The Arab School of Cinema - Nazareth

The Arab school of Cinema in Nazareth was recently opened.  The initiative for this school was taken by the palestinian filmmaker Intellectuals and Artists, and done with the participation of lecturers who are professionals in cinema and also are qualified to teach cinema.

Major subjects taught

- Directing Drama/ scenario Writing

- Cinematography/ Montage

 Curriculum  

The curriculum is taught at a highly academic, professional level. It is equivalent to curriculums in institutes and universities nationally and internationally. It is distinguishable from other universities in that it focuses on Arab cinema (Northern Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf), and in that it teaches cinema courses and media courses unique to our institute.

In addition, there are special workshops in the art of video, experimental cinema, and art improvisation as well as contributions by various local & international filmmakers who will be invited to come to the school.

Study Period

Studying the major will take 3 years, at the end of which the student will receive  a special graduation certificate, qualifying him as a professional and specialist in cinema.  He can continue his studies from there towards a B.A or B.E.D with the Open University.

Conditions of admission

-          English at three units in an intermediate level.

-          A graduation certificate from high school with a satisfactory average grade.

-          An examination which the student has to pass held by the school's committee.

The cost

$2500 per year (includes all  theoretical courses and major disciplines.)

* Every student can present a portfolio in which he portrays his capacities and talents which can facilitate admission.

**There is the possibility of external registration for special courses, theoretical and practical, for one semester (about 30 hours).

The school’s vision and rational

The objective of the Arab School of Cinema is to build an independent creative and open minded foundation operating from heart of  society and aiming for a focus on productions based on culture and civilization,  the closer to the truth,   and concerned with the self criticism  as well as the outside critic,  expressing the true way we see our society free of  misconceptions of oriental culture. The aim being to fill the gap which exists for cultural and creative development in both the domains of the individual and of society.

Every student chooses one lecturer or more after creating a common language between them as well as a close relationship which helps the student to express himself easily and openly without any personal barriers.

Future plans of the school of cinema

1.      Creating a fund support to improve cinema projects.

2.      Opening a school for acting and theater.

3.      An annual honorary event for famous national and international personalities in the field of theater and cinema   .

4.      Co-operation between   different poles of the Palestinian society in order to enforce a sense of  belongingness.

5.  Creating a personal dictionary exclusive to our school concerning

the field of cinema, and the use of the language as an instrument to

find expressions for cinema and culture in order to improve the use          of the language for the individual.

6.      Creating a video library containing more than 1000 films from all over the world.

7.      Creating a library for the arts of cinema as a part of the current library of the Higher Institute of Art that   already has more than 25,000 books and encyclopedias.

8.      Translations of cinema’s books and articles about critics, analyses, and general information from all over the world and penetrating cinema culture   in  less developed countries.

Board and Lecturers 2005 to 2007

-         Eyal Sivan- director and writer/ France-Jerusalem

-         Lecturer at the University of Sbir. He directed some documentary films. His last film called “road 181” was made in collaboration with Michel Khalife.

-         Dr. Eudi Adiv- Political Psychology / Haifa

-         Lecturer of sociology and politics at the Open University and at the University of Leeds.

-         Anan Barakat- Writing Scenario and Directing/Nazareth

-         Teacher of the directing and writing scenario disciplines in several schools - a researcher in the current going-ons in contemporary cinema, including the evolution of British comedy , French cinema and Iranian cinema.

-         Hani Abu Assad- Cinema producing / Holland

-         He directed several documentary films and Drama and produced a few works for cinema. His last film “Paradise now” won a price in the national festival of Berlin.

-         Khalil Sbeit- Psychologist/ Haifa

-         Psychologist and lecturer  at the college of Oranim and in other institutes.

-         Ehab Abu El Assal-cinemagraphist/ Nazareth

-         Cinemagraphist in several films and a co-cinemagraphist in more than 30 long films. He also worked with a few international cinemagraphists like Zigmond Vilmosh.

-         Rafat Zreik- photograph (art and press)/ Nazareth

-         Photographer in press and studios. He works as an individual critic.

-         Mai Massri-director and producer

-         One of the important directors in the Palestinian and Arab cinema in general. She directed lots of important Palestinian films (Under the ruins, The Kandool flower, and The children of the fire mountain).

-         Shady Srour- director and actor

-         He directed two short films and a long one (The sense of need). He acted in several theater plays and studied in some important workshops for theater and acting.

-         Michel sajrawy -  musician and composer

-         Specialist in the Oriental and Occidental music. He studied composing. He teaches in several institutes for music and gives special courses for playing a musical instrument.

The Arab School of Cinema In Nazareth

The curriculum of cinema study is a three course

 taught at an academic level

Obligatory disciplines- these are supposed to be studied during the time frame mentioned above. They are studied in fewer hours than the professional and practical subjects in order to expand the student’s horizons and to improve his intellectual, analytic and critical abilities.

 Optional disciplines of professional major studies-   student have a choice in these subjects according to what favors his personal capacities and experience during the first phases of his studies.

The first year

*The choice of the preferred discipline can be terminated during the second half of the first year ( in the first trimester  students study all  disciplines).

The discipline

The year

hours

points

The lecturer

  History of cinema

Obligatory

2

3

Photography

Obligatory

1

2

  History of philosophy and its currents

Obligatory

1

2

  History of art   and contemporary art

Obligatory

1

2

The psychological analysis of character  in cinema & scenario (1)

Obligatory

2

3

Political sociology in media and cinema

Obligatory

2

2

Documentary cinema (1)

Major

2

3

Montage (1)

Major

2

3

Cinematography (1)

Major

2

3

Writing scenarios (1)

Major

2

3

Producing (1)

Major

2

3

Directing and acting (1)

Major

2

3

Musical composition for films (1)

Major

2

3

The second year

International directors

Obligatory

3

2

 Logic (2)

Obligatory

2

1

Psychological analysis (2)

Obligatory

3

2

 Religion in  cinema

Semester/Obligatory

3

2

 Israeli cinema

Semester/Obligatory

3

2

The history and the evolution of the Arab  cinema (1)

Obligatory

3

2

Musical composition for films (2)

Major

3

2

Documentary cinema (2)

Major

3

2

Writing Scenario (2)

Major

3

2

Montage (2)

Major

3

2

Cinematography (2)

Major

3

2

Producing (2)

Major

3

2

Directing (2)

Major

3

2

The third year

Types of Arab cinema (2)

Obligatory

3

2

 Arab woman in media and cinema

Semester\obligatory

3

2

     History and  evolution of  Palestinian cinema

Obligatory

3

2

      Psychology of light

Semester/obligatory

3

2

  Philosophy of the image

Major

3

2

Musical composition of films (3)

Major

3

2

Documentary cinema (3)

Major

3

2

Writing scenarios (3)

Major

3

2

Cinematography (3)

Major

3

2

Producing (3)

Major

3

2

Montage (3)

Major

3

2

Directing drama (3)

Major

3

2

*Every student must choose two fields of the major disciplines (professional courses) during the second semester of the first year.  Visiting  lecturers and workshops are offered for free for students of  major studies in our school.

** Registration for individual courses and for external courses is open  for  everyone regardless of age. At the end of the course a certificate is given.

www.arabcinemaschool.com ; http://nazacinema.maktoobblog.com/

info@arabcinemaschool.com ; ap.cinema.school@hotmail.com

+972-4-6465864

+972-52-6577200