In the span of eight years — from 2010 to 2018, we have witnessed a remarkable rise in independent Arab films captivating global screens. These films achieved an upsurge in production, garnered wider distribution, and increased participation in international festivals. Filmmakers achieved this feat in alliance with cultural institutions, funding agencies, and production companies, aided by training programs and infrastructure development. And despite the daunting obstacles encountered by independent film production in the Arab region, such as financial scarcities, security risks, economic uncertainties, social tribulations, and the oppressive grip of censorship and authoritarian regimes, the numbers during this period held the promise of a flourishing independent film sector.

Unfortunately, this flair appears to be fleeting. Since 2021, it has come to our attention that the number of requests through our co-production platform, previously known as Beirut Cinema Platform and now Aflamuna Connection, has been declining. The figure has dwindled from a peak of 130 submissions in 2019 to only 73 in 2023. To acquire a more comprehensive understanding of this situation, we sought insights from our esteemed colleagues at AFAC, whose numbers corroborate the same disheartening trend: a reduction in the number of films seeking support in the domains of production and post-production from 196 to 142 films.

In Lebanon and Egypt, the countries with the most prolific film production in the Arab region, the post-production category has experienced a substantial decline, with a 41% drop in Lebanon and a staggering 70% slump in Egypt. It is crucial to highlight two pertinent points here. First, the number of films in the developmental stage, encompassing research and writing, has remained relatively high. That indicates that a considerable number of films are being denied the opportunity to transition from development to production, although a significant portion of films that complete the production stage encounter difficulties when embarking on the post-production phase. Second, the number of films currently gracing festivals —seven films at the Cannes Film Festival this year, does not accurately reflect the present production state. These films’ production phases began three to four years ago. That is how long it will take to perceive the substantial decline in films currently being produced.

After conducting extensive research and engaging in discussions with our colleagues in Amman, Cairo, and Beirut, our suspicions were confirmed. The decline pervades the entire film industry throughout the region. It has become evident that several adverse factors imperil the industry and its institutions, endangering the progress achieved over the years in nurturing the sector and its infrastructure. Some institutions face the imminent risk of shutting down by year’s end.

Among the primary factors currently jeopardizing the sector is a significant reduction in funding as the world grapples with economic crises and the war in Ukraine. Moreover, security risks, intensified censorship, freedom constraints, threats to the safety of filmmakers and industry stakeholders, and the absence of basic social protection for all workers in the industry, regardless of their profession, compound the challenges. Funding is constantly shifting toward guaranteed and swift profits and the purchase of assets.

All indicators suggest that the downward trajectory of independent film production in the Arab region will persist, yielding grave consequences, including the loss of institutions and companies that are vital to the sector’s infrastructure. Over time, this infrastructure would erode, and the industry will lose its skilled workforce as individuals gravitate toward other professions or are compelled to emigrate, seeking greener pastures in more productive markets. Should this phenomenon persist, the losses incurred will inevitably impede a possible swift renaissance.

At this critical juncture, stagnation is a luxury we cannot afford. What the sector needs is creative approaches based on the current reality and that build upon what the film sector has already accomplished in the region in the preceding years. We must deliberate earnestly on the available forms of support, expanding their scope from individual project assistance to strengthening existing infrastructure or introducing new initiatives that offer innovative solutions.

Only then can we begin to shape a future that genuinely embodies our aspirations.
A future we want, one that we deserve.