THE DOCUMENTARY JOURNEY

Thu Sep 26, 2019
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM (90 min)

A Conversation with Mai Masri

MODERATED BY: TERESA CAVINA Thursday, September 26, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., TU Berlin (Audimax

One of the pillars of Palestinian and Arab cinema, award-winning director and producer Mai Masri has been known to produce powerful documentaries that focus on women and children in a humanistic and poetic approach, as well as documentaries revolving around Palestine and the Middle East at large. During this conversation, Masri will be sharing with us the experiences, adventures and challenges faced by Arab documentary filmmakers in the region. Famous for her own documentary style, and approaching each story differently, she will also touch upon how her personal life experiences affect her film creations, and how she believes in the power of documentaries in bringing real human stories to light. Masri’s vast portfolio includes Children of Fire (1990), Hanan Ashrawi: A Woman of Her Time (1995), Children of Shatila (1998), Frontiers of Dreams and Fears (2001), Beirut Diaries (2006), and 33 Days (2007). Her films were screened in over 100 countries, receiving international acclaim and over 90 awards, including a Trailblazer at the 13th edition of MIPDoc, Cannes; and the Luchino Visconti at David di Donatello Awards in 2004. She also had her foray in feature films with 3000 Nights (2015), which tackled the conditions of Palestinian women prisoners in Israeli jails. The film had its world premiere at the 40th Toronto International Film Festival, and received over 28 international awards. In addition to her directorial work, Masri founded Nour Productions with her late husband, filmmaker Jean Chamoun, in 1995, and together they wrote, directed and produced several films.