Programmes 2020

If, as François Truffaut used to say, the director is the person who is constantly being asked all the questions without, perhaps, having all the answers, it is the cinematographer without whom the director's dreams cannot come true. Indeed, through their work on the image, framing, lighting and the shooting plan, they attempt to understand the filmmaker's deepest desires in order to inject them into every detail of a scene, through creating atmosphere or mood. They are, in a word, inseparable from the director in constructing the film work.
How is such a partnership formed? On what basis is the choice of cinematographer made? How does this duo work together on the ground, and at what particular stages of the filmmaking?
In this conversation, Alain Gomis and Céline Bozon explore the relationship between the director and the cinematographer, and consider their collaboration on Félicité (2017), the Franco-Senegalese filmmaker's fourth feature-length film, which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Étalon d’Or de Yennenga at FESPACO.

Moderator:
Farah Clémentine Dramani-Issifou, programmer, curator, academic (France)

Any relationship that involves more than one producer involves a series of risks. Misunderstandings may occur for a variety of reasons, and these are often of a financial, legal and/or contractual nature. Co-production is often perceived primarily as a financial lever – one that will increase a film’s budget and international potential. Is this narrow focus on the economic aspect a major source of tension among the different parties?
How can we make co-production a more fluid, positive experience? During development, can we conceive of it as more than merely a financial opportunity? What does this adventure imply in terms of real-world action? How might producers from the African continent and the Arab world position themselves to strike the right balance with international partners?

Speakers:
Jennifer Sabbah-Immagine, producer (France)
Karim Aitouna, producer (Morocco / France)
Michel K.Zongo, producer (Burkina Faso)

Moderator:
Thibaut Bracq, head of the Atlas Workshops

For filmmakers from the world over, the past 10 months have been particularly daunting. For Arab filmmakers, it was just another day at work. In a region defined by constant upheavals erupting at a pace difficult to keep up with, it’s inevitable that the seed of desire planted at the initiation of every project is destined to wilt.
Few Arab films undergo a concise period of time from page to screen. From lengthy script development durations involving the habitual and obligatory labs, to endless pitching to financers and funds and the equally protracted phase of post-production, an average project may take years before it’s realized.
With more political turmoil rocking different parts of the Arab world, along with the sweeping force of the global pandemic, how can filmmakers sustain the relevancy and urgency of his film? How far can the passage of time change the course of a given project? And most importantly, how can artists sustain this burning desire all along the way?

Speakers:
Tala Hadid, filmmaker and photographer (Morocco)
Joana Hadjithomas, filmmaker and artist (Lebanon)
Hala Lotfy, filmmaker and producer (Egypt)

Moderator:
Joseph Fahim, film critic and programmer (Egypt)