Cinéma Arabe: Etat des Lieux / Arab Cinema: The State of Things (France/Algeria, 2006, 50 min, DVD)

By: Nasser-Eddine Benalia

Screens: Sunday, October 19, 7pm

Synopsis:

Cinema Arabe: Etats des Lieux is a documentary explores the current state of Arabic cinematography. Through extensive interviews of Arab filmmakers, actors, writers and organizers, the film discusses the challenges that face Arab filmmaking today. The film advances the subtle argument that films are essential to understanding the life, dreams, and aspirations of the Arab world, and that the wealth of experiences and technical resources are enough to revive Arabic cinema if efforts are consolidated.

Director’s Bio:

Nasser-Eddine Benalia was born in Paris to an Algerian father and a Belgian-Norwegian mother. He made his debut in theatre and television as an actor in 1988. His interest in the technical side of cinema, especially la mise-en-scéne, drew him to studying production at the "École Internationale de Création Audiovisuelle et de Reportage" (EICAR), the "École des Métiers de l'Image", and the Atelier "Théâtre des Cinquante" among other places. He currently teaches various courses on acting and makes films. His latest productions are La Casbah d’Alger, Labellisé Unesco, Karana, and L’Enfer du Bibliographie.