Latest news with #AbboutProductions
Broadcast Pro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Lebanon's Abbout Productions to receive Locarno's producing award
The production firm will also present two of its movies at Locarno, namely Costa Brava, Lebanon' and 'Memory Box'. Beirut-based production house Abbout Productions, led by Georges Schoucair and Myriam Sassine, will be honoured with the Raimondo Rezzonico Award at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on August 7, 2025. The award, presented by the Municipality of Minusio, recognises outstanding work by independent producers and celebrates Abbout's remarkable contribution to Arab and Lebanese cinema. During the ceremony, Abbout Productions will present two of its most acclaimed titles: Costa Brava, Lebanon by Mounia Akl and Memory Box by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige. These films exemplify the company's dedication to powerful storytelling and international visibility for regional voices. Since taking the helm of Abbout Productions in 2004 and 2010, respectively, Schoucair and Sassine have played an instrumental role in shaping Lebanon's independent film landscape. Under their leadership, the Beirut-based company has produced a roster of award-winning films that have screened at major international festivals including Venice, Berlin and Cannes. Their portfolio includes works by prominent regional directors such as Ahmad Ghossein, Mohamed Malas, Ghassan Salhab, Oualid Mouannes, Cyril Aris, Ely Dagher, Rana Eid and Myriam El Hajj, whose Diaries from Lebanon premiered in the Berlinale Panorama section in 2024. Beyond production, both Schoucair and Sassine have championed independent cinema through institutional and grassroots efforts. Schoucair was instrumental in the founding and relaunch of Beirut's Metropolis Cinema, a cornerstone venue for arthouse programming in the Middle East. Sassine co-founded the Maskoon Fantastic Film Festival, the only genre-focused film festival in the Arab world, and has been actively involved in regional co-production and training platforms like Aflamuna Connection, which she has managed since 2021. Their work has extended beyond national boundaries. Schoucair supported Jean-Luc Godard's Le Livre d'image and, through the international company Schortcut Films, he and Sassine have co-produced award-winning films by renowned auteurs such as Alain Gomis, Kaouther Ben Hania, Lucrecia Martel and Elia Suleiman. On August 8, Schoucair and Sassine will participate in a public discussion at Forum @Spazio Cinema, moderated by Swiss journalist Philippe Mottaz. The event, organised in collaboration with the ICT4Peace Foundation, reflects the Festival's broader commitment to global dialogue and socially engaged filmmaking. Giona A. Nazzaro, Artistic Director, said: 'The films Abbout have produced are a sign of a society that is vital, alive, and continues to look to the future with dogged confidence. Through their films, Georges and Myriam have been able to tell the story of a country able to come to terms with its history while simultaneously imagining a layered and multifaceted Lebanese identity. They have also launched a great many new talents in front of and behind the camera, helping to give Lebanon a new face, allowing it to meet its potential, and offering a complex portrait of the country that goes far beyond the trivialisations of the violence of war. They have worked tirelessly in the pursuit of a fertile and generous dialogue.' The Raimondo Rezzonico Award, offered by the Municipality of Minusio, was created in 2002 in memory of the man who was President of the Festival from 1981 to 1999. The 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival will take place from August 6-16, 2025.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Locarno Film Festival: Lebanon's Abbout Productions to Receive Producing Award
The independent Beirut-based production house Abbout Productions, led by Georges Schoucair and Myriam Sassine, will receive the Raimondo Rezzonico Award at the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival. The production firm will also present two of its movies at Locarno, namely Costa Brava, Lebanon by Mounia Akl, and Memory Box by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige. More from The Hollywood Reporter How Clear Angle Studios Is Harnessing the Power of Hollywood's Most Sought-After VFX Tech Israeli Missile Strike Hits Iranian State Broadcaster on Live TV Japan's Yuya Danzuka Mines Family Drama and Urban Design for Breakout Directorial Debut 'Brand New Landscape' 'In recent years, Georges Schoucair, who took over as CEO of Abbout Productions in 2004, and Myriam Sassine, who joined as lead producer in 2010, have shepherded an array of acclaimed Arab and Lebanese feature films into existence and onto the international distribution marketplace,' Locarno organizers said. 