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Multi Plebs: Build Your Own Cinema!

Multi Plebs: Build Your Own Cinema!

Date
Feb 25th 2020
With
Berni Goldblat, Butheina Kazim, Catalina Marín Duarte, Dominga Sotomayor moderated by Dorothee Wenner
History repeats itself: as was the case in the early days of cinema history, increasing numbers of film fanatics worldwide turn their dreams into reality and run their own cinemas. Film entrepreneurs from Chile, Burkina Faso and the United Arab Emirates, who strive to create spaces where encounter, exchange and freedom of expression are guaranteed, here share the tales of their endeavours. While their motivations, experiences and strategies may contrast when it comes to the nitty gritty aspects of crowdfunding, curating or collective management, all three are united in the common aim of safeguarding traditions, promoting regional culture and ultimately creating synergies in their local communities. Time to learn how to take the cinema into your own hands.

Berni Goldblat

Berni Goldblat has been directing and producing films since 1999, mainly in Africa. In 2006, he founded Les films du Djabadjah, a production company in Burkina Faso. He went on to direct CEUX DE LA COLLINE, a multi-award-winning documentary. In 2017, his first narrative feature WALLAY premiered in Berlinale Generation and was shown at 250 festivals. He is a jury member of the Africa Movie Academy Awards and a member of the European Film Academy.
© Odile Motelet

Butheina Kazim

Butheina Kazim lives and works in Dubai. She is the founder of Cinema Akil, the only arthouse cinema in the Gulf region programming repertory cinema programmes. They screen films at their flagship home on Alserkal Avenue in Dubai and through a nomadic cinema that travels across the United Arab Emirates. Cinema Akil is a member of the Network of Arab Alternative Screens.
© Faisal Tannir

Catalina Marín Duarte

Catalina Marín Duarte is the editor of Dominga Sotomayor's award-winning features THURSDAY TILL SUNDAY, MAR and TOO LATE TO DIE YOUNG, among other projects. She recently edited Omar Zuñiga’s first feature THE STRONG ONES as well as the artist Alejandra Prieto's film projects. Over the last four years, together with Dominga Sotomayor and Rafela Behrens, she has developed the arthouse cinema Cine CCC, conceived as a meeting point for Chilean cinema and its surrounding community.

Dominga Sotomayor

Chilean writer, director and producer. After founding the production company Cinestaciónin 2008 she directed the short films NOVEMBER, BELOW, THE MOUNTAIN and VIDEOGAME, before co-directing her feature debut THE ISLAND in 2013, which won several international awards. In 2014 she directed MAR, which is part of this year's Berlinale Forum section. Additionally, during the last years, she has worked as a university film teacher and realized videos for exhibitions like "Little Sun" (Olafur Eliasson, September 2012) in the Tate Modern in London.
© Julie Cunnah

Dorothee Wenner

Dorothee Wenner is a filmmaker, film programmer and writer. She serves as the Berlinale delegate for cinemas from Sub-Saharan Africa. She is also a founding jury member of the Africa Movie Academy Awards.