Empire CEO Mario Haddad and Gulf Films chief Selim El-Azar discuss distribution in the region at Abu Dhabi show business conference.
Cinema audiences in Middle East, and especially the Gulf, are growing and set to get bigger in coming years, leading distributers in the region told delegates at the International ShowBiz Expo in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
“The market has mushroomed since the early 2000s and continues to grow,” Mario Haddad, CEO of pan-Arab distributor Empire International and Empire Gulf told the conference.
“Of course, it’s difficult in some territories due to current events but you might be surprised to learn that there is a cinema open in Damascus and still some business in Iraq,” he added.
Gulf Film CEO Selim El-Azar, who was also on the panel, noted that his company had released Fury in Damascus’ one remaining cinema this week.
“When people look at the region from afar they consider it as a whole...
Cinema audiences in Middle East, and especially the Gulf, are growing and set to get bigger in coming years, leading distributers in the region told delegates at the International ShowBiz Expo in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
“The market has mushroomed since the early 2000s and continues to grow,” Mario Haddad, CEO of pan-Arab distributor Empire International and Empire Gulf told the conference.
“Of course, it’s difficult in some territories due to current events but you might be surprised to learn that there is a cinema open in Damascus and still some business in Iraq,” he added.
Gulf Film CEO Selim El-Azar, who was also on the panel, noted that his company had released Fury in Damascus’ one remaining cinema this week.
“When people look at the region from afar they consider it as a whole...
- 10/24/2014
- ScreenDaily
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