Press release from The Arab Film Festival
There’s been laughter, there’s been tears and there’s been extraordinary connections with 4000 Arab movie fans across Australia.
The 2011 Arab Film Festival Australia closed this week at the end of our national tour that took us to Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane. Our warm thanks to everyone who came out in the cold and supported AFFA, helping us to increase our audience by over 30% this year!
One extra happy punter, Maria Munzone, won two return tickets to Abu Dhabi valued at $5,500 thanks to Etihad Airways. We wish her a great trip!
What did you love?
So what brought people out in record numbers this year? You told us that you loved the film selection because it’s just so hard to access quality Arab cinema in Australia. You loved the vibe of the festival. You told us that despite the huge growth this year, you were glad the Festival team and directors were on the ground to chat with the audience.
And of course, you loved the chance to see the world through Arab eyes, especially since the dramatic events early in the year.
Stories from Home
‘The events in the Middle East have certainly had an impact on the interest from the broad Australian community,’ says Festival Co-Director Mouna Zaylah. ‘I think people are sick of only getting the perspective that the mainstream presents about the lives of Arabs, whether they’re living in the diaspora or in an Arab country.’
She says many people relished the chance to see stories from home. ‘The crowd in Melbourne for Cry of the Ant was amazing. There were 250 people, a very mixed crowd but a large number from the Egyptian community. It was like sitting in someone’s lounge room, some people were clapping, some were crying in the tragic parts. People were having little conversations with each other. And at the end there was the largest applause we’ve ever heard, it sounded like a 1000 people. It was an amazing response in Melbourne to that session.’
Social Media
And here’s some of what you had to say online:
@_Zahraa: ‘To the organisers of the @arabfilmfestau AMAZING work!! round of applause’
Fenella Kernebone, reported on ABC’s Art Nation: “It’s fantastic to be here tonight…in what is a very apt theme this year, “Revolution, Romance, Realities”… One of the most interesting elements is that a number of films in the festival highlight new media’s role, amplifying everyday voices and images across the globe. And one film that does exactly this is Gaza Shield.”
@mayouss: “thank you @arabfilmfestau for the laughs (no matter how small they were) and the cries (no matter how many). come back soon. #love #arabfilm”
Saber Media on Facebook: “So much has happened in the Arab world since last year’s Arab Film Festival. Do not miss out this year’s Arab Film Festival Australia”
@andalusiya: ‘saw @TetaAlfMarra at @arabfilmfestau brilliant & a hit with all, I loved Um Mohammad so much, reminded us of all our tetas! @MahmoudKaabour’
@gemtgee: ‘How gorgeous is little Majid? 5 stars in my opinion! @arabfilmfestau #aff2011’
@andalusiya: “I can’t wait to see this film at the AFF, so beautiful! | Grandma, A Thousand Times”
@NawafAljanahi: ‘A beautiful screening & an amazing audience today for the #Emirati #films at the @arabfilmfestau in #Sydney (#Australia).’
David Hamilton on FB: “I’ve heard so many great things about this festival all the way out here in Texas. Good work to all those involved.”
Dena Abdel-Fatah on FB: “I highly recommend it. It is a really great Film Festival my husband and I loved it we sent our daughters the following day they loved it to. I wish I had the chance to watch each and every film.”
@digitalkulcha: “Arab film festival still screening & still smashing stereotypes”
Reine Abbas posts of FB “Gaza Shield…….is rocking Australia……go Tania Khalaf.”
Helen Abdalla on FB: “Attended tonight’s screening of “cry of an ant “, what a fantastic movie. I hope we get to see more quality Arabic movies such as this in our cinemas more often.”
@datakid23: “I saw a wonderful film at @arabfilmfestau on Friday , very funny very human big cheers.”
There’s still time to add your review online. Join us on Twitter @arabfilmfestau and Facebook now.
Thank You for Supporting Arab Cinema
Festival directors Mouna Zaylah and Fadia Abboud send a huge thank you to all the people who came out to support the festival.
Thanks to our sponsors: Etihad Airways, the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia Council, Arts NSW, Council for Australian-Arab Relations, Parramatta City Council, World Media International, Screen NSW, Media Loft, SBS Film, 2Moro, MySat, Arabic Pages, Port Bar, Dendy Cinema, Palace Nova Cinema, Riverside Parramatta, National Film & Sound Archive and Cinema Nova.
Thanks also to our wonderful volunteers and the fabulous festival committee: Dr Paul Abood, Alissar Gazal, Firas Naji, Joanne Saad, Saleh Saqqaf, Omeima Sukkarieh and Farid Farid.
And big thanks to the AFFA team: Publicist Nicholas Pickard, Graphic Designer Meiying Saw, Documentation Video Artist Vanna Seang, Multimedia Support Zahra Al Samawi, Marketing Support Kristy Mayhew, Jackie Leewai And Yu Ye Wu, Communications Consultant Monique Perrin, Festival Trailer Music Provider The Narcicyst, Website Developer and Designer Maissa Alamedine. Extra Special thanks to the amazing ICE team, ICE Members of the Board and our Executive Director Lisa Torrance.
Watch this Space
As the film industry expands in the Arab world, our festival will keep you in touch with the very latest and greatest Arab films. Fadia Abboud says ‘Celebrating our 10th anniversary with over 4000 people was a major milestone. We are energized to continue working hard to bring amazing Arab films to Australia. Looking forward to connecting with you in 2012!’
Stay tuned next winter for the 2012 Arab Film Festival Australia.
The Festival is proudly managed by Information and Cultural Exchange (ICE).