AFAC 2014 Annual Report AFAC is an independent Arab initiative generously supported by a number of foundations, corporations and individuals in and outside the Arab region. Yemeni Women with Fighting Spirits Women Yemeni Cover photo: Amira Al-Sharif, Cover photo: Amira Al-Sharif, Media partners 2 Individual Donors Abla Lahoud • Akram Zaatari • Ali Hassan Al Husseini • Amin el Maghraby • Amr Ben Halim • Anne-Dominique Janecek • Anthony and Sandra Tamer • Anthony Baladi • Carole N. Marshi • Chatila Fustok • Dania Nassief • Danya Alhamrani • Dina and Amine Jabali • Dina and Mohamad Zameli • Donald Zilkha • Fahd al-Rajaan • Fayez Takieddine • Fouad Al-Khadra • Gail and Malek Antabi • Gidon Kremer • Gregory Evans • Habib and Lara Kairouz • Hala Abukhadra • Hamza al-Kholi • Hanan Sayed and Steve Worell • Hani Kalouti • HRH Princess Adila bint Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud • Huda Kitmitto • Imane Farès • Issaac R Souede • Jamil El-Khazen • Jawdat Shawwa • Joslyn Barnes • Kathryn Sutherland • Khalil, Maria and Aeran Amiouni • Luma and Zade Zalatimo • Mariam Farag and Augusto Costa • Marwan Al-Sayeh • Mary Evangelista • Maya Abdulmajeed and Tarek Sakka • Maya al-Khalil • Nabil Qaddumi • Nada Saab • Nafez Jundi • Najat Rizk • Nayla Saba Karkour • Olfat Al-Mutlaq Juffali • Omar Karkour • Omar Kodmani • Omar Qattan • Patrick Knowles • Pierre Olivier Sarkozy • Paula Mueller and Philippe Salomon • Rana Sadik • Rania and Omar Ashur • Rashad Khourshid • Riad and Rafa Mourtada • Roberto Boghossian • Rula Alami • Salah Fustok • Sara Salem Mohammad Binladen • Sawsan and Ayman Asfari • Sawsan Jafar • Sherine Jafar • Suad al-Housseini • Suheil Sabbagh • Tafeeda and Ali Jarbawi • Talal and Nada Idriss • Taymour Grahne • Tayseer Barakat • Wafa Saab • Waleed Al Banawi • Waleed Ghafari • Walid Ramadan • William J. Tyne • Yousef Asad • Zina Jardaneh * AFAC is also grateful to a number of donors who prefer to remain undisclosed. 3 Table of Contents Introduction Message from the Chairman .......................................................................................... 6 Message from the Director ..............................................................................................7 Executive Summary ........................................................................................................ 8 Statistics Applicants ........................................................................................................................11 Grantees ......................................................................................................................... 15 Annual General Grants Program Grantees ......................................................................................................................... 18 Visual Arts ................................................................................................................. 19 Performing Arts..........................................................................................................21 Research/Training/Regional Events ......................................................................... 23 Music .......................................................................................................................... 25 Cinema ....................................................................................................................... 27 Project Descriptions ....................................................................................................... 29 Juror Bios........................................................................................................................ 39 New Jurors Database .................................................................................................... 44 Special Programs AFAC Novel Writing Program 2014 in collaboration with Muhtaraf Najwa Barakat .... 46 Arab Documentary Photography Program.................................................................. 50 AFAC Documentary Program with JustFilms .............................................................. 65 Crossroads ...................................................................................................................... 69 Special Projects AFAC “Why Culture?” Competition Series – April 2 – 10 ........................................... 72 AFAC Film Week – March 4 – 11 .................................................................................. 76 KSA Film Masterclasses – April 1 – 5 .......................................................................... 82 AFAC Public Art Commission – “InVisible” – November 29 to March 2015 ............. 84 Field Visits & Outreach Morocco – May 5 – 13 ....................................................................................................91 Mauritania – May 14 – 18 ............................................................................................ 94 Timeline .................................................................................................................. 97 Forums & Festivals Cannes Film Festival, France (May 18 – 22) .............................................................. 100 Fête de la Musique, Beirut (June 21) ......................................................................... 100 DEWAN Symposium for Performing Arts & Contemporary Dance, Wadi Ram, Jordan (Aug. 28 – 31) ...................................................................................................101 IRAB book-signing & music concert, Beirut, Lebanon (Oct. 11) ................................101 Abu Dhabi Film Festival, UAE (Oct. 23 – Nov. 1) ........................................................101 Visa for Music, Marrakesh, Morocco (Nov. 12 – 15) ....................................................101 Latin Arab International Film Festival, Argentina (Oct. 30 – Nov. 10) ......................101 IDFA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (Nov. 19 – 30).................................................. 102 4 Carthage Cinema Days, Tunisia (Nov. 29 – Dec. 6) ................................................... 102 Beirut & Beyond International Music Festival, Lebanon Dec. 4 – 7) ....................... 102 Dubai International Film Festival, UAE (Dec. 10 – 17) ............................................. 102 Advocacy & Philanthropy Activities Donors’ Meetings for Arts & Culture, Tunisia (February 10 – 12) ........................... 103 Publishing “Mapping Motivation for Cultural Philanthropy” Diagram (April 1) ..... 103 Attending Final Conference on Preparatory Action for Culture in EU External Relations, Brussels, Belgium (April 7 – 8) .................................................................. 103 AFAC Reception hosted by Rima Abushakra, Beirut, Lebanon (April 17) ............... 103 Holiday Inn Press Conference for ADPP, Beirut, Lebanon (June 7) ........................ 104 ABANA Panel on “The Current MENA Art Market”, New York (Sept. 23) .............. 104 Middle East Institute Panel on “The (Soft) Power of Arts in a Changing Middle East”, Washington DC (Sept. 26) ........................................................................................... 104 Global South Colloquium on Arts, Culture & Social Justice, Cape Town, South Africa (Sept. 29 – Oct. 3) ........................................................................................................ 104 Sharq Panel on “Syrian Culture in Times of Conflict: Art Patronage & Funding”, Beirut, Lebanon (Oct. 22) .............................................................................................105 Communication & Visibility ............................................................ 106 International Recognition & Awards won by AFAC Grantees ...........................................................................11 7 Fundraising .....................................................................................................124 Board of Trustees ...................................................................................130 AFAC Team ...........................................................................................................134 Financials ..........................................................................................................136 5 Message from the Chairman Dr. Ghassan Salamé, Chairman of the Board AFAC Dr. Empowering independent cultural production is crucial for creating a vibrant Arab society. As the region, and, indeed, the world at large, is increasingly marked by extremism, polarization and violence, it is by supporting individual self-expression with no strings attached that we engender critical thought, inclusive social engagement, appreciation of excellence and foster cross-cultural collaborations. These are the actions needed to promote a deeper understanding of the region’s complex realities and to rise above the reductionist portrayals found in mainstream media. Maintaining our independence as a regional, accessible and professionally run resource for artists of the Arab region is of utmost importance. Governments have long held a strong grip on cultural production, allowing it to flourish in the direction of national allegiance while neglecting innovative approaches to art and reprimanding critical artistic expressions. Creative production is also driven by consumerist marketing strategies of general mass-appeal. Art that is free of government control and market influence is rare in the Arab region. Yet this is the art that will shed light on issues left in the dark and that will revive