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Viu, the OTT platform, has announced that its latest production with independent Arab filmmakers has been selected at the internationally acclaimed Cairo Film Festival.
Titled, ‘Mama’, the short film acts as critical moment for the region, as Viu embodies the first VOD platform to ever support emerging talent in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The sponsorship is said to fall in line with Viu’s long-term ambitions to empower Arab cinema with worldwide exposure.
Viu’s support in the region is longstanding, boasting a total of four sponsorships targeted towards short-film productions. Launched in early 2020, Viu’s call for applications attracted more than 50 submissions, out of which four were selected to be fully produced by Viu. “Mama” is the third to be completed, and the first independent VOD production to be shortlisted at an international film festival in the MENA region.
Commenting on the partnership Fathi Azouz, Head of Production at Viu said: “Viu’s dedication towards Arab content will benefit from an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals. We expect emerging stories to quickly find their way into mainstream cinema as they address and empower individuals and the industry alike. The shortlisting of ‘Mama’ in a select competition at the Cairo International Film festival is a positive step towards making that happen.”
The streaming service is also actively investing in future MENA talents and industry with not-for-profit initiatives that provide a launchpad for creators to produce original content that would otherwise never come to fruition.
Naji Ismail, Director of Mama Film, added: “Short movies offer an arthouse like feature film, not governed by commercial implications and therefore carry an immense creative scope for innovation. We truly appreciate Viu’s commitment towards providing a credible platform for innovative films to shine bright under unique cinematic narratives.”
