The opening ceremony of the second edition of the Master International Film Festival (MIFF), took place on Saturday at the Yasmine Hammamet medina.
A tribute was paid to the great actor Fethi Haddaoui and the Egyptian actress Dora Zarrouk.
This new meeting of Arab and international cinema that will run until 13 was inaugurated in this seaside resort, in the presence of Minister of Culture, Hayet Ketat Guermazi, founding president of the MIFF, filmmaker Mokhtar Ladjimi, and director general of the "La Paix" group and co-organiser of the festival, Ali Miaoui.
The Minister said the innovative vision of this edition of the MIFF confirms the success of the first edition and also brings this artistic dynamism to Tunisia, as it is celebrating the centenary of national cinema this year, according to a Culture Ministry statement.
This celebration is the culmination of a long journey of professionals of the 7th art for a cinema that reflects their respective conception and vision of the world, added the Minister.
She also said that her ministry is committed to supporting the MIFF in line with its general orientations for the promotion of quality cinema and the image of the country as a privileged destination for filmmakers from around the world.
MIFF 2023 opened in the colours of India with the screening of LAST FILM SHOW directed by Pan Nalin.
The Official Selection and International Competition features 12 films, 12 shorts and 6 documentaries. The screenings will take place in the 4 cinemas of the Medina Yasmine Hammamet.
The Fiction Jury is made up of 7 members and is chaired by Chilean composer Jorge Arriagada, a specialist in film music; the Short Film Jury and the Documentary Jury are each made up of 5 members.
This film gathering brings together more than twenty nationalities, with many new features in the different sections. A new competition, "Mobile Film", is dedicated to the creation of one-minute sequences using mobile phones, with 90 films taking part.
The MIFF is open to various forms of expression, including panels on film music, digitalisation or "Shooting in Tunisia", which deals with the conditions and dangers of filming in Tunisia.
A prize will be awarded by the International Council for Film, Television and Audiovisual Communication of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO): the "Gandhi Medal" for the most powerful film dealing with just human causes.
There will also be master classes, a Latino focus on Latin American cinema and a panorama of documentaries.
In terms of attractions, film lovers will be able to enjoy a "Ciné Beach" with projections on the Yasmine Hammamet beach, opposite the medina.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse