Doha’s Tasweer Photography Festival champions international perspectives

Doha’s Tasweer Photography Festival champions international perspectives
A photograph that is part of the ‘A Chance To Breathe’ exhibit by Azimul Hasson. (Supplied)
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Updated 17 May 2023
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Doha’s Tasweer Photography Festival champions international perspectives

Doha’s Tasweer Photography Festival champions international perspectives
  • Festival’s 2nd edition more international in scope, vision, focusing on work by Arab, global photographers on key issues

DOHA: Inside Doha’s spacious M7 building, Qatar’s growing hub for innovation and design, is an exhibition featuring numerous photographic works portraying South Asian migrant workers dressed in a variety of outfits as part of the Doha Fashion Fridays display, captured since 2017 on Instagram by artists Khalid Albaih and Aparna Jayakumar.

The photos — shot on Fridays, their day off — use fashion as a lens to reflect on the unique characters and personal histories of the men.




An image that is part of Doha Fashion Fridays by Aparna Jayakumar. (Supplied) 

Doha Fashion Fridays is part of the second edition of the biennial Tasweer Photo Festival Qatar, which first launched in 2021, and runs this year until May 20. The festival, organized by Qatar Museums as part of the year-round national cultural movement Qatar Creates, features photography from the Gulf, wider Middle East, and beyond across several sites and exhibitions.

The “A Chance to Breathe” exhibition features haunting images taken by three Rohingya refugees, Azimul Hasson, Dil Kayas, and Omal Khair. The works on view capture their personal experiences inside Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, the largest refugee camp in the world.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by M7 (@m7.qatar)

Of note is the exhibition “I Am the Traveler and Also the Road,” named after a line taken from “A Ryme for the Odes (Mu’allaqat)” by the late Palestinian poet and author Mahmoud Darwish.

It takes place inside a separate venue at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art and features works by the 2021 and 2022 recipients of Tasweer’s Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani Project Award grants.

Staged under the artistic direction of curator Charlotte Cotton, the exhibition presents the poignant works by Tasweer’s 12 grant winners: Qatari Fatema bint Ahmad Al-Doha, Samar Sayed Baiomy from Egypt, Yemeni Hayat Al-Sharif, Shaima Al-Tamimi, Sudanese Salih Basheer, Mohammed Elshamy, Emirati Reem Falaknaz, Palestinian Rula Halawani, Mona Hassan, Fethi Sahraoui from Algeria, and Abdo Shanan.

Through their works, the photographers explore stories of their country and society and the world around them during intense moments of change.

Cotton said the images on show reflected the urgency to better understand personal and collective lived experiences to enhance understanding between different cultures.

“These photographers really capture a certain moment and … are telling specific stories about the region through their practice. The images on view are edgy and groundbreaking and they encourage dialogue about challenging subjects,” she added.

Powerful examples are Al-Doha’s shots of women from the ethnic Kalashi Pakistani tribes that she shot in Pakistan. Her documentary photography focuses on vanishing cultures, remote tribes, minorities, and indigenous peoples.

In her artist’s statement, Al-Doha said: “I photograph an ancient tribe in Pakistan – an ethnic minority and a disappearing culture. The Kalash people consist of just 4,000 members and I want to honor and memorialize the Kalashi rituals and traditions that are vanishing.”

 




Hadeer Omar's 'And Thereafter.' (Supplied)

"I'll always be involved in anything that creates space for photography,” Sueraya Shaheen — an Arab photographer and co-founder of Tribe, a non-profit publication and platform focused solely on photography from the Arab world, who sits on the jury of Tasweer’s Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani Project grant told Arab News. “Photography is by far the strongest medium in the region.”

Additionally, the festival has also reactivated two commissioned installations championing Qatar’s heritage that were first presented in 2021 but not widely seen due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

“And Thereafter” at Al-Koot Fort on the edge of Souq Waqif in Doha features an immersive installation by artist Hadeer Omar in collaboration with Sonic Jeel, an art collective that explores hybrid-media.

Meanwhile, “My Mother Lulwa’s House” features work by Qatari artist Mashael Al-Hejazi inside Majlis Barahat Al-Jufairi. Her works reflect the personal and collective memories of the Al-Baraha community in which she grew up.


Film AlUla, Stampede Ventures reveal films to be shot in Saudi Arabia under 10-project deal

Film AlUla, Stampede Ventures reveal films to be shot in Saudi Arabia under 10-project deal
Updated 02 December 2023
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Film AlUla, Stampede Ventures reveal films to be shot in Saudi Arabia under 10-project deal

Film AlUla, Stampede Ventures reveal films to be shot in Saudi Arabia under 10-project deal

JEDDAH: Hollywood movies “Fourth Wall” and “Chasing Red” are set to be filmed in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla in 2024 as part of a 10-project deal between Film AlUla — the Royal Commission for AlUla’s film agency — and global media company Stampede Ventures.

The announcement was made at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Saturday. Stampede Ventures CEO Greg Silverman and executive director of Film AlUla Charlene Deleon-Jones gave further details of the three-year deal, which also includes the previously announced dramatic comedy “K-Pops!”

“Fourth Wall” follows a former child star from a popular TV sitcom who is kidnapped and wakes up in a complete recreation of the show’s set with the rest of the cast, where she must work through her trauma and recreate iconic moments from the series to stay alive and find a way out.

The announcement was made at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Saturday. (AN/ Huda Bashatah) 

Meanwhile, “Chasing Red” is a romance centered around straight-A student Veronica and wealthy playboy Caleb. It is an adaptation of a book by Filipino-Canadian author Isabelle Ronin and is being directed by Jessika Borsiczky, who told Arab News that the story attracted her because “romance is so universal, especially first love, and especially stories about women finding who they are and then finding who they are in relation to the world.”

Stampede Ventures will be among the first to use Film AlUla’s production facility, which includes a 30,000-square-foot soundstage, backlot, production support buildings, workshops, warehouses, recording studio and training and rehearsal space.

Jessika Borsiczky told Arab News that the story attracted her because “romance is so universal.”  (AN/ Huda Bashatah) 

There will be emphasis on using Saudi talent during the production process, Deleon-Jones said, adding: “One of the most significant parts of what we’re doing is the training and development, because this gives us an opportunity to really develop below-the-line crew in somewhere like AlUla, where traditionally the main careers open to you would have been agriculture. We have a young working population who are vibrant and digitally engaged somewhere which is seen as one of the more remote places, (and now) you have this whole new exciting career path.”

The key, she said, was to prove to talent in Saudi Arabia that the film industry is a “sustainable” career choice. Silverman echoed that, saying the deal was “designed specifically so that people can come in and get a chance to prove (themselves) and then there’s another movie coming in the next month that they can be pulled into.”

Silverman is an entertainment industry veteran known for his track record at Warner Bros. where he shepherded over 125 films to more than $38 billion in worldwide box office, most notably the “Harry Potter” series, Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” trilogy, Zack Snyder’s “300,” Todd Phillips’ iconic “Hangover” trilogy, and “Joker.”

Previous Hollywood productions shot in AlUla include the Gerard Butler-led action-thriller “Kandahar,” directed by Ric Roman Waugh, and “Cherry,” starring Tom Holland and directed by Anthony and Joe Russo.


Celebrity-loved footwear designer Amina Muaddi opens pop-up store in Dubai

Celebrity-loved footwear designer Amina Muaddi opens pop-up store in Dubai
Updated 02 December 2023
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Celebrity-loved footwear designer Amina Muaddi opens pop-up store in Dubai

Celebrity-loved footwear designer Amina Muaddi opens pop-up store in Dubai

DUBAI: Celebrity-loved footwear designer Amina Muaddi revealed this week that she opened a new pop-up store in Dubai at Kite Beach.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by AMINA MUADDI (@aminamuaddi)

The shoemaker, who is of Jordanian and Romanian descent, has collaborated with clothing retail company Ounass for a four-week pop-up.

