A web series upheaval is spearheaded by Muriel Aboulrouss during the Amman Film Festival in Jordan.
**Spark Series Revolutionizes Arab Film Festival**
The Amman International Film Festival (AIFF) has introduced a groundbreaking initiative called The Spark Series, the first dedicated platform for web series creators in the Arab region. This innovative showcase, launched during the Amman Film Industry Days (AFID), was proposed by filmmaker and cinematographer Muriel Aboulrouss [1][3].
The name "Spark Series" was inspired by the moment a sperm meets the ovum, symbolizing a literal spark of light. For Aboulrouss, Spark is a movement for creators who've long fought for space in the industry, aiming to elevate web series and bring short-form storytelling into the center of regional cinematic discourse [1][5].
The Spark Series offers a unique space for emerging filmmakers to showcase their work to industry professionals, distributors, and an engaged audience. This platform allows creators to engage in valuable networking opportunities, which can lead to partnerships, funding, and career advancement [2].
One such creator is Sana Al Mor, a Lebanese filmmaker living in Zurich, whose docuseries "Taste of Arrival" follows refugees in Switzerland rebuilding their lives. Al Mor credits web series for allowing her to be bold and reach younger audiences directly [6]. Another project selected for the first edition of The Spark Series is "Bodies on the Margins," a deeply personal docuseries following four Arab women through different life stages [8].
Festival director Nada Doumani embraced the idea without hesitation, giving a dedicated platform to web series at the festival for the first time [4]. This move has been applauded by industry veterans like Jean-Claude Boulos and Bachir Asmar, who lament that there are stories that would never be picked up by traditional TV and credit SPARK and AIFF for legitimizing a format too often dismissed as "online content" [7].
Aboulrouss views Spark as a movement that begins with connection, not competition. She hopes to see Spark replicated across the region, including in Jeddah, Doha, Cairo, Tunis, and beyond [10]. Sana Al Mor's project has also been selected for the Serial Killer Brno International TV Festival market, further highlighting the potential of web series in the international film industry.
In conclusion, The Spark Series has set a precedent for embracing and promoting short-form storytelling in the Arab region, providing essential support and opportunities for emerging creators. This initiative underscores the festival's commitment to new formats and platforms in visual storytelling, making it more accessible and diverse, reflecting the evolving media landscape.
The Spark Series, an innovative platform for web series creators, is revolutionizing the Amman International Film Festival's cinematic discourse, merging short-form storytelling with mainstream entertainment in the Arab region. This movement, spearheaded by filmmaker Muriel Aboulrouss, aims to elevate web series and bring them to the forefront of regional entertainment.
