FCP 2017 - Promoting Palestinian cinema, connecting the artists and the audience

Full house screenings, engaging Q&A's, passionated guest speakers, as well as an interested and involved audience : FCP 2017 was once again an amazing venue for promoting the creativity and energy of the Palestinian cinema.

Raed Andoni, at the opening evening of FCP 2017, surrounded by his cast, during the standing ovation following the screening of his award winning documentary : Ghost Hunting (2017)

Mohammad Bakri, actor, comedian and director and Mohammad Khattab, actor of Ghost Hunting and choreographer : the multi-talented Palestinian art scene meeting in Paris.

Mohammad Bakri, during a master class devoted to his career, telling - with great theatrics and to the greatest delight of the audience- the story of how he fell in love with acting as a kid.

Mohammad Bakri, Palestinian of 48 comedian actor, director, was the guest of honor of FCP 2017.

Reem Shilleh and Kais Al Zubaidi interacting with a very interested audience during a panel around Reem's movie : Perpetual Recurrences (2016).

Reem Shilleh, director and curator, discussing the evolution of the cinematographic representations during the last 4 decades of cinema in and about Palestine.

Reem's work gave the audience the opportunity to engage with her and Kais Al Zubaidi about interesting issues surrounding these evolutions of the cinematographic portrayal of the Palestinian cause.

FCP 2017 was once again a plateform for deep and interesting Q&A's around the Palestinian issue. Alain Gresh, journalist, joined Mohammad Bakri on stage after the screening of Jenin Jenin (2002).

Palestinian director Baha' Abu Shanab and Iraqi director Kais Al Zubaidi, two generations of arab filmmakers meeting in Paris.

Kais Al Zubaidi is a major and unmissable director. He presented and discussed his movie, Palestine a People's Record (1984), a masterpiece of Palestinian cinema.

Baha' Abu Shanab is the first director to be win the Jury Award for the Short Movies Competition, with "The Living of the Pigeons" (2015)

Palestine 48 meets the Occupied Golan in Paris : directors Mohammad Bakri and Salim Abu Jabal, in the middle of a discussion.

One of the main missions of FCP is to offer a plateform to the many different artistic voices and perspectives of the Palestinian cinema.

Alaa Ashkar and Ballast journalist Mélanie Simon-Franza during the Q&A following the screening of Alaa's documentary "On Récolte ce que l'on sème" (2017).

Through this personal movie built around his family, Alaa discusses a theme not often showcased : one of the many facets of the quest for identity and belonging of Palestinians of 48.

Fadi Idriss, winner of the Public Award for his short movie "Six Fingers" (2016) being congratulated by Mohammad Bakri, guest of honor of the FCP 2017 and member of the Short Movies Competition's jury.

 Baha' Abu Shanab, after receiving the Jury Award, surrounded by Palestinian director and producer May Odeh, French actress Garance Clavel as well as French producer Emilie Dudognon.

One of FCP's ambition, since its inception, is to unite Palestinian artists and assist them in creating links within the French and international cinematographic industry.

Kassem Hawal, during the last Q&A of FCP 2017. His movie, Return to Haifa (1982, based on Ghassan Kanafani's novel) was the closing screening of the Festival.

Kassem Hawal, Iraqi director, alongside Kais Al Zubaidi, is at the heart of the history of the Palestinian cinema. They are an integral part of the heritage of that diverse cinema. One of the goals of FCP is to help to preserve and promote that invaluable heritage.