“I wanted to create a special experience for our community, a space that feels like an oasis from an outer world,” she wrote, sharing pictures of the place. “Visit the store and shop the collection starting Dec. 1 for the next 30 days. Happy shopping!”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by AMINA MUADDI (@aminamuaddi)

To celebrate the launch, Ounass hosted an exclusive A-list dinner that was attended by rapper Kanye West, his partner Bianca Censori, American singer Ty Dolla $ign and Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim.


The Weeknd donates $2.5m to Gaza

The Weeknd donates $2.5m to Gaza
Updated 02 December 2023
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The Weeknd donates $2.5m to Gaza

The Weeknd donates $2.5m to Gaza

DUBAI: The UN World Food Programme this week announced that its goodwill ambassador, Canadian singer The Weeknd — whose birth name is Abel Tesfaye — has donated $2.5 million from his XO Humanitarian Fund to aid WFP’s humanitarian response in Gaza.

The donation, which equates to 4 million emergency meals, will fund 820 tons of food parcels that could feed more than 173,000 Palestinians for two weeks, the organization said.

“This conflict has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe beyond reckoning. WFP is working round the clock to provide aid in Gaza but a major scale up is needed to address the desperate level of hunger we are seeing,” Corinne Fleischer, WFP’s director for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, said in a statement.

“We thank Abel for this valuable contribution towards the people of Palestine. We hope others will follow Abel’s example and support our efforts.”

The multi-platinum global recording artist was appointed a goodwill ambassador in October 2021.


Red Sea film fest celebrates ‘Women in Cinema’ with global stars 

Red Sea film fest celebrates ‘Women in Cinema’ with global stars 
Updated 02 December 2023
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Red Sea film fest celebrates ‘Women in Cinema’ with global stars 

Red Sea film fest celebrates ‘Women in Cinema’ with global stars 

JEDDAH: The Red Sea Film Festival and Vanity Fair Europe played host a celebration of “Women in Cinema” on Friday night, with celebrities from around in attendance at the soiree.  

Bollywood star Katrina Kaif joined Hollywood actresses Sofia Vergara, Sharon Stone, Diane Kruger, Michelle Rodriguez and Zoe Saldana at the evening event while British supermodel Naomi Campbell also made an appearance.  

Michelle Rodriguez at the Women In Cinema Gala during the Red Sea International Film Festival. (Getty Images)

From the Arab world, it was a glittering invitation list with Yasmine Sabri, Egyptian icon Yousra, Amina Khalil, Nadine Nassib Njeim, Andria Tayeh, Aseel Omran and Sarah Taibah attending, among many more regional stars.  

“In collaboration with Vanity Fair Europe, and on the sidelines of the third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival, we were pleased to host ‘Women in Cinema’ celebrating women’s cinematic contributions — where we honored Egyptian cinema icon Nabila Ebeid, acknowledging her rich cinematic career,” the festival posted on Instagram.  

Nabila Ebeid and Mohammed Al-Turki at the Women In Cinema Gala during the Red Sea International Film Festival. (Getty Images) 

Born on Jan. 21, 1945, Ebeid has been dubbed “Egypt’s first star.” Ebeid is known as both an actress, with film and stage titles under her belt, and a producer.  

The Red Sea International Film Festival runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 and boasts 11 categories of films: Special Screenings; Red Sea: Competition; Red Sea: Shorts Competition; Festival Favorites; Arab Spectacular; International Spectacular; New Saudi/ New Cinema: Shorts; Red Sea: New Vision; Red Sea: Families and Children; Red Sea: Series and Red Sea: Treasures.   

