Deadline: 15 August 2011
We are currently seeking seven aspiring young film critics and one photographer, between the ages of 18 and 35. Four of the talented individuals selected will be European, and four will be from Arab countries. Participants will be invited to attend the Abu Dhabi Film Festival (United Arab Emirates) to form an international editorial team. This team will create daily issues of a gazette in English and Arabic covering the festival’s screenings, events, and encounters. It will be a unique opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience in film journalism and, of course, meet like-minded people from around the world! Please read the information dossier for all the necessary information on applying for this edition of Nisimazine.
Nisimazine Workshops: General Background
The free daily magazine Nisimazine is made in the frame of a film journalism workshop for young aspiring film journalists. Nisimazine film journalism workshops have taken place during many international film festivals since the first edition in Cannes in 2006, notably: Torino Film Festival (Italy), DocPoint Helsinki (Finland), Alba International Film Festival (Italy), Cannes Film Festival (France), Iran International Documentary Film Festival (Tehran), European Festival on
Wheels (Kars and Artvin, Turkey), IDFA – International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Netherlands), Festival de Lima (Peru), Festival do Rio (Brazil), and Abu Dhabi Film Festival (United Arab Emirates). Since the program’s beginning, more than 100 young critics from all over the world have benefited from developing their skills in a stimulating international environment, supported by experienced tutors and staff.
The Magazine
• Nisimazine Abu Dhabi will be printed in English and Arabic. The main working language of the editorial team will be English.
• The gazette will be in A4 format (magazine style) and contain film reviews, interviews, thematic articles, news, pictures from the festival, etc.
• Eight issues will be published daily during the festival
• Around 2,000 printed copies will be published for each issue and distributed to festival audiences and professional guests. An electronic version will also be available on the Nisimazine official website (www.nisimazine.eu)
• There will also be the opportunity to publish a video blog. We are therefore interested in candidates who have video-making experience, as well as skills in writing/photography
The Editorial Team
A clear and precise division of tasks is needed for Nisimazine workshops to be successful. In Abu Dhabi, the team will be composed of:
Three members of staff from the NISI MASA European Secretariat
• Matthieu Darras, Director of the Publication
• Maartje Alders, Editor-in-Chief / Graphic Designer
• Jude Lister, Editor / Coordinator
Two professional tutors
• One for the English version, one for Arabic version (names to be confirmed)
Eight participants
• Seven film journalists and one photographer.
The Schedule
Important: As of the announcement of selected participants, the essential preparation period will
begin. Participants will be required to begin researching, watching films from the festival programme (some will be available in advance), making interviews, taking part in online meetings to brainstorm the magazine’s content, and writing the first articles.
July 20 – August 15 Application period
August 22 Announcement of selected participants
August 22 – October 13 Preparation period
October 13 – 22 Workshop
ABU DHABI FILM FESTIVAL
5th edition: October 13 – 22 2011
About the Abu Dhabi Film Festival
The Abu Dhabi Film Festival (formerly the Middle East International Film Festival) was established in 2007, with the aim of helping to create a vibrant film culture throughout the region. Presented each October by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, the event is committed to curating exceptional programs to engage and educate the local community, inspire filmmakers and nurture the growth of the regional film industry.
With its commitment to presenting works by Arab filmmakers in competition alongside those by major talents of world cinema, the Festival offers Abu Dhabi’s diverse and enthusiastic audiences a means of engaging with their own and others’ cultures through the art of cinema. At the same time, a strong focus on the bold new voices of Arab cinema connects with Abu Dhabi’s role as a burgeoning cultural capital in the region and marks the Festival as a place for the world to discover and gauge the pulse of recent Arab filmmaking.
Application Guidelines
• The final application deadline for candidates is the August 15, 2011, before midnight. All application material must be sent via email to nisimazineabudhabi@nisimasa.com.
• Candidates must be between the ages of 18-35 at the time of the workshop and reside in either a member state of the Council of Europe (see http://www.coe.int/aboutCoe/index.asp?page=47pays1europe&l=en) or an Arab country (Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen).
• Filling in the application form (in English) is a prerequisite. Applicants should choose either to apply as a film critic or a photographer.
• Providing evidence of previous works (articles originally written in or translated into English, video-blogs, photographs, etc.) is compulsory.
• One passport-style photo is also required with each application. This is needed for your accreditation.
• By filling in the application form, candidates confirm their availability to attend the entire duration of the workshop and their motivation to actively take part in necessary preparation meetings and activities in advance.
• There will be a maximum of eight participants in the workshop, so there will be a careful selection. Please send your carefully completed application forms before the deadline.
Participation Rules
• Participants will arrive in Abu Dhabi on October 12; departure from the accommodation is planned for 23 October.
• If, for any reason, a participant is unable to attend the workshop, they must inform the organisers immediately.
• Accommodation and meals will be provided for the duration of the workshop.
• Travel costs from your home city to Abu Dhabi or Dubai will be covered. Transport from the airport to the accommodation will be provided by the festival.
• There is a participation fee of 200 euro, to be paid before the start of the workshop.
• Participants will be asked to bring their own necessary equipment (e.g. laptop, camera, video-camera). If this is not possible, please inform us in your application form so that we can make necessary arrangements.
For further questions and comments please write to nisimazineabudhabi@nisimasa.com
The NISI MASA European Office
NISI MASA
99 Rue du Faubourg Saint Denis
75010 Paris. France
Tel. : +33 (0)9 60 39 63 38
Fax. : +33 (0)1 48 01 65 31
Email : europe@nisimasa.com
Contact Information:
For inquiries: nisimazineabudhabi@nisimasa.com
For submissions: nisimazineabudhabi@nisimasa.com
Website: http://www.nisimazine.eu