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On Arab Shorts 2011
This is the third and final year of Arab Shorts. Initially the project was planned for only one year, but the success of the first edition made two more possible. As in the two previous editions, this year too we asked many - ten exactly - curators of the Arab world to put together a program of short films for Arab Shorts. For us, the cultural Arab context was crucial, not the country of production. There was intentionally no joint selection of films through a commission rather each curator chose the short films of his program by himself. We wanted to avoid a homogenizing selection of a very diverse and disparate Arab short film scene. In addition, we understand the curators to be ambassadors as well as contact persons of Arab film and want to make them visible accordingly. They were completely free in the choice of cinematic genres and themes and as you can see next to feature films and documentaries, experimental and artistic videos, there is also an animation, traditionally an exception in Arab Shorts.
When we planned Arab Shorts 2009, we had one question in mind: is the Internet actually an effective means to make such a rich and diverse scene as that of Arab short films internationally known? In fact, Arab shorts already have proven to be an important research source for tens of thousands of anonymous users who visit the site and watch the movies. Some of them we know: curators, festival organizers, distributors and TV emission purchasers and they even use Arab Shorts when looking out for talents. The fear that the films could be 'burnt' by their online publication for other uses also proved to be unfounded. On the contrary, filmmakers received more invitations to festivals, presentations and purchasing as before. And of course they make themselves a name that will help them in future projects.
The importance not only of creating culture, but also of making it accessible, was evident at the beginning of the year, as with the Arab spring world interest in the Arab cultural production grew by leaps and bounds. And because all wanted to know right away whether the avant-garde, did not foresee the revolution, or at least saw it coming? With Walid Mattar we could at least refer to a Tunisian work, fulfilling even this very special wish.
The 2011 edition too will receive so many questions, on where the Arab revolution may be found in the short films. In fact, the curators have selected several films that refer to the Arab spring, such as Karim by Omar El Shamy and Spices by Amer Alrawas, but it is mentioned almost casually, as if not so important. Looking at the films of Arab Shorts 2011, one sees exactly how deeply authoritarian power structures are anchored in the families of Arab societies, and one suspects that the tyrants’ fall, which many in the West want to already regard as a successful revolution, is in fact only the beginning of a long and difficult transformation process. The 48 films from Arab Shorts 2011 give a fascinating insight into the Arab world that goes far beyond the usual stereotypes and images of the same old media world.
Festival Documentation Arab Shorts 2011 (PDF, 1,2 MB)
Contact:
arabshorts@cairo.goethe.org
www.facebook.com/ARABSHORTS
www.arabshorts.net
On Arab Shorts 2011
This is the third and final year of Arab Shorts. Initially the project was planned for only one year, but the success of the first edition made two more possible. As in the two previous editions, this year too we asked many - ten exactly - curators of the Arab world to put together a program of short films for Arab Shorts. For us, the cultural Arab context was crucial, not the country of production. There was intentionally no joint selection of films through a commission rather each curator chose the short films of his program by himself. We wanted to avoid a homogenizing selection of a very diverse and disparate Arab short film scene. In addition, we understand the curators to be ambassadors as well as contact persons of Arab film and want to make them visible accordingly. They were completely free in the choice of cinematic genres and themes and as you can see next to feature films and documentaries, experimental and artistic videos, there is also an animation, traditionally an exception in Arab Shorts.
When we planned Arab Shorts 2009, we had one question in mind: is the Internet actually an effective means to make such a rich and diverse scene as that of Arab short films internationally known? In fact, Arab shorts already have proven to be an important research source for tens of thousands of anonymous users who visit the site and watch the movies. Some of them we know: curators, festival organizers, distributors and TV emission purchasers and they even use Arab Shorts when looking out for talents. The fear that the films could be 'burnt' by their online publication for other uses also proved to be unfounded. On the contrary, filmmakers received more invitations to festivals, presentations and purchasing as before. And of course they make themselves a name that will help them in future projects.
The importance not only of creating culture, but also of making it accessible, was evident at the beginning of the year, as with the Arab spring world interest in the Arab cultural production grew by leaps and bounds. And because all wanted to know right away whether the avant-garde, did not foresee the revolution, or at least saw it coming? With Walid Mattar we could at least refer to a Tunisian work, fulfilling even this very special wish.
The 2011 edition too will receive so many questions, on where the Arab revolution may be found in the short films. In fact, the curators have selected several films that refer to the Arab spring, such as Karim by Omar El Shamy and Spices by Amer Alrawas, but it is mentioned almost casually, as if not so important. Looking at the films of Arab Shorts 2011, one sees exactly how deeply authoritarian power structures are anchored in the families of Arab societies, and one suspects that the tyrants’ fall, which many in the West want to already regard as a successful revolution, is in fact only the beginning of a long and difficult transformation process. The 48 films from Arab Shorts 2011 give a fascinating insight into the Arab world that goes far beyond the usual stereotypes and images of the same old media world.
Festival Documentation Arab Shorts 2011 (PDF, 1,2 MB)
Contact:
arabshorts@cairo.goethe.org
www.facebook.com/ARABSHORTS www.arabshorts.net
