The Screen Institute Beirut (SIB) film fund committee for feature length documentary has announced the five projects that have been awarded a grant. Applications were received from nine Arab countries (Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia). Out of 45 projects received, the majority of the applicants, according to the institute, were […]

The Screen Institute Beirut (SIB) film fund committee for feature length documentary has announced the five projects that have been awarded a grant. Applications were received from nine Arab countries (Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia). Out of 45 projects received, the majority of the applicants, according to the institute, were female filmmakers.
“The SIB film fund’s main objective is to provide additional support to the grantees through workshops and in-kind support for both production and post-production stages. The goal is to make the films reachable to a large audience, to ensure and increase the grantees’ chances to finding local and international distributors to their films and not least to help them find funding for their next projects” said Paul Baboudjian, SIB executive director.
The five projects receiving grants are:
Childhood of the Place (Syria): Production Director: Hazem Al-Hamwi
This film attempts to draw a portrait of a place through the memory of its people, filled with poems from a different era and time. Its a film where the past appears from within the words and verses of the local storytellers.
Bab El Tabaneh (Lebanon): Development Director: Remi Itani
This is the story of three young men raised in the poorest neighborhood on the Mediterranean – “Bab El Tabaneh” located in the biggest city in north Lebanon – Tripoli. The film takes us on a journey into the underground, into the slum of all slums. The story focuses on the vicious circle of life, where violence, drugs or crime is the only way to release frustration.
Cursed be the Phosphate (Tunisia): Post-production Director: Sami Tlili
This film addresses the importance of the revolt that lasted six months in the mining basin in Gafsa – Tunisia in 2008. This was the first-of-its-kind revolution to take place under the regime of Ben Ali before the January 14, 2011 event.
Waiting for Dawn (Lebanon): Development Director: Mary Jirmanus
Fatima Khaweja was 19 when the Lebanese army killed her during a peaceful worker strike in 1972 outside Gandour chocolate factory in Beirut. Waiting for Dawn takes viewers on a search for Fatima and through it on the search for other ordinary men and women now living in obscurity.
Pirates of Sale (Morocco): Production Director: Mirieme Addou & Rosa Rogers
The film is a universal story about dream and achievement. It is also a film exploring some deep topics – use of the body in the Moroccan conservative society, the relationship between gender, religion and art. The film opens up the magical world of the circus through the compelling stories of the young people.