Investing in the future of Arab cinema

Ash — a short film about the sexual exploitation of children in Beirut told from the perspective of one boy — is hitting the screens of international festivals from Montreal’s World Film Festival to Germany’s International Film Week in Regensburg. The film’s success is a considerable achievement given that the screenwriter and director, Yasmina Hatem, is a rookie. It’s an opportunity that she says wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Cinephilia, a New York based independent production house. Led by Beirut born 29-year-old Darine Hotait, Cinephilia came to Beirut for the fourth time this month, to host another six day screenwriting laboratory. Hotait established Cinephilia in 2009 after completing her Masters in Fine Arts from California’s Art Center College of Design. The production house focuses on projects from the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia with four short movies produced so far. The strategy is to pursue original