Damascus Film Festival fails to woo the critics

Damascus: Amidst a crowd of Syrian and Arab celebrities, the 17th Damascus Film Festival commenced on Saturday but has left many spectators dissatisfied.

Not only did critics say the event was poorly organised, but many felt that local talent was overlooked in favour of international actors, and younger generation filmmakers were completely cast aside.

Culture Minister Riad Naasan Agha spoke at the opening ceremony, calling on Arab filmmakers to "get inspired by the long struggle and resistance of our brothers in Palestine," then dedicating the entire event to occupied Jerusalem, capital of Arab culture in 2009.

Aside from the political rhetoric, the opening night witnessed the granting of achievement awards to numerous stars such as directors Marwan Haddad and Najdat Esmail Anzour from Syria, along with the actors Khalid Taja and Amal Arafeh.

Among the international names also honoured at the opening ceremony were the Egyptian star Yousra, Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica, and Swiss actress Ursula Andress, Sean Connery's co-star in the 1960s James Bond classic Dr No.

Disregard

Among the complaints was that Serbian filmmaker Kusturica, was allowed into the Opera House, wearing cargo trousers and a black shirt, in complete disregard to the black tie dress code.

Also the Public Establishment of Cinema (PEC), which has been charged with all film production in Syria since the 1970s and makes no more than two to three low-budget films per year due to limited financial resources, had only two films showing this year.
 
Many people said that the money used for organising the event should have been channelled into the organisation to encourage local filmmaking.

"They still rely on grants from the Ministry of Finance and make zero per cent revenue from the films they produce. That needs to stop," film director Talal Derki told Gulf News.

Visibly absent were big names and pioneers of Syrian cinema like Duraid Lahham, Rafiq Sibayi, and Muna Wassif.

"Syrian filmmakers have boycotted the event to show how angry they are at being marginalised for so many decades. "It is very important to have an international film festival for Damascus but more important than one grand festival is to have one excellent Syrian film of international calibre which can mirror us as Syrian filmmakers," legendary Syrian director Nabeel Maleh told Gulf News.

"Cinema was at one point, the jewel in the crown of the cultural life in Syria. That is no longer the case because of the quality, art and content of films produced by PEC over the past 20 years. Successful films have been very few. I think it should be our duty to make good films and good art, more than to make a good festival," Maleh added.