CAIRO: Egyptian and Israeli filmmakers recently participated in a cultural exchange program sponsored by the U.S. State Department. The program brought together filmmakers, producers and journalists from around the world to interact with their American counterparts. The exchange program included tours of various locations in America and included a final stop at the Sundance Film Festival. The three-week program provided an opportunity for Arab filmmakers from Egypt, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority to learn about the American film industry first hand. The exchange program, arranged by Meridian International Center, is part of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program that annually brings approximately 4,500 participants from around the world to the United States. Participants visited sites in New York City, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles before making their way to the Sundance Film Festival, recently held in Park City, Utah. In a statement from the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural affairs, the program aimed to “provide insight into the American film industry, including its historical evolution, current trends, and the impacts of new technology. “ It was hoped that participants would, “gain a sense of the diversity and scope of American filmmaking — from Hollywood to independent and ethnic cinema organizations,†the statement continued. Participants would also, “explore the contributions of American culture and society in film, and the role of film as a vehicle for free and independent expression.†For the Arab filmmakers, the 21-day exchange would provide not only a chance to learn about American cinema, but also an even more rare opportunity. They would participate in the cultural exchange with their Israeli counterparts. Member states of the Arab League, such as Egypt, are prohibited from normalizing ties with Israel, who is seen as illegally occupying Arab lands in Palestine. Working side by side with Israelis is something that Arab filmmakers can only experience outside their home countries. A spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, Hossam Nassar, was not even aware of the participation of Egyptian filmmakers in this program. “They must have been selected in the absence of the Ministry of Culture’s knowledge,†he says. He implied that the ministry may not have been informed of this exchange program because the U.S. State Department is well aware of Egypt’s stance on normalization. While Egypt would like to embrace opportunities to work together with Israeli filmmakers in America, “unfortunately we cannot,†Nassar says. “This would be an act of cultural normalization according to the Arab League.†Nassar went on to point out that, in spite of this, Egypt has a very successful film industry and hosts exchanges with filmmakers from places like India, Brazil, Russia and the rest of Africa. The participants in the exchange program were scheduled to return to their home countries at the conclusion of the Sundance Film Festival, which ended on January 30. BM
