MC Distribution, based in Beirut, is a company that promotes independent cinema in Lebanon, in the rest of the Middle East and in some North-African countries. “Our task”, Omar tells us, “is to select movies, buy the copyrights and screen them in cinemas all over the region”. But movies do not appear on screen overnight and this task is far from being easy. Indeed, in order for us to sit back and let ourselves be taken in by a movie, MC Distribution has to go through all sorts of hurdles, invisible to the moviegoer’s eyes.

“One of the obstacles is censorship”, deplores Eva. “We cannot show the public any movie we’d like them to see, which is a problem when it comes to selecting the movies we’d like to screen”. “It is also hard to convince cinemas to show our movies”, adds Omar. “Indeed, the vast majority of moviegoers enjoy commercial and easy movies, while our trademark is art house cinema that stimulates reflection!”

One thing is sure, MC Distribution can be proud of being unique in its field and promoting movies that go off the beaten track. But it must be hard indeed when we consider that the typical moviegoer tends to crave special effects and stories where they “all lived happily ever after”. Luckily enough there is Metropolis, a cinema that screens movies in the same vein, for a public which does not go with mainstream. The music film week “Something Must Break” was in fact the result of a collaboration between these two entities. Ideal partners? It is enough to appreciate the success this festival was to say yes, ten times yes.

Eva Badr and Omar el Kadi have not spoken their last word and are ready to surprise us with new projects. Top on the list: the launching in DVD of Lebanese movies that will take spectators all over the world on a trip to the Cedar country.

• Highlight

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2012-08-29

20 days have passed since the music film week « Something Must Break » (27 July- 2 August) came to an end and we still haven’t gotten over this breathtaking journey into the lives of legendary music artists. This festival, which screened top-quality movies, was a great success. But a festival is nothing without its organizers. Let’s have a look behind the screen, where Eva Bader and Omar el Kadi will tell us more about their work at MC Distribution.

MC Distribution, based in Beirut, is a company that promotes independent cinema in Lebanon, in the rest of the Middle East and in some North-African countries. “Our task”, Omar tells us, “is to select movies, buy the copyrights and screen them in cinemas all over the region”. But movies do not appear on screen overnight and this task is far from being easy. Indeed, in order for us to sit back and let ourselves be taken in by a movie, MC Distribution has to go through all sorts of hurdles, invisible to the moviegoer’s eyes.

“One of the obstacles is censorship”, deplores Eva. “We cannot show the public any movie we’d like them to see, which is a problem when it comes to selecting the movies we’d like to screen”. “It is also hard to convince cinemas to show our movies”, adds Omar. “Indeed, the vast majority of moviegoers enjoy commercial and easy movies, while our trademark is art house cinema that stimulates reflection!”

One thing is sure, MC Distribution can be proud of being unique in its field and promoting movies that go off the beaten track. But it must be hard indeed when we consider that the typical moviegoer tends to crave special effects and stories where they “all lived happily ever after”. Luckily enough there is Metropolis, a cinema that screens movies in the same vein, for a public which does not go with mainstream. The music film week “Something Must Break” was in fact the result of a collaboration between these two entities. Ideal partners? It is enough to appreciate the success this festival was to say yes, ten times yes.

Eva Badr and Omar el Kadi have not spoken their last word and are ready to surprise us with new projects. Top on the list: the launching in DVD of Lebanese movies that will take spectators all over the world on a trip to the Cedar country.