Despite the deterioration in the quality of films and lack of governmental subsidies of the film industry in the majority of Arab countries since the ‘70s, there are still a handful of films that stand out, participate in and compete annually in international festivals. Most films in the Arab world attempt to meet popular demands, however, some go beyond in an attempt to articulate a critical look and context, and create a worthy cinematic accomplishment.

For example, after three years of hibernation, Tunisian cinema ruptured the scene with some great achievements. In the forefront is the film Making Off by the renowned director Nouri Bouzid, a work that aggressively bulldozes through, breaks many taboos and highlights the contradictions that Tunisian society currently inhabits, and is a continuation of the director’s thoughts since his early masterpiece, Man Of Ashes. In the latest film, Bouzid tackles Islamic fundamentalism and the way it reflects on Tunisian society, moreover, posits it in the larger international political context, particularly that of the travails of Iraq.

Jilani Saadi's Tender Is The Wolf.

Another important example from Tunisia is Jilani Saadi’s latest film, Tender Is The Wolf, which is in SIFF 2007. Tender Is The Wolf is Jilani’s second feature after Khorma (2002). Jilani returns to Tunisia, after 13 years in France. Tender Is The Wolf is deeper than its predecessor, and offers a more complex understanding and bleaker picture of the suffering of Tunisian youths, their blocked lives and unrequited ambitions. Finally, also in Tunisia this past year, there is Salma Baccar’s Khishkhach, and the interesting and special film of the young director Elyes Bacar - She And He.

Moroccan cinema, which now ranks second to Egypt in terms of the number of productions, offered only three interesting films this year: Faouzi Bensaidi’s What A Wonderful World, Hakim Belabbas Why O’ Sea, and Kamal Kamal’s Moroccan Symphony. Faouzi Bensaidi established his reputation with his important feature, Thousand Months (2002).

Egyptian cinema is the only one in the Arab world that has an industry in its own right for it produces annually more than 35 films in addition to a large number of short films and documentaries. The films are mostly commercial, and, more often than not, superficial, and what escapes this trend could be counted on the fingers of one hand. In my opinion, there was only Hala Khalil’s film, Cut And Paste. Another was Leisure Time, which broke the rule of seeking a star to ensure the success of the movie. Instead, it introduced a low budget production, with little known actors, that was balanced and well-conceived. From Egypt, we eagerly await the great Mohamed Khan’s latest film that is now is in its final stages of production.

In this year’s 20th Singapore International Film Festival, there are two important Lebanese films: a feature film by Ghassan Salhab and a documentary by Mai Masri. Salhab’s The Last Man belongs to the writer’s genre and is unlikely to have any commercial success and has caused deep divisions among the critics. However, in this film Salhab remains committed to his own cinematic conception and style.

Mai Masri's Beirut Diaries.

Mai Masri struggles undeterred alone, or in collaboration with her husband Jean Chamoun, to document the political and social realities of the Arab world, particularly those of Lebanon and Palestine. In her latest, Beirut Diaries, after focusing for sometime on Palestinian-related issues, she moves closer to the geography she inhabits, Beirut, and chronicles the upheavals that took place in Lebanon since February 14 after Prime Minster Hariri’s assassination. Lastly in Lebanon, there was Michel Kasmmoun’s first feature film, Falafel, which received great acclaim in his home country and won the director the prize for best film at the Namur Film Festival in Belgium.

Last year saw a geographical expansion in terms of cinema production in the Arab world. We witnessed two films from Saudi Arabia: Shadow Of Silence by Abdullah Al Muheisen and How Are You, whose leading actors are from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf and the rest of the Arab World, by Palestinian director Isidore Musallam who resides in Canada. Also, the first film by Khaled Alzdgaly from Oman, Al Bum, was produced as well as a film from the United Arab Emirates on the heels of the first feature to be produced from Yemen, A New Day In Old Sanaa, in 2005 which participated in the 19th Singapore International Film Festival.

Also of great interest is Hala Alabdalla’s I Am The One Who Brings Flowers To Her Grave, which is the first important feature-length documentary participating internationally after the success of Omar Amerelay’s films in the early ‘70s. Meanwhile. Iraqi cinema continues to struggle along magnificently with the award-winning Ahlaam (by Mohamed Al-Daradji) and the Iraqi-Kurdish film, Crossing The Dust (Shawkat Amin Korki). Due to the tragic situation in the country, the filmmakers are bringing you the drama live and direct from the streets.

Note: Titles in bold are shown in this year's Singapore International Film Festival. Intishal al Timimi is the co-curator of the programme, Secret Life Of Arabia (SIFF 2007). He is also the Festival Director of Arab Film Festival in Rotterdam. Born in Iraq in 1954, he received his Masters in Journalism from Moscow University. Besides being a journalist and Arab film expert, he is also an accomplished photographer who has held many exhibitions. He also curates Arab programmes for many film festivals.