Damascus hosts 1st Youth Cinema and Short Films Festival
DAMASCUS,(ST)-The 1st Youth Cinema and Short Films Festival has been opened at al-Assad House for Culture and Arts in Damascus.
The Festival, organised by the General Organization for Cinema, will screen 50 films produced within the project of supporting of the Youth Cinema in 2014.
The opening Ceremony, attended by Dr.lubana Mshaweh, minister of Culture and Mohammed Al-Ahmed, Director General of the General Organization for Cinema, presented a visual show that merged the movie screen and the stage.
Mshaweh said that the Syrian Cinema flourishes with our young generation.” She extended thanks to the General Organization of Cinema, which has embraced the young directors, “You are our hope, you’re not only hope of cinema and culture, but also the hope for Syria and humanity”.
Directed by Mahmoud Abdel Wahid, the ” Golden Cinema” film was screened on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishing the General Organization for Cinema. It included scenes from the most famous Syrian films and the most beautiful sketches of the opening ceremonies of Damascus Film Festival as well as a glimpse of the beginnings of Syrian cinema history, that started in 1928 by the film “The Accused Innocent”, and “Under Sky of Damascus “in 1932 by director Ismail Anzour.
During the festival, a number of movies were screened including:” Departure” directed by Hanan Sara, “One Day we meet” by Muhammad Ali,” Noise of Memory” by Kawther Maarawi,”Step of hope” by Firas Kalouseih.
“Vicious Circle”, by Ayham Suliman, and “Al-kabbar flower” by Qusai Al-assadi. The festival honored director Raymond Betrous, musician Samir Kweifati , actors Adib Qadurah ,Salma al-Masri and Hasan izz al-Din.
The festival will run till 21 June, with three performances a day at 12:30, 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm on the drama stage. The public are invited to attend the festival free of charge.
N.H.Khider