Strategic Sectors: Cultural Dialogue Arab Cinema in Europe: The Gains, Panorama Losses and Challenges ahead Cultural Dialogue Joseph Fahim The success of “Papicha” – a garish, high-pitched Film critic and programmer, Cairo melodrama about a college student attempting to or- ganize a fashion show at the peak of the Algerian Civil War – was another confirmation of Arab Cine- The big Arab success story of 2019 was the colossal ma’s growing popularity in Europe; an indicator that Strategic Sectors: box-office success of Lebanese Nadine Labaki’s Os- with proper marketing and good reviews, an Arab car-nominated third feature, “Capernaum,” which picture could penetrate the stern barrier of the mains- raked in $64 million worldwide, $50 million of which tream. Conversely, the success of “Papicha” also re- were grossed in China alone. The unprecedented veals the challenges facing Arab cinema in increasing triumph of Labaki’s refugee drama – the most com- its presence in Europe. mercially successful Arab film of all time – was re- Over the past two decades, the most commercially garded as a watershed moment for Arab movies:1 a successful Arab films in Europe closely adhered to sign of the expanding reach of a cinema that has specific formulas: stories of terrorism (“Paradise Now,” often been lumped in the niche art-house market. 2005), poverty (“Cappernaum”; “Ali Zaoua,” 2000), The more fascinating and telling Arab success story female oppression (“Papicha”; “Wadjda,” 2012; “Cairo 1 from last year was the equally remarkable commercial 678,” 2010). In other words, films that ratify Western success of French/Algerian Mounia Meddour’s debut viewers’ perceptions and prejudices of the Arab world feature, “Papicha,” at the French box-office. Raking rather than defy them. And herein lies the presiding in 1.6 million euros from about 250,000 sold tickets, obstacle confronting Arab Cinema: for an Arab film the Cannes nominee accomplished the unexpected to reach a wider audience, or so distributors and feat of becoming the most successful African picture sales agents believe, it must stick to these static sub- directed by a woman at the French box office.2 jects or risk banishment to the purgatory of festivals Long established worldwide, Labaki’s success was and art-house cinemas. not entirely surprising, given the caliber of the heavy Arab cinema has witnessed a major leap over the backers behind her (Sony Pictures in North America; past 20 years on all levels: artful aesthetics, elevated Wild Bunch, the leading European film distributor, in production values, and sophisticated narratives. The Europe) and her previous stellar box-office record increase of regional funds and European co-production with “Caramel” (2007), and its follow-up, “Where Do with Arab filmmakers went in tandem with festivals 0 We Go Now?” (2011). “Papicha” was an altogether expanding their geographical representation. In major 202 different proposition, however: the first film of a de- festivals, such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin and Toronto, Med. butant Arab director with little cachet, and backed it has become habitual for Arab films to figure in their by a distributor (Jour2Fête) that is second in the ran- selections, and distribution of films from different king to the French majors (Wild Bunch, Le Pacte, parts of the Arab world is no longer a one-off, as it MK2, Pyramide). used to be in the last century. 1 RITMAN, Alex. “What the $50 Million Success of ‘Capernaum’ in China Means for Arab Cinema.” www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/what-china- Mediterranean Yearbook box-office-success-capernaum-means-arab-cinema-1218378. 2 KESLASSY, Elsa. “‘Papicha’ Becomes Most Successful Female-Directed African Film Ever in France.” https://variety.com/2019/film/news/papi- Med. cha-becomes-most-successful-female-directed-african-film-ever-in-france-1203416926/ IE For an Arab film to garner distribution deals in Europe, English films radically shrinking in the past few years, a participation in one of the aforementioned major with only “Capernaum” managing to make a little Panorama festivals is almost mandatory. Not all festivals, however, splash at the box-office ($183,773 in comparison to take chances on selecting Arab films that stray from the $2,881,734 generated in France, the $1,210,101 the usual themes of poverty, migration, terrorism, taken in Italy; and the $1,103,683 grossed in Ger- wars/revolutions and subjection of women. Arab films many). with different topics and of different genres that Art-house cinemas, where Arab films are usually slot- deviate from the still dominant social realism, continue ted, are struggling to attract a wider audience the to struggle for international attention, leaving the ge- world over. It’s no wonder then that Arab films have neral European viewers with a very limited pool of also struggled to compete with Hollywood and the Cultural Dialogue pictures from the region. local comedies, which continue to dominate the pro- Beyond festivals, even more limited in capacity are