- Title: SYRIA: Syrian television gears up for Muslim holy month with Ramadan programming
- Date: 5th August 2008
- Summary: DIRECTOR OF "AWLAD AL-QEIMARIYYA" SEIF EL-DIN SBE'I TALKING WITH REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SEIF EL-DIN SBE'I, DIRECTOR OF "AWLAD AL-QEIMARIYYA", SAYING: "Damascene series tend to be fantastic in the sense that they recount stories that transcend time and place, history and geography. So you don't know the neighbourhood, you don't know when the event took place, you do
- Embargoed: 20th August 2008 13:00
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- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVA1624YM9BTRW4YKS3VEG2NJY3A
- Story Text: A television series on Damascene life under Ottoman rule, "Awlad al-Qeimariyya", is in its final production stages ahead of being aired during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which this year falls in September.
Syrian production houses are gearing up for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with some 35 drama series set to beam into living rooms across the Arab world this September.
Competition for ratings is fierce throughout the holy month, when families traditionally gather round their TV sets after the "iftar"
meal, that breaks the day-long fast at sunset, to watch their favourite shows on local and pan-Arab channels.
Arab television stations cater to the festive month with a host of religious and social programmes that are increasingly breaching taboos in the conservative region, tackling issues like gender equality, religious fundamentalism, terrorism and drug abuse.
Drama has long been the centrepiece of the Egyptian film industry, known as the "Hollywood" of the region since the 1930s.
Although still the main hub for Arab film and television production, a number of other contenders have emerged -- through a mix of private and public initiative -- in places like Lebanon, Syria, the Palestinian Territories, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
The Syrian television industry is one of the most well-established in the Levant and what better way to showcase its rising star than through the popular format of the Ramadan drama series.
Set in the Old City of Damascus under Ottoman rule, "Awlad al-Qeimariyya" follows the travails of Syrian traders bearing the brunt of a foreign occupation.
Director Seif el-Din Sbe'i says his programme's context-specific narrative makes it stand out from other shows that will be airing next month.
"Damascene series tend to be fantastic in the sense that they recount stories that transcend time and place, history and geography. So you don't know the neighbourhood, you don't know when the event took place, you don't even know if it really happened. So they are like grandmothers' tales.
Awlad al-Qeimariyya differs in that it is a narrative drama based on a specific historical moment and location," Seif el-Din told Reuters on the set.
Last year's regional Ramadan hit "Bab al-Hara" was also a Syrian production set in the Old City of Damascus. Directed by Bassam al-Malla, the series also focussed on the daily lives of Syrians under foreign rule, this time the French in the 1930s, attracting millions of viewers from the Maghreb to the Gulf.
With a production budget of 1 million U.S. dollars, "Awlad al-Qeimariyya" reflects the growing investment in an industry that employs some six thousand people annually. Regional interest in Syria as a filming location is fast-growing due to its temperate climate, cheap running costs and varied landscapes.
"One and a half to two billion Syrian pounds (22 million USD) is spent annually in this sector. It employs a large workforce. Production companies may produce a mere 35 programmes annually but that can employ 5,000 to 6,000 people working behind the camera each year," Imad al-Rifai, chairman of the Syrian Filmmaking Committee told Reuters.
Whether or not Arab audiences will warm to the characters of the el-Qeimariyya neighbourhood has yet to be seen. But they will certainly be hearing a lot more Syrian accents this Ramadan, as Egypt loses ground to emerging regional talent. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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