CANNES — Raghda Safwat
The global film industry is witnessing a seismic shift as Arab talent breaks traditional barriers, a panel of leading regional creators concluded at the Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film.
Hosted by the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) and titled “Rising Forces: Arab Talent Regionally and Internationally,” the dynamic session tackled the rapid transformation of Middle Eastern cinema, navigating Western industry biases, and the evolving metrics of box-office success.
Alarian on the Formula for Global Box-Office Success
Speaking on the panel, high-profile director and RAW Entertainment founder Tarek Alarian demystified what it takes to create a commercially viable film that resonates across borders. For Alarian, the recipe for box-office success relies entirely on fundamental storytelling rather than rigid genre constraints.
“Whatever the genre is, if you make it very well and the topic is interesting from the beginning, with a good script that is credible and touches you emotionally, I believe it would do good in the box office,” Alarian stated.
Reflecting on the grit required to sustain a filmmaking career in the region, Alarian admitted that the journey often demands wearing multiple hats and fighting for creative vision. “We work harder since you almost work by yourself, doing a million things,” he said, noting that pushing through initial rejection is part of building industry credibility. “It takes me longer to make a film—developing the script and the idea, then moving into casting. But it is getting much better now.”
Overcoming Identity Barriers in the West
The discussion, moderated by ACC Co-Founder and MAD Solutions CEO Alaa Karkouti, also candidly addressed the underlying biases Arab artists face when trying to break into Western markets.
Acclaimed composers Suad Bushnaq and Amine Bouhafa shared their experiences of having to work twice as hard to outshine Western counterparts. Bushnaq highlighted the double standard confronting Western-trained Arab talent:
Our names and our faces sometimes stand in the way, so you have to prove yourself more and more to convince them that I am not going to bring my Arabism to the work.
This pressure, she added, forces regional creators to elevate their production values to flawless levels to compete against Hollywood’s biggest names.
Bouhafa echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that building a career is an exercise in shifting industry perception. “After seeing my music and the films that went to the Oscars or the Netflix and HBO shows, they started looking at me not just as an Arab composer but simply as a composer,” he reflected. “You need to prove that the quality of the work you do is beyond and above what another composer of Western nationality can do.”
A New Era of Support and Representation
The panel highlighted that the rise of local infrastructure—particularly the booming entertainment ecosystem in Saudi Arabia—is changing the game. Variety and Scoop with Raya host Raya Abirached pointed out that the industry is finally moving away from Hollywood prototypes, allowing stars like Rami Malek and director Kaouther Ben Hania to thrive based purely on merit.
“The more we give it budgets, the more it’s going to grow,” Abirached urged, calling for continued financial and emotional investment in regional studios and talent agencies.
This structural evolution has directly impacted performers like Saudi actress and MBC talent Khairiah Abu Laban, who traced her trajectory from a 2011 YouTube series to international streaming platforms.
“I used to have YouTube clips; now I have films and series, and I can see my face on a panel in Cannes,” Abu Laban said, underlining the importance of strong local roots for any global ambition. “To be international, you have to start locally… I always believed the Middle East is not just the Middle East — it is also an international market.”
Published By :
May 17, 2026.
