dubai // Stronger cinematic ties between countries in the Arab world will help movies reach larger audiences and resolve distribution difficulties in the region, senior producers at the Dubai International Film Festival said at the weekend.
Hania Mroue, the director of the only arthouse cinema in Lebanon, Beirut's Metropolis Cinema, said more co-productions in the region were vital to the industry.
"It is inconceivable that we don't do more co-productions when we speak the same language, even if we have different dialects," Mroue said. "This is a growing market with 400 million Arabs in the region and joining together will help the industry."
Mohammed Hefzy, the Egyptian producer of the feature film Microphone, which competes with a dozen others in the Muhr Arab Awards, described the market as tough because of competition from big budget Hollywood productions.
"It's a tough situation and it's a hard industry," Hefzy said. "In Egypt, Lebanon and the Gulf, distribution is controlled by theatre owners. It is difficult for low-budget independent films and for independent distributors to succeed."
The stranglehold over distribution made it tough for independent filmmakers to reach across the region. Markets such as Egypt, which permits only eight prints of foreign movies across 400 theatres, add to the obstacles filmmakers faced.
Low budgets are key to successful collaborations, Hefzy said.
"If budgets are low enough, you can find a successful collaboration," he said. "You always must keep your budget in mind."
This view was backed Georges Schoucair, a Lebanese producer, who will work with Hefzy over the next year on an Arabic language movie titled Housekeeping, with Egyptian and Lebanese stars.
The movie is about a Beirut cleaning lady and her fight against eviction. It is one of 15 regional productions chosen by the Dubai festival for funding and production support from more than 130 submissions from countries including Morocco, Algeria, Syria and Iraq.
Schoucair believes a movie must have a local flavour and succeed in its country of origin before it is taken to the region.
"Ten years ago we didn't have this opportunity to work with other Arab companies," said Schoucair, who is showing a short entitled A Stray Bullet at the Dubai festival. "Unless a movie is strong in its own market, it will be difficult distributing it in the rest of the Arab world or even in Europe. Collaboration will also help develop strong scripts."
rtalwar@thenational.ae
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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The specs
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Power: 272hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 331Nm from 5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
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On sale: now
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers Henderson, Johnstone, Pickford, Ramsdale
Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Godfrey, James, Maguire, Mings, Shaw, Stones, Trippier, Walker, White
Midfielders Bellingham, Henderson, Lingard, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse
Forwards Calvert-Lewin, Foden, Grealish, Greenwood, Kane, Rashford, Saka, Sancho, Sterling, Watkins
SQUADS
Bangladesh (from): Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadat Hossain, Abu Jayed
Afghanistan (from): Rashid Khan (capt), Ihsanullah Janat, Javid Ahmadi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmad, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zahir Khan Pakteen, Afsar Zazai, Shapoor Zadran