Mohammed Al-Turki and Naomi Campbell at the Women In Cinema Gala during the Red Sea International Film Festival. (Getty Images)

This year’s celebrity-studded festival jury is presided over by director Baz Luhrmann, joined by Swedish-American actor Joel Kinnaman (“Suicide Squad”); Freida Pinto (“Slumdog Millionaire”); Egyptian actor Amina Khalil (“Grand Hotel”) and Spain’s Paz Vega (“Sex and Lucía,” “The OA”).  

Sharon Stone and Shivani Pandya attend the Women In Cinema Gala during the Red Sea International Film Festival. (Getty Images)

The festival kicked off with a gala screening of Dubai-based Iraqi director Yasir Al-Yasiri’s “HWJN,” which is based on a YA novel by Saudi writer Ibraheem Abbas. Set in modern-day Jeddah, “HWJN” follows the story of a kind-hearted jinn — an invisible entity in Islamic tradition — as he discovers the truth about his royal lineage. 

Lebanese actress Njeim spoke to Arab News on the opening red carpet, saying: “The festival marks a turning point for every ambitious Saudi filmmaker, providing excellent support for young talents to showcase their work at international festivals.” 


‘Arab cinema needs support,’ says Cannes prize winner Asmae El-Moudir ahead of RSIFF debut

‘Arab cinema needs support,’ says Cannes prize winner Asmae El-Moudir ahead of RSIFF debut
Updated 02 December 2023
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‘Arab cinema needs support,’ says Cannes prize winner Asmae El-Moudir ahead of RSIFF debut

‘Arab cinema needs support,’ says Cannes prize winner Asmae El-Moudir ahead of RSIFF debut

TORONTO: The documentary that won Moroccan filmmaker Asmae El-Moudir a best director prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival will be screened at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah.

“The Mother of All Lies” took the honors in the Un Certain Regard section, as well as winning the prestigious L’oeil d’Or prize for best documentary. The film explores El-Moudir’s personal journey, unraveling the mysteries of her family’s history against the backdrop of the 1981 bread riots in Casablanca.

El-Moudir, a regular on the international film festival circuit, spoke to Arab News about both the film and her desire to see Arab cinema attract more support.

“I think every filmmaker in the world dreams of having their film premiere in a big festival like Cannes or Sundance or the Berlinale or Venice,” she said.

“It wasn’t easy for me as a filmmaker, producer and editor to bring this film to the international level but with the support from the Red Sea Festival, the Arab Documentary Photography Program and Doha Film Institute, people from the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, things became easier.”

The film poster for 'The Mother of All Lies.' (Supplied)

Morocco has chosen “The Mother of All Lies” as its submission for the best international feature film category in the 96th Academy Awards, which will take place in March next year. With the official nominations yet to be announced, El-Moudir said: “This means a lot for me and for my characters, because I’m talking about a sensitive subject.

“I was also afraid to make this a subject to talk about because I was protecting my family, and I had no idea how we can talk about the past freely without hurting anyone, without looking for guilty people or denouncing anyone.”

El-Moudir’s decade-long journey in making “The Mother of All Lies” has taught her a valuable lesson — the importance of time in crafting meaningful stories.

“There is no rush to make films, especially when we are talking about real facts,” she said. “We should wait for the project. I made this film in 10 years. I was super tired and exhausted, but I don’t regret anything. If I had made this film five years ago, maybe nobody would have watched it. It needed maturity and took time to talk about how we can make a national story an intimate one.”

Discussing what she hoped the audience in Jeddah would take away from her film, El-Moudir emphasized the need for support within the Arab filmmaking community.

“I’m sure the audience in Saudi Arabia will identify themselves in this story. We have the same aspirations, we have the same vocations. I would tell the audience please come and discuss the films. Whether it’s Moroccan or Saudi Arabian, or Tunisian or Egyptian, Arab cinema needs support, and we should support each other.

“I hope people from Saudi Arabia will understand a lot of time has passed working on this film, and maybe younger generations of filmmakers will be happy to see we need time to make films. And we should not be afraid if ideas are not here today. In five years, they will be, and we will be everywhere.”