Qatar National Library is set to host an array of activities on Arab cinema for members of the public to participate in during summer.
Activities will include a lecture on the evolution of "The Image of Arabs in Western Cinema and Press," an interactive exhibition on the history of Arab cinema posters, and workshops for children to educate them about Arab cinema.
The Children's and Young Adults Library will offer walk-ins for arts and crafts workshops, linked to Arab cinema, for 5 to12-year-old children on July 2.
In addition, the library in collaboration with the French embassy and the French Institute of Qatar will host a lecture to discuss the evolution of "The Image of Arabs in Western Cinema and Press" on July 3.
In the beginning of the 20th century, the representation of Arabs in the nascent cinema was positive, as it revolved around the profile of the chivalrous Bedouin.
The deterioration of this image is recent and dates back to the last quarter of the 20th century at the turn of the 1960s, as Arabs and Muslims progressively gained their independence from France and Great Britain.
The lecture will be given in Arabic with simultaneous English translation and will be delivered by Slimane Zeghidour, a journalist and researcher, who will give a detailed discussion on the history of the image of Arabs in Western cinema and press through to the present day.
There will also be representations of archive images, film posters, maps, caricatures, and newspaper covers from the Heritage Library.
The library will also host an interactive exhibition on the history of Arabic cinema posters, starting July 4 and continuing throughout the summer.
The exhibition will provide visitors with knowledge of the rich and diverse artwork of cinema posters in the Arab world, which were used to attract moviegoers across the Middle East and North Africa.
Visitors will also be offered guided tours of the exhibition.
In line with the theme of Arab cinema, a ten-part mini-course an "Introduction to Film Studies" will be held from August 17, in collaboration with the embassy of France, the French Institute of Qatar and Doha Film Institute.
The course, delivered online by Richard Pea, Professor of Film and Media Studies at Columbia University, will introduce the major avenues of expression in the cinema, which include cinematography, camera movement editing, stage design and the arrangement of actors in scenes, editing strategies, sound and narrative, with final sessions dedicated to participants analysis of two classical films.
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