'A vital production and distribution hub for the region, Abbout Productions has sustained a network of Lebanese and Arab artists and filmmakers who, despite difficult and often catastrophic circumstances, fight to create independent cinema in the region.' The company's movies have also included works by such local filmmakers as Ahmad Ghossein, Mohamed Malas, Ghassan Salhab, Oualid Mouannes, Cyril Aris, Ely Dagher, Rana Eid and Myriam El Hajj. Schoucair and Sassine have also been standard-bearers for independent cinema beyond the work of Abbout. 'Schoucair played a pivotal role in opening (and then reopening) Beirut's Metropolis Cinema, a key industry and programming hub for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region,' Locarno highlighted. 'Sassine, in turn, co-founded Maskoon Fantastic Film Festival, the only genre film festival in the Arab region, and is actively engaged in film training initiatives and industry events. Since 2021, she has managed Aflamuna Connection, a Lebanese co-production platform for Arab filmmakers.' Concluded the fest: 'Additionally, Georges Schoucair provided support to none other than Jean-Luc Godard for Le Livre d'image (2018) and in collaboration with Myriam Sassine co-produced award-winning international films through the company Schortcut Films, supporting filmmakers such as Alain Gomis, Kaouther Ben Hania, Lucrecia Martel, Elia Suleiman and others.' Abbout Productions will be honored at Locarno on Thursday, Aug. 7. The following day, Schoucair and Sassine will take part in a public conversation at the fest, moderated by Swiss journalist and author Philippe Mottaz and organized in collaboration with ICT4Peace, a policy and action-oriented international foundation whose purpose is 'to save lives and protect human dignity through information and communication technology.' The collaboration is part of the fest's efforts to take part in global conversations and engage with social issues. 'The films Abbout have produced are a sign of a society that is vital, alive and continues to look to the future with dogged confidence,' said Locarno Film Festival artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro. 'Through their films, Georges and Myriam have been able to tell the story of a country able to come to terms with its history while simultaneously imagining a layered and multifaceted Lebanese identity. They have also launched a great many new talents in front of and behind the camera, helping to give Lebanon a new face, allowing it to meet its potential, and offering a complex portrait of the country that goes far beyond the trivializations of the violence of war. They have worked tirelessly in the pursuit of a fertile and generous dialogue.' The Raimondo Rezzonico Award was created in 2002 in memory of the man who was president of the Locarno festival from 1981 to 1999. The 2025 Locarno festival takes place Aug. 6–16. Jackie Chan will receive a lifetime honor at the fest, Lucy Liu will receive a career honor, and Emma Thompson will be honored with the Leopard Club Award. U.S. filmmaker Alexander Payne will receive Locarno's Honorary Leopard. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
Broadcast Pro
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Malmö Arab Film Festival to screen documentary ‘Diaries From Lebanon'
The docudrama, set in Lebanon, is a joint production between Lebanon, France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Myriam El Hajj's Lebanese feature-length documentary Diaries From Lebanon is set to be screened at the Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF) on May 2. El-Hajj's documentary delves into the lives of Georges, Joumana and Perla Joe, each representing a different generation with unique perspectives on reshaping Lebanon. However, as the country grapples with disruptions and personal quests unfold, they are confronted with the question — can our dreams survive in a world in turmoil? Diaries From Lebanon (in Arabic Mitl 'Osas el Hob, or Like Love Stories) is a joint production between Lebanon, France, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The film was written, directed, and co-filmed by Myriam El Hajj, with contributions from Jihad Saadé and Mohamed Siam. It was produced by Georges Schoucair of Abbout Productions (Lebanon) and Laurent Ruszniewski of GoGoGo Films (France). Anita Perez and Stéphanie Sicard handled the editing. MAD World, a subsidiary of MAD Solutions, is responsible for the film's global sales. The documentary features author and activist Joumana Haddad, Lebanese war veteran Georges Moufarej, and artist and activist Perla Joe Maalouli. Diaries From Lebanon received support from various organisations, including the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée (CNC), the Fonds Image de la Francophonie, Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, International Media Support (IMS), Visions Sud Est with the support of the SDC, and the Lebanese Film Fund-an Initiative of the Fondation Liban Cinema. Additionally, the film received funding from the Doha Film Institute, the Red Sea Fund and the Atlas Workshops of the Marrakech International Film Festival, and won the Mactari Mixing Auditorium Award and Titra Films Award at the Final Cut in Venice Workshop.