gramming of most cinemas in Europe. As a reaction the European territories exhibiting Arab movies in towards the increasing streamlining of mainstream theatres. France remains the Mecca for global inde- cinema across the region, film festivals of different pendent films, and by default Arab movies; the one shapes and sizes have sprung up all across the con- Strategic Sectors: Strategic Sectors: international market where a high-profiled or buzzed- tinent. Today, festivals are no longer exclusive high- about Arab film can generate substantial revenues brow cultural events strictly catering for film buffs: theatrically. Germany comes in as a distant second, festivals have evolved into alternative exhibition spaces thanks to the abundance of cinemas showing films for art-house cinema with a wider reach and diverse in their original language in different parts of the latitudes of programming. And this is where most country. Arab festivals have gained visibility. Spain and Italy have been more elusive markets to crack. Foreign films are usually dubbed in both coun- Festivals have evolved into tries, a costly process when you consider most Arab alternative exhibition spaces for art- 2 films have little commercial potential. There were a few exceptions to the rule, most prominently in Pa- house cinema with a wider reach lestinian Annemarie Jacir’s “Wajib” (2017) – a fa- and diverse latitudes of ther-son relationship exploring the stark and morally programming. And this is where grey reality of present-day Palestine. Jacir’s third fe- most Arab festivals have gained ature, which premiered at the competition of the Lo- visibility carno Film Fest of the same year, grossed $191,398 in Italy and $104,370 in Spain – sizeable figures for Arab films showing theatrically. A well-received small or medium-budget Arab film An even bigger box-office success was Ziad Doueiri’s can have a lengthy festival life across Europe, making 2017 Oscar nominee, “The Insult,” a controversial the rounds in marquee fairs in its few months of pre- courtroom drama centreing on a spat between a miere, before expanding to smaller festivals with dif- Christian Lebanese mechanic and a Palestinian Muslim ferent focuses in subsequent months. The audience refugee. Doueiri’s Venice Film Fest winner grossed figures for multiple festival screenings across Europe 2020 $849,360 in Italy and $135,133 in Spain. can equal, and even exceed, the number of admissions Med. The rest of Europe remains virtually blind to Arab ci- for a limited theatrical release. And that’s not counting nema. Norway is emerging as a potential new market various other avenues, such as educational institutions, for Arab filmmakers. “Capernaum” raked in $197,205 art spaces and museums. in the emerging Scandinavian market – a record for The proliferation of Arab festivals all over Europe has an Arab film. The impact of Arab cinema on the rest also boosted the presence of Arab films on the con- of Europe, by comparison, is negligible. Despite its tinent. The list is long: Alfilm in Berlin; Malmo in Swe- Oscar and Cannes buzz, “Capernaum” only managed den; Arab Film Festival in Zurich; Arab Film Days in Mediterranean Yearbook Mediterranean Yearbook to score $7,578 in Bulgaria, $5,002 in Czech, $25,281 Oslo; Arab film Fest in Rotterdam; Amal Euroarab in Lithuania and $15,971 in Romania. The UK, me- Film Festival in Spain. Eastern and Central Europe Med. IE anwhile, has seen its congested market for non- remains a virgin territory for Arab cinema, chiefly due to the heterogeneousness of their societal makeup the sole purpose of increasing content. and their negligible Arab immigration. The recent suc- The lack of diversity is another major issue. The festival cess of the post-war Lebanese cinema and Youssef films most streamers acquire do not deviate from the Panorama Chahine retrospectives at Karlovy Vary – Eastern and habitual aforementioned subjects. Genre films and Central Europe’s leading film festival – proves, ho- non-political dramas are rarely shown to international wever, that there is an audience beyond the typically- viewers, limiting the breadth and scope of what Eu- targeted Arab communities in this region. ropean audiences deem Arab cinema to be. Few cu- A considerable part of revenues for most Arab films rators venture outside the festival circuits and into doesn’t come from theatrical release, but rather from local markets, seldom taking chances with their pro- the sales deals finalized before the actual release. gramming and consequently offering different visions Cultural Dialogue The larger part of the proceeds, however, are gene- of the Arab experience. rated from TV and streaming sales inside the Arab world. In previous years, European TV sales meant The rise of streaming services and little for both the visibility and generated income of decline of the theatrical experience Arab films, which were mostly placed in specialty could provide the next chapter in Strategic Sectors: programming on the likes of the French/German net- the evolution of Arab cinema work, Arte.