Screen International magazine revealed the lineup for their second edition of the initiative Arab Stars of Tomorrow at a panel discussion during the 14th Dubai International Film Festival (Diff).
The lineup includes Lebanese writer-director Manon Nammour, Palestinian actress Maria Zreik, Iraqi producer-director Ayman Al Shatri, Egyptian actor Ahmad Malik and Emirati TV and social media star Marwan Abdullah.
Arab Stars of Tomorrow is a spin-off of the popular UK initiative that brought the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Emily Blunt, and Tom Hiddleston into the spotlight.
Screen International’s lineup of stars aims to build the future of Arab cinema and potentially propel such talents to the same level of success.
“The spotlight is the prize. They’re being promoted by the magazine to get people to notice them internationally… All our stars from the previous year have gone on to make films,” said Melanie Goodfellow, Screen International’s France and Middle East correspondent.
Abdullah discussed the ways in which Hollywood films such as the Fast & Furious, Mission Impossible, and Star Wars used the UAE as their production location but “didn’t tap into the talent pool”.
“Who is going to help us become international? Who is responsible to bridge the gap between UAE and the rest of the world?” he asked.
Zreik, meanwhile, stressed that it is “our responsibility as Arabs to show the reality of our region,” making her point against the use of Middle Eastern stereotypes in Hollywood.
— The Young Journalist Award (YJA) at Diff is a training programme for high school and university students who are aspiring writers and reporters. Seven students are competing at the festival this year. One winner will secure a monthlong internship with Gulf News.
