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Dubai has the potential to be the hub of Arab cinema, says popular Syrian actress Sulaf Fawakherji, who was in Muscat as one of the Beijing Olympic torch-bearers for Samsung during the relay of the flame earlier this month.
"Dubai has no limits. The city can achieve what authorities there set out to do," Sulaf said during an exclusive interview with tabloid! through an interpreter.
Great mix
In her opinion, Dubai has a great mix of local and international communities that can be the basis of an Arab film industry, which has unfortunately not flourished elsewhere except in Egypt and some North African countries.
"Dubai already hosts a couple of film festivals and satellite television channels have done well out of Dubai Media City, so why not a film city to support Arab cinema?" argued the winner of the best actress award at the Cairo International Film Festival.
Saddened
But she is saddened by the fact that the tradition of a family going on a "cinema outing" together has become a thing of the past. "It was an exciting event for the family, especially the young ones, to go to a cinema and watch a movie on the big screen," she said. She regrets that this excitement has faded.
Arab cinema's fertile ground is limited to Egypt where it is thriving with the support of the government. Sulaf wants similar support for films being made in countries like Syria, Tunisia and Morocco.
"The private sector and some individuals take risks making films in these countries, thus they are on a limited scale, but talent is abundant in other Arab countries too."
Sulaf believes the media in the region could play a vital role in popularising Arab cinema.
Asked if she would be keen to act in Hollywood or Bollywood, Sulaf says modestly: "I won't wait for a call nor am I running after roles in Hollywood or Bollywood."
Television
However, she admitted that if a suitable role came her way places she would accept it.
Despite her desire to see a more vibrant Arab cinema, the charming Syrian actress does not hide her
preference for television, where she has acted in more than 50 series. "Look at television's reach," Sulaf says.
In her opinion, satellite transmission has expanded television's reach, making it accessible to millions who otherwise would never see it.
"Every Arab home can watch any television series they want without waiting for their local station to air it since satellite channels are beamed across the region."
She complained that the media in the Arab world was not giving enough publicity to television or the cinema, especially for international productions.
"Arab actors act in television serials produced in each other's countries, but they don't get due publicity," she said.
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