In collaboration with the International Emerging Film Talent Association (IEFTA) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) held a sold-out panel titled ‘Displacement: Cinematic Perspectives,’ on May 20th at the 77th Cannes Film Festival’s Plage des Palmes.
The panel discussion saw journalist Hadley Gamble engaging in a thought-provoking conversation with UNHCR goodwill ambassador and actress Cate Blanchet, filmmaker Daniela Repas, and photographer Barat Ali Batoor under the moderation of the sensational Arab host Raya Abirached to shed light on the power of cinema in portraying and addressing the challenges of displacement.
Commenting on the necessity of ensuring refugees are properly represented on our screens, Blanchet said, “People who are displaced have a voice, they have a story… Their stories are so incredible and inspiring. I’m always bewildered as to why more films don’t speak directly or obliquely to this,” adding that “the more we exclude these voices from our narratives, the more we’re othering them.”
The IEFTA also collaborated with the ACC on this year’s edition of the Arab Critics Awards after the conclusion of the panel.
Launched in 2017 by the ACC at the Cannes Film Festival, the Arab Critics Awards for Arab Films provides a platform for an unprecedented jury of more than 200 prominent international film critics to select and honor the best of recent Arab cinema across numerous awards categories.
Comments
Leave a Comment