein

Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Royal Film Commission

JORDANIAN

Princess Rym Ali

Commissioner of Royal Film Commission

ALGERIAN / JORDANIAN

MOHANNAD AL BAKRI

Managing Director of Royal Film Commission

JORDANIAN

Abdullah Al Eyyaf AL-QAHTANI

CEO of FILM SAUDI

SAUDI

Mohamed Al Mubarak

CHAIRPERSON OF TWOFOUR54

UAE

MARK WHITEHEAD

CEO OF IMAGE NATION ABU DHABI AND TWOFOUR54

BRITISH

THE EXHIBITORS &
DISTRIBUTORS

TAREQ ABU LUGHOD

CEO of ARAB MEDIA NETWORK (AMN), THE RAINBOW THEATER

JORDAN

FAISAL BALTYUOR

CEO OF CINEWAVES AND MUVI STUDIOS

SAUDI

MARIO HADDAD SR.

CEO of ALLIED FILM DISTRIBUTORS

LEBANESE

MARIO HADDAD JR.

CEO of Empire International

LEBANESE

HISHAM AL-GHANIM

CHAIRPERSON AND CEO OF Kuwait National Cinema Company

KUWAITI

GIANLUCA CHACRA

FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER OF FRE

LEBANESE

ZAID F. JAWAD

CEO of Iraqi Cinemas

IRAQI

Alaa Karkouti

CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER of MAD Solutions

Maher Diab

CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER of MAD Solutions

Colin Brown

INTERNATIONAL MANAGING PARTNER of MAD Solutions

AMERICAN

IGNACE LAHOUD

CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Leisure

LEBANESE

TONI EL-MASSIH

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF VOX CINEMAS

LEBANESE

Gaby Khoury

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF MIF

EGYPTIAN

Ramzi Khoury

DEPUTY CEO AT MIF AND MANAGING PARTNER AT ORIENT FILMS

EGYPTIAN

ADON QUINN

CEO OF MUVI CINEMAS

AUSTRALIAN

SULTAN AL HOKAIR

FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON OF MUVI CINEMAS

SAUDI

Hammad Atassi

President and Founder of Prime Cinemas/Empire Cinema and CinemaCity

LEBANESE

Mamdouh Salem

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of Rowad Media

SAUDI

ABDULLAH AL DAWOOD

CHAIRPERSON

SAUDI

SARI KHUMAIYES

AMC'S COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR AT KSA

SAUDI

Selim Ramia

CHAIRPERSON of Selim Ramia & Co. Holding

LEBANESE

THE PATHFINDER

ARAB CINEMA CENTER | GLOBAL

CAREER HIGHLIGHT(S) : The brainchild of MAD Solutions (see above), the ACC was created eight 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.

Drawing our inspiration from the Palme d’Or, the prized Golden Palm Leaf that is awarded by the Cannes jury to the best competition film each year, the Arab Cinema Centre is presenting its latest survey of those with the Midas touch when it comes to Arab filmmaking. 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. It is important to note that these names are not ranked, but rather grouped together alongside their immediate peers in various categories. And just to be clear, these names were all prioritized 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 are equally at home on the mobile, small, large and supersized IMAX screens. Cinema is becoming platform-agnostic and so too, clearly are its flourishing artists, artisans and power-brokers.

