Collaborations and Documentary

Abstract

In this, second of three transcripts from an interview with Malas, he discusses his filmic collaborations with a range of filmmakers from the well-known Egyptian auteur, Youssef Chahine, to many important figures in the history of Syrian cinema. He discusses his efforts with Omar Amiralay and Ossama Mohammed, to forge an independent cinema club in the mid-seventies that cultivated knowledge and access to a world film culture in Syria in response to the silencing of cinema by the government. Malas also discusses his important documentaries Aleppo: Maqamat of Pleasure and The Dream, and shares reflections on his relationship with fellow filmmaker and editor Qays Al-Zubaidi who worked on many of his films.