The Arab Cinema Center organized a ceremony to hand over the Arab Cinema Personality of the Year Award within the activities of the 74th session of the Berlin International Film Festival, which was presented this year to Muhannad Al-Bakri, Director General of the Royal Film Commission of Jordan, for his influential efforts in supporting Jordanian and Arab cinema through the various programs and events provided by the Royal Commission. Jordanian Films.
The celebration was attended by a number of filmmakers and partners of the Arab Cinema Center from the Arab world, including star Hussein Fahmy, head of the Cairo Film Festival, producer and screenwriter Mohamed Hefzy, producer and director Marianne Khoury, and producer Mohamed Kablawi, founder and president of the Malmö Arab Film Festival in Sweden.
Al-Bakri holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and archaeology, and has been involved in the creative industries for more than a decade in the Arab region. He worked at New York University Abu Dhabi (2015-2019) as Director of External Relations and Partnerships. Before that, Al-Bakri served as the Regional Managing Director of the Luminus Media Foundation in Jordan (Australian College of Media) from 2012 to 2015. Al-Bakri is not new to the Royal Film Commission, as he was Director of the Capacity Building Department for five years (2007 – 2012), where he contributed to the development of A number of local and regional training programs. Al-Bakri began his career as a manager developing dynamic programs that would promote the active role of youth in society and enhance their participation as part of the Hashemite Fund for Human Development projects.
Muhannad Al-Bakri played a major role in shaping the cinematic and entertainment scene in Jordan in recent years and establishing a comprehensive production system that includes various training and capacity-building programmes, production and support programmes, logistical facilities, tourism promotion and other activities undertaken by the Royal Commission.
In his acceptance speech, Al-Bakri said: “I feel very grateful to the Arab Cinema Center, and in particular to Alaa and Maher, for their appreciation and recognition of the work done by the Royal Film Commission, and for the success that the Jordanian film industry has achieved at the international level in the past few years. The support of organizations such as The Arab Cinema Center has an effective role in advancing the film industry in the region, and in communicating our voices and stories to the world.”
Al-Bakri added: “I am honored to receive this honor today. This award is not personal, but rather it is for the entire work and management team of the Royal Film Commission of Jordan. But allow me to dedicate this award today, in this very difficult period that our region is going through, to all filmmakers and artists.” “In Palestine, Gaza and the West Bank. More than ever, their voices must be heard. We can only hope for their safety, despite all the odds.” At the end of his speech, Al-Bakri called on the audience to observe a minute of silence in solidarity with Palestinian filmmakers.
The Cinema Personality of the Year Award comes within the Arab Cinema Center’s strategy to promote the Arab film industry at the international level, support Arab cinema, and encourage initiatives with a prominent role. In past years, the Arab Cinema Center presented the award to former Tunisian Minister of Culture Shiraz Al-Atiri, producer and author Mohamed Hefzy, former president of the Cairo International Film Festival, Abdel Hamid Gomaa, president of the Dubai International Film Festival, and Masoud Amrallah Al Ali, the artistic director of the festival.
The Arab Cinema Center is a non-profit organization registered in Berlin that was established 10 years ago with the aim of promoting Arab cinema. The Arab Cinema Center provides Arab filmmakers with a professional window to communicate with the film industry around the world, through a number of events that it holds and allows for the formation of business networks with representatives of companies and institutions. In the areas of co-production, external distribution and others, the activities of the Arab Cinema Center range from pavilions in the main markets, introduction sessions between Arab and foreign filmmakers, receptions, meetings with institutions, festivals and international companies, and issuing the Arab Cinema magazine to be distributed to festival market leaders. The Arab Cinema Center has made it possible to register through its website for the mailing service. Through this service, users are able to obtain digital copies of the Arab Cinema Magazine, news about the activities of the Arab Cinema Center, notifications of application deadlines for grant programs and festivals, offers from educational and training institutions, and updates about Arab films participating in festivals. , and shed light on updates on the activities of the Arab Cinema Center partners and their cinematic projects.
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