Exceptional photographs of celebrated Arab filmmaker Youssef Chahine to go on display in Dubai media city

Chahine’s work is rooted in the rich traditions of popular Arabic culture

Exceptional working stills and shots of greatest Arab filmmaker Youssef Chahine will go on display at the Dubai Media City at an exhibition of rare photographs titled : ‘The Magic of Cinema’ in Dubai, documenting the world of cinema, from 11 to 16 December 2007. The event is being organized in association with the Fourth Dubai International Film Festival and is being presented by the French Embassy in the UAE and Alliance Française de Doubaï.

Youssef Chahine, director of some 40 films, is regarded as the most independent of Arab film-makers, producing what he thinks is important, even at his own expense, and raising issues that concern the masses.

“Youssef Chahine is a filmmaker of international eminence. He has created one of the most diverse and prestigious bodies of film work of any living Arab film director and the Magic of Cinema offers Dubai’s audiences with an opportunity to see him like never before,” said Mr Raphael Millet, the French Embassy’s Reional Audiovisual Attache.

Mr. Millet noted that Chahine’s work is on par with those of celebrated international directors such as Fellini, Bergman and Kurosawa and emphatically draws influence from its links with one of the most vibrant popular cinemas of the world and is rooted in the rich traditions of popular Arabic culture. In recognition of Mr. Chahine’s contributions to Arab and international cinema, the Fourth Dubai International Film Festival will present to him the “DIFF Lifetime Achievement Award.” “It was therefore very important and relevant that we had some pictures of Youssef Chahine in this exhibition”, says Mr Millet Magnum photographers have been involved in the documenting of world of cinema, working on film sets, photographing film directors, actors and actresses on and off the camera and documenting their lives. They have collectively covered the modern history of cinema.

81 photographic works in colour and black and white by over 40 of the world’s most famous photographers such as French photoraphers like Marc Riboud, Guy Le Querrec, Bruno Barbey, Martine Franck, Raymond Depardon, as well as other internationally renowned artists like René Burri, Philippe Halsman, Eve Arnold, Elliott Erwitt, Abbas, Robert Capa and Dennis Stock to name a few.

‘The Magic of Cinema’ is presented by the French Embassy in the UAE and l’Alliance Française de Doubaï in association with the Fourth Dubai International Film Festival with co-sponsors, BNP Paribas and Baume & Mercier and Official Prints Sponsor, HP. The exhibition will be open to the public from 11 to 16 December 2007 at Dubai Media City. Exhibition opening hours are from 12 to 10pm except Sunday, 16 December, when the exhibition will be open from 12 to 5pm. Admission to the exhibition is free.