Research Articles
Untold Stories
Abstract
Since the mid 1990s the European Union (EU) and its member states, most prominently France and Germany, have encouraged cinematic co-productions between Europe and the Middle East. A large number of films were completed within various EU support and cooperation programmes, ranging from special interest documentaries to Oscar-nominated movies like Paradise Now (2005) or Ajami (2010). As Arab Middle Eastern countries do not have a cinemafunding system of their own, the film-makers depend on cooperation with Europe. While the European partners pride themselves on the success of supported films, the Middle Eastern side is increasingly denouncing a ‘new colonialism’. The displeasure derives from the assertion that the subjects of supported films are limited to Western stereotypes of the Middle East, as well as the fact that a core condition of nearly all financial support is the employment of European crews. Within this scope, how can stories be told, and which ones remain untold?
Published on
01 Oct 2010.
Peer Reviewed
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