The Importance of a New Frame: Arab Cinema Festivals

Arab cinema festivals and Arab cinema (except for Egyptian, Lebanese, and Tunisian cinema) are flourishing in the Arab market, and many films from or about the region have reached the festival circuit. In an era where global streaming platforms publish and monetize content internationally at the click of a button, local Arab cinema has never been more important. Across the Arab region, local films and documentaries do far more than simply entertain audiences—they showcase the region’s history and cultural heritage, amplify voices, and bolster national identity.

With the plethora of film festivals in Egypt, Jordan, and Europe, the tendency has been to produce and screen films and documentaries that promote a pan-Arab national identity, but this strategy can help for only so long. With media globalization and ever-higher production values, there is now a need to promote a new “frame” in films and documentaries– an integrationist frame. Local film directors and film producers realize their films to life, creating stories and narratives that deeply resonate with audiences while introducing the richness of Arab cultures to the world, mostly Europe.

Arab cinema and Arab cinema festivals, as in other countries, serve as a visual archive of a society. Local films capture history, society, values, and memory. What makes “Arab cinema” different is the long history of political conflict vis-à-vis the United States and Israel. Whether they are narrative features (Palestine 36, Pomegranates and Myrrh) or documentaries (Habibi Hussein), these films document the Israeli occupation, the Lebanese Civil War, and the realities of the Bashar Al-Asad’s regime in Syria, and related subjects. In summary, there is no lack of politics as the canvas for films and documentaries.

Thus, the pan-Arab appetite (except for, again, Egypt, Lebanon) has been “victimhood,” for the lack of a better word. Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, for examples, local productions help showcase and protect collective memories, history, and what the audiences see as the realities of the Israeli and American policies in the region.

Indigenous (except for Egypt, Tunisia, and, to a less extent, Lebanon) Arab cinema and, by extension, Arab cinema festivals, face two challenges:

• The focus on the political
• The relative absence of funding for at least regionally competitive, feature-length films

“Local” filmmakers tell stories that reflect and embody their lived experiences, addressing political issues, any strife, civil instability (as in Lebanon or Syria) and challenges, which Egyptian and Tunisian cinema often do not address simply because such themes are not part of their identity. The rise of corporate film funds such as Imagenation is the only exception to this trend. By reflecting familiar realities, local Arab films and documentaries engender conversations and encourage audiences to engage with their own communities. An overarching difference in Arab cinema (again, barring Egypt, Tunisia, and Lebanon)

Arab cinema festivals, and Arab cinema by exension, needs to adopt or cultivate an integrationist, progressive frame or stories. This entails much higher production values. Such a new frame can drive more audiences and promote understanding and dialogue with global audiences, identical to what Life is Beautiful did with the Holocaust. Local, introspective stories and premises reinforce any nationalistic, patriotic feeling but do not necessarily promote cultural understanding and awareness. When many Arab viewers understandably point out media Orientalism from the United States, current local films and documentaries may inadvertently be reinforcing Orientalism or even promoting “Occidentalism” in their own right. That is why national cinema can help challenge media stereotypes, address other (especially American) cultures, and importantly, accurately portray Arab societies, meaning with their humanity, complexity, support of democracy, and diversity. Thus, expanding the films and documentaries “frame” can only support audiences and the national media ecosystems.

Arab cinema festivals are a pillar of the growing Arab media ecosystem. A robust film industry benefits more than audiences—it generates direct and indirect jobs. Besides writers, directors, actors, producers, cinematographers, editors, and technicians, many people contribute to films and documentaries production. Therefore, supporting Arab film festivals would bolster the regional media ecosystem, so is a necessity and an imperative; it is not an option. Film festivals are indispensable to a national media ecosystem, so encouraging new “frames” only promotes growth, media freedom, and new voices. These are all indispensable ingredients of a strong, self-sustaining media ecosystem.

As local media industries grow, they encourage investment in education / training, technology, production facilities, festivals, and media tourism. International co-productions can also attract international partnerships and knowledge spill-overs, helping Arab cinema reach much larger audiences while maintaining its unique cultural voice.

Arab cinema festivals now (less so Egypt, Lebanon, and Tunisia) have the potential to set standards for film directors and producers tomorrow. If the focus remains defeat and victimhood, film directors and film producers today might feel limited and constrained. Thus, advancing, or expanding, the media frames today would pave the way for greater productions, quantitatively and qualitatively, tomorrow. This exceeds the notion of “success,” meaning successful young filmmakers would be likely to enspirit their children and colleagues to pursue careers in this ultra-competitive industry. Local cinema now is growing into its “teenage” phase, so would require more resources, funding, and “cultural exposure” to reach adulthood. This entails providing role models and creative license.

Beyond inspiring future filmmakers, local films encourage audiences to value their heritage and appreciate the experiences that make their communities unique. At the same time, the journey from the teenage years to addulthood would entail a new frame, more funding, and even courage to tackle new subjects.

Arab cinema festivals, again except for Egypt and Lebanon, has been feeding and reflecting countries’ national identities. This obviously promotes understanding and a pan-Arab identity. By sharing authentic stories, filmmakers enrich the creative repository and help audiences connect with their cultural and national identities. Every film industry in the world does this.

On the other hand, “resetting” the media frame means expanding it. Arab cinema needs to rely less on political “regurgitation” and more on new framing. The films and documentaries offer an opportunity to move beyond victimhood narratives, presenting Arab cultures through authentic perspectives rather than external interpretations. This cultural exchange fosters greater empathy and appreciation among global audiences.

The future of Arab cinema festivals, and Arab cinema by extension, is full of opportunity and potential. These two encompass a young adult demographic, advancements in digital production, expanding infrastructure, increasing film festivals, growing film financing, and expanding distribution through streaming platforms. These have been enabling more local stories to reach audiences regionally and internationally. To fully realize this potential, two steps are necessary:

• More funding for films and documentaries production, in the $ million
• Expansion of the media frame
• More media production education and training

These two steps complement the continued support for filmmakers, production companies, and educational institutions. Investing in local, Arab in this case, cinema is a necessary but ultimately insufficient way of showcasing and preserving Arab identity. Investing in media production and cinema is ultimately an investment in national identity, media freedom, and creativity, and ensuring that future generations can exercise their own creativity, too. There is a need for thematic progression.

Expanding the frame is a multi-pronged process. Arab cinema is far more than entertainment. Moving beyond the victimhood frame to an integrationist, progressive one promises high production values and new stories, not simply reinforcing national identity and collective memory. What festivals in the Arab region have been showing are the national identity frame and there has been a growing appetite for higher production values and more funding. Therefore, next steps for Arab cinema festivals and Arab cinema by extension exceed treating it as cultural responsibility. Progressive cinema is a strategic investment in the future of the region’s media industries. Taking the leap from victimhood to progressivism would be a green light and empowering to a region that is in utmost need of cultural and media “openness” and in inertia.

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