IEFTA Lead Sponsor at Emerging Lebanese Producers Workshop in Beirut

01 Aug IEFTA Lead Sponsor at Emerging Lebanese Producers Workshop in Beirut

Posted at 14:55h in Announcements, CEEFILM Beirut by

IEFTA recently sponsored and supported a 3 day workshop for Emerging Lebanese Producers in Beirut, run and organised by CeeFilm Beirut. Fourteen filmmakers of varying levels participated in the 3 day workshop and took part in interactive exercises and insightful discussions which created a positive and productive learning environment.

Held on 3rd – 6th July 2023, the fourteen filmmakers learnt about the international film industry and best positioning strategies for it and script writing, in terms of strengthening the theme that works best as a selling point along with marketing topics, such as how to solve problems before and after a film is released. They also learnt about distribution and how to negotiate a deal with a sales agent, at what point in the filmmaking process, and when to go right away to the distributor. Plus they were taught about festival cycle planning session, and were advised about crucial timing for release and strategizing the film’s life cycle.

There were 2 guest speakers and mentors during the industry workshop.

Day 1

(Joanna Solecka)

Joanna Solecka is a film marketing and audience design strategist, creative producer for shorts and documentaries, and a lecturer at international workshops for filmmakers. She is the Head of Alphapanda’s Polish branch, specializing in the Eastern European market. Joanna has managed Oscar campaigns for two documentary films and organized events promoting Polish cinema at major European film festivals. She is also a member of the first Advisory Board of the Documentary Association of Europe.

Joanna covered digital PR, audience design and crowd funding for independent producers.

Day 2

(Hania Mroueh)

Hania Mroué is the Founder and Director of Metropolis Art Cinema, Lebanon’s first art-house cinema, opened in 2006. She also founded MC Distribution, supporting Arab independent films, and is a founding member of Beirut DC, promoting independent Arab cinema. Hania manages Ayam Beirut al Cinema’iya, a bi-annual Arab Film Festival, and serves as Chief Arab Programmer for DFI.

Hania covered Distribution & programming through exploring Distribution Models for Three Real Film Examples of Different Genres and Budgets & an Introduction to Programming.

About CeeFilm Beirut

CeeFilm Beirut, founded by filmmaker and IEFTA Alumni Ruba Atiyeh, aims to produce films with an authentic cinematic expression and believes cinema to be the uninhibited storytelling of real people dug deep within unique visionaries.

They believe counter-culture to be a shifting position challenging enforced narratives, and CeeFilm Beirut focuses on producing films that bring suppressed narratives to light.

The company collaborates with emerging filmmakers and creators from the MENA region. These creators are yearning to tell their own stories. The team at CeeFilm Beirut works closely together, designing the production process in cooperative and community-based modules.

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