THE LAUNCHERS
Jad Abi Khalil
Director of Beirut Cinema Platform
Lebanon
Like Elias Khlat, Jad is another devoted champion of cinema with the fighting spirit to keep pushing forward amidst the current turmoil in Lebanon. The Beirut Cinema Platform is the only event focusing exclusively on the Arab film industry. Although forced to operate online this year, the Platform still managed to provide an invaluable space for Arab projects to pitch and get some support from the industry and some funds. As such, this annual event plays a significant role in accelerating Arab film production by bringing together independent filmmakers/producers working on their first or second features with a select handful of key industry names.