Safar: The Saturday Forum

The Saturday Forum, comprised of three 60-minute panel discussions, is an integral part of Safar. The forum brings together some of the most significant figures in Arab cinema to publicly discuss the emergent trends and issues affecting contemporary Arab filmmaking and is moderated by Safar’s Artistic Director, Omar Kholeif. The forum is a rare opportunity to capture the pulse of Arab cinema’s future.

Session One – 13:00-14:00

THE NOTION OF THE POPULAR: LOOKING AT GENRE

Speakers:

Dr Malek Khouri, Professor of Film Studies at The American University in Cairo and author of The Arab National Project in Youssef Chahine’s Cinema (2010)

In conversation with Dr Zahera Harb, Journalist, Senior Lecturer in International Journalism at City University, London and author of Channels of Resistance in Lebanon (2011)

Session Two – 14:00-15:00

REVOLUTIONARY AND REVOLUTION IN CINEMA: REFLECTING ON ARAB CINEMATIC HISTORIES

Speakers:

Dr Viola Shafik, Freelance Filmmaker, Curator and the Author of Arab Cinema: History and Cultural Identity (2007) and Popular Egyptian Cinema: Gender, Class, and Nation (2007)

Sara Ishaq, Writer and Director of The Mulberry House and the Oscar-nominated Karama Has No Walls.

Chaired by Nesrine Malik, Writer, Commentator and regular Contributor to The Guardian’s Comment Is Free section

More speakers to be confirmed.

Session Three – 15:00-16:00

THE SPACE OF CINEMA: CINEMA AND ITS POSSIBILITES

Speakers:

Mohamed Khan, Director of Factory Girl (2013) and author of Introduction to the Egyptian Cinema (1969)

Nadine Khan, Writer and Director of the award-winning feature Chaos, Disorder (2012)

Khalil Joreige, multi award-winning artist and filmmaker, works include The Lebanese Rocket Society (2012) and Around the Pink House (1999)

Chaired by Brian Whitaker, Author, Journalist and former Middle East Editor of The Guardian.

Read the Safar 2014 blog post by the Arab British Centre about The Saturday Forum