THE DIRECTORS

Bassel Ghandour

Director - Writer

Jordan

Haifaa Al-Mansour

Director - Writer

Saudi Arabia

Hany Abu-Assad

Director

Palestine

Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige

Director

Palestine

Kaouther Ben Hania

Director and Writer

Tunisia

Mano Khalil

Director

Syria-Switzerland

Leyla Bouzid

Director

Tunisia

Mohamed Diab

Director and Writer

Egypt

Murad Abu Eisheh

Director

Egypt

Maha Haj

Director

Palestine

Maryam Touzani

Director

Morocco

Monia Akl

Director

Lebanon

Omar EL Zohairy

Director

Egypt

Suzannah Mirghani

Director

Sudan

Zaid Abu Hamdan

Director

Jordan

The Producers

Mohamed Hefzy

Founder and Manager of FILM CLINIC

Egypt

Daniel Ziskind

FC REPRESENTATIVE IN EUROPE

France

Dora Bouchoucha

FOUNDER & MANAGER of NOMADIS IMAGES

Tunisia

Abdulelah Alahmary

CHAIRMAN Of ARABIA PICTURES

Saudi Arabia

Roua Almadani

CEO Of ARABIA PICTURES

Saudi Arabia

Georges Schoucair

Founder and CEO of Abbout Productions

Lebanon

Habib Attia

Managing Director of CineteleFilms

Tunisia

Shahinaz El Akkad

Founder and CEO of Lagoonie Film Production

Egypt

Juliette Lapoutre

CO-FOUNDER OF STILL MOVING

FRANCE

Pierre Menahem

CO-FOUNDER OF STILL MOVING

FRANCE

Tamer Morsi

Founder of Synergy Films

Egypt

Ahmed Badawy

General Manager of Synergy Films

Egypt

Rula Nasser

Founder of Imaginarium Films

Jordan

FILM CREW

Ahmed Amer

Writer and Director

Egypt

Ahmed Hafez

Writer and Director

Egypt

Hesham Nazih

COMPOSER

Egypt

Reem El Adl

COSTUME DESIGNER

Egypt

The Actors

Ali Suliman

Actor

Palestine

Ahmed Malek

Actor

Egypt

Amir El-Masry

Actor

Egypt

Dhafer L’Abidine

Actor and Director

Tunisia

Hend Sabry

Actress-Director-Producer

Tunisia-Egypt

Kinda Alloush

Actress

Syria-Egypt

Maisa Abd Elhadi

Actress

Palestine

Menna Shalabi

Actress

Egypt

Mona Zaki

Actress

Egypt

Nadine Labaki

Director, Actress and Writer

Lebanon

Saba Mubarak

Actress and Producer

Jordan

Tamer Hosny

Actor and Singer

Egypt

Yousra

Actress

Egypt

The Exhibitors & Distributors

Adam Aron

CEO of AMC Entertainment

USA

Andy Such

Interim CEO, AMC Cinemas KSA

Saudi Arabia

Butheina Kazim

Founder of Cinema Akil

UAE

Hisham Al-Ghanim

Chairman and CEO of Kuwait National Cinema Company

Kuwait

Gianluca Chacra

Managing Partner of Front Row

UAE

Faisal Beltyour

Founder and CEO of CinemaWaves Films

Saudi Arabia

Mario G. Haddad

CEO of Empire International

Lebanon

Zaid Kurdi

CEO of Dollar Film and Managing Director of New Century Production

Egypt

Jamal Sannan

Founder & CEO of Eagle Films

Lebanon

Andrei Kamarowsky

Acting CEO of Gulf Film

UAE

Carlo Vincenti

CEO of Italia Film International

Lebanon

Zaid Fadel

CEO of Iraqi Cinemas

Iraq

Alaa Karkouti

Co-Founder and Managing Partner of MAD Solutions

Egypt

Maher Diab

Co-founder and Managing Partner of MAD Solutions

Egypt

Colin Brown

Managing Partner-International of MAD Solutions

USA

Abdallah Al-Shami

Managing Partner-GCC of MAD Solutions

LEBANON-UAE

Igance Lahoud

CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Leisure

UAE

Toni Massih

Director of Film Content and Distribution of VOX Cinemas

UAE

Hania Mroue

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

Lebanon

Gaby Khoury

MISR International Films and Orient Films

Egypt

Ramzi Khoury

MISR International Films and Orient Films

Egypt

Sultan Al Hokair

Founder & CEO, Muvi Cinemas

Saudi Arabia

Mohammed Nagro

Chairman of N Stars

Saudi Arabia-UAE-Egypt

Selim Ramia

Chairman of Selim Ramia & Co. Holding

Lebanon

Hammad Atassi

President and Founder of Prime Cinemas/Empire Cinema and CinemaCity

Lebanon

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

THE ENABLERS

MAJED AL SUWAIDI

Managing Director, Dubai Studio City & Dubai Media City

UAE

Jamal Al Sharif

CEO, Dubai Film & TV Commission

UAE

Hans Fraikin

Abu Dhabi Film Commissioner

UAE

Hanna Atallah

FOUNDER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, Filmlab: Palestine

Palestine

Ola Salama

Executive Director, Filmlab: Palestine

Palestine

Wayne Borg

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

Saudi Arabia

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein

Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Royal Film Commission of Jordan

