Starting Dec. 9, a whole new venue for Arab independent short films will open up. Unlike the generic platform of YouTube, Arabshorts.net - hosted by Goethe Institute in Cairo - is a website dedicated specifically to films from the region. The launch will feature films picked by nine curators from nine regions in the Arab world under the direction of Marcel Schwierin. Of these, 61 will be broadcast online in their entirety, while two can be seen as excerpts, Schwierin told Daily News Egypt. Presenting selections from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the Gulf, all of the 63 films can also be downloaded for a fee. A curator with experience in creating film databases online, Schwierin recently created a virtual film program at the Werkleitz Festival in 2008. For Arabshorts.net, the project director found Arab curators through consultation with Goethe and other curators. They were then asked to pick around six to 10 films from their assigned region. "We gave curators a free hand, except the films had to be shorter than 60 minutes, Fabian Mühlthaler of the program division at Goethe said. The program was made possible through funds from Hewarna, a project from the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs that attempts to foster German-Arab cultural exchange. "All people understand pictures and stories, said Mühlthaler, adding "film is a very strong media. Films featured on the website will also be screened in a festival ongoing at the Goethe Institute from Dec. 10-12. While no specific requirement was put, films from different regions carry their particular flavor. Palestinian films were largely political, Mühlthaler said, while many Moroccan shorts dealt with migration. It is hoped that these films will be exposed to larger audiences through Transmediale and ArteEast, partners of the Arabshorts.net project. Goethe hopes to advertise the website and curators' picks at the Transmediale Festival in 2010. Yet, the larger hope is for the Arab region to have links and networks within themselves, and to fill a void in the region. "In Germany, we have art houses and cinemas around every street corner, said Mühlthaler, noting the lack of an equivalent in the Arab world. The Web Launch party on Dec. 9 represents another chance for filmmakers and curators to network. While Goethe hopes to screen these films in Lebanon, Fabian sees that it might be difficult to screen them in Syria or Iraq where internet is either too expensive or downloads are too slow. A second edition of the launch is also slated for the following year, featuring more films from more regions. Yet, "Arabshorts.net will always be a Goethe project, Mühlthaler said. For more information please visit www.arabshorts.net. The festival will kick off with screenings from Egypt at 1 p.m. at Goethe Institute 5, Bustan St. Tel: +202 25759877.
