Berlinale Talents strengthens its collaboration with the Arab world:

The short film Berlin Beirut (directed by Lebanese filmmaker Myrna Maakaron) won the first ‘Berlin Today Award’ back in 2004, this year the connection between Berlinale and Beirut will be further strengthened through the inaugural edition of Talents Beirut. The programme will invite about 15 promising Arab cinematographers, editors and sound designers/score composers to take part in a four-day programme of master classes and workshops and will be held from September 18-21, 2014. Expanding in the Middle East and Northern Africa, Talents Beirut will be part of the international network of Talents initiatives aiming to support and connect emerging filmmakers worldwide, linking to the range of programmes and platforms the Berlin International Film Festival annually offers.

Emerging cinematographers, editors and sound designers/score composers from Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, the Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen will be eligible to apply online at www.talents-beirut.com from April 8 until May 23, 2014.

Talents Beirut is an initiative of Metropolis Art Cinema in Beirut and the Goethe-Institut Lebanon in cooperation with Berlinale Talents and FIDMarseille.

“Strong films from the Arab world in the past years have proven to be essential in understanding this region of the world”, commented Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick. “Talents Beirut will focus on an often disregarded group of film professionals, who nevertheless define the image and sound of stories coming from the Middle East and Northern Africa. This project will intensify film relations with the Middle East and Northern Africa in the future”.

The director of Talents Beirut, Hania Mroué, said “The partnership with key partners like Berlinale Talents in Germany and FIDMarseille in  France, and the ongoing support of the Goethe-Institut offers a unique opportunity to help develop a strong new generation in the Arab film industry.”

Programme details, experts, and selected participants will be announced in summer. For more information, go to:

www.berlinale-talents.de