This year during the Cannes Marché, on the sidelines of the festival rush with its long queues and heady mix of early coffee and late champagne, The Film Verdict will launch its new division Al-Takdir.
Conceived as a bilingual industry publication in Arabic and English, its editorial focus will be on film, TV, arts, talent, entertainment and lifestyle in the Middle East. With a finger on the pulse of the film and entertainment industry, our team of seasoned journalists and critics will keep you informed, entertained, and inspired.
Al-Takdir (one way of saying ‘The Verdict’ in Arabic) is a long-cherished project of TFV’s founders, who have been anxious to tap into the ever-more vibrant Arab film and TV market with an independent industry publication that can stimulate the entertainment sector from the inside. At the same time it had to be relevant to business people, talent and film fans, both locally and internationally.
To this end, Al-Takdir features top regional writers working alongside TFV’s global network of distinguished critics and reporters, to provide fresh perspectives and exciting up-to-the-minute content. From the bustling streets of Cairo to the stirring landscapes of Morocco, from an industry conference in Riyadh to a masterclass on Kurdish cinema in Iraq, from a film market in Amman to a world premiere in Turkey, our coverage will span the entire MENA region. We will focus on film, television, newsmakers and lifestyles as we celebrate the extraordinary talents and captivating narratives from the Middle East. Our aim is simple: to bring the diversity of Middle Eastern culture to a wider international audience, while encouraging players from the regional entertainment industry — which up to now has been only sparsely covered in bits and pieces — to take a broader, international view.
Beginning at the Cannes Film Festival, Al-Takdir will carry serious and totally independent reviews of films from the region along with key foreign titles, including forecasts about sales and distribution potential. It will address businesses and film commissions, festival programmers and production executives. Our content will also reach out to the wider audience of film lovers, students and enthusiasts with in-depth interviews, podcasts and videos exploring the ideas of the directors, actors, producers, and film professionals who are now shaping the storytelling landscape of the Middle East.
But that’s not all! Our commitment to delivering premium content extends beyond film with exclusive features exploring the intersection of entertainment and culture, so look for analysis on the resurgence of Arab indie films and the influence of streaming platforms on regional storytelling. And since we will be in the European capital of luxury, Al-Takdir will step onto the red carpets of the glitzy Middle East entertainment scene for exclusive interviews with fashion designers and reviews of hotels, restaurants, and nightspots.
Last but certainly not least, our platform aims to become a dynamic meeting point where industry minds from the U.S., Europe and the West can converge with their counterparts from the Middle East. As bridges are built between different landscapes, opportunities will arise for collaboration, co-funding and working with the rising local film scenes of youthful enthusiasts in the Middle East. By spurring dialogue and supporting emerging talents, Al-Takdir hopes to catalyze a new era of creativity and innovation in the region’s entertainment industry. Brace yourselves for a cinematic journey like no other, as we unveil our bilingual portal in Arabic and English that will be your ultimate guide to all things film, TV, and entertainment in the region.
