The 2017 IREPRESENT International Documentary Film Forum will play host to the serial award-winning, internationally renowned French/Egyptian filmmaker, Ms. JIHAN EL-TAHRI,” at the 7th edition of the yearly iREP Documentary film Festival holding March 16-19 at the Freedom Park Lagos Island.
“Each day of the festival will feature a special highlight of her major films on the politics and history of Africa’s march from documentary feast colonialism to democracy. The star selections to be screened include “CUBA – An African Odyssey,” “Egypt’s Modern Pharaohs” and “Behind the Rainbow,” stated Femi Odugbemi, filmmaker and Executive director of iREP.
“Each film will be followed by an extensive session of “JIHAN IN CONVERSATION” where she will be talking about how she builds her stories around archival resources. Jihan will also teach a Masterclass in the Producers-Roundtable segment of the festival”, Femi Odugbemi noted.
On the Special Guest of Honour, Jihan El-Tahri…
She is an award winning director, writer, producer and visual artist. She is an Egyptian and French national, who started her career as a Foreign Correspondent covering Middle East Politics. In 1990 she began directing and producing documentaries for the BBC, PBS, Arte and other international broadcasters. Since then she has produced and directed numerous documentaries, her most recent is “Nasser” part of this year’s official selection at Toronto International Festival.
She has also Produced and directed the acclaimed documentaries “Behind the Rainbow”, “ Cuba, an African Odyssey”, as well as the Emmy nominated House of Saud. Her writings include “Les Sept Vies de Yasser Arafat” (Grasset) and “Israel and the Arabs, The 50 Years war” (Penguin).
El-Tahri is also engaged in various associations and institutions working with African cinema. She has served as treasurer of the Guild of African Filmmakers in the Diaspora, Regional Secretary of the Federation of Pan African Cinema (FEPACI)