Jordan

Princess Rym Ali

Commissioner of Royal Film Commission of Jordan

Jordan

Mohannad Bakri

Managing Director of Royal Film Commission of Jordan

Jordan

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

Abdullah Al Eyyaf AL-QAHTANI

CEO of SAUDI FILM COMMISSION

Saudi Arabia

GHASSAN AL-HABIB

FILM PROMOTION DIRECTOR of SAUDI FILM COMMISSION

Saudi Arabia

THE STREAMERS & BROADCASTERS

Hadeel Kamel

Managing Director of ART

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

Maaz Sheikh

CEO and Co-Founder, Starzplay Arabia

UAE

Nuha Eltayeb

Director, Content Acquisitions at Netflix

UAE

Ahmed Sharkawi

Director of Arab Series at Netflix

EGYPT

Paul Gillooly

CEO of OSN

UK

Rolla Karam

SVP Content Acquisition and Programming

LEBANON

NICK FORWARD

CEO of OSN

AUSTRALIA

Prince Al Waleed bin Talal

Owner of Rotana Media Group

Saudi Arabia

Waleed Arab Hashem

CEO, Rotana Studios

Saudi Arabia

HASSAN ABDALLAH

CEO OF UNITED MEDIA SERVICES

EGYPT

NASHWA GAD

CEO OF WATCHIT

EGYPT

THE PRESENTERS

Raya Abirached

TV PRESENTER

LEBANON-KSA-UK

Lana Al Jundi

TV Presenter in Sky News Arabia

Syria-UAE

THE LAUNCHERS

Nada Doumani

Director of Amman International Film Festival

Jordan

Bassam Alasad

HEAD OF INDUSTRY

Jordan

Sam Lahoud

FOUNDING DIRECTOR of BEIRUT SHORTS (NDU) INT. FILM FESTIVAL, THE BEIRUT INT. WOMEN FILM FESTIVAL

Lebanon

Ridha Behi

DIRECTOR GENERAL of CARTHAGE FILM FESTIVAL

Lebanon

Orwa Nyrabia

Artistic director of IDFA

Syria

Shirin Ghareeb

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FILMFEST DC & DIRECTOR OF ARABIAN SIGHTS FESTIVAL

IRAQ

Naguib Sawires

Founder of El Gouna Film Festival

Egypt

SAMIH SAWIRES

Founder of El Gouna Film Festival

Egypt

Intishal Al-Tamimi

Manager of El Gouna Film Festival

Iraq

JACINTHA DE NOBREGO

CHAIRPERSON, DURBAN FILMMART INSTITUTE

SOUTH AFRICA

MAGDALENE REDDY

ACTING GENERAL MANAGER, DFM

SOUTH AFRICA

Mohamed Keblawi

Director of Malmo Arab Film Festival and Arab Cinema in Sweden

Palestine-Sweden

RÉMI BONHOMME

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE MIFF AND DIRECTOR OF THE ATLAS WORKSHOPS

FRANCE

MOHAMMED AL-TURKI

CEO Of RED SEA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

KSA-USA

ANTOINE KHALIFE

DIRECTOR OF ARAB PROGRAM

LEBANON

SHIVANI PANDYA

MANAGING DIRECTOR

INDIA-UAE

Talal Afifi

Curator of Sudan Film Factory and President of Sudan Film Festival

Sudan

Elias Khlat

Director of Tripoli Film Festival

Lebanon

Jad Abi Khalil

Director of Beirut Cinema Platform

Lebanon

THE FUNDERS

Rima Mismar

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

Lebanon

Fatma Al Remaihi

CEO OF DOHA FILM INSTITUTE & HEAD,QUMRA

Qatar

Khalil Benkirane

HEAD OF GRANT UNITOF DFI

Qatar

Alessandra Speciale

Head of Final Cut in Venice

Italy

Marco Orsini

PRESIDENT of INTERNATIONAL EMERGING FILM TALENT ASSOCIATION (IEFTA)

MONACO

Vincenzo Bugno

HEAD OF WORLD CINEMA FUND

ITALY-GERMANY

THE SALES

GIORGOS KARNAVAS, KONSTANTINOS KONTOVRAKIS

FOUNDERS of HERETIC FILMS & HERETIC OUTREACH

GREECE

NICOLAS ESCHBACH

CO-FOUNDER AND HEAD OF SALES & ACQUISITIONS of INDIE SALES

FRANCE

Hedi Zardi

CEO of LUXBOX FILMS

TUNISIA

Fiorella Moretti

CEO - ACQUISITIONS of LUXBOX FILMS

FRANCE

Emilie Georges

CEO OF MEMENTO INTERNATIONAL

FRANCE

MARIE-PIERRE MACIA

FOUNDER AND PRODUCER OF MPM FILMS

FRANCE

ERIC LAGESSE

CEO OF PYRAMIDE FILMS

FRANCE

THE PATHFINDER

The brainchild of MAD Solutions (see above), the ACC was created eight 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 too are all the new avenues that are opening for Arab projects and filmmakers in countries where not so long ago, they were invisible.

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.