Returning home, these filmmakers brought a unique insider/outsider perspective to bear on local developments in society since independence, including the divide between urban and rural communities, the continuing power of traditional values and the status of women in a changing society. As they made their first films back home, the feelings of participation in a worldwide movement of new, independent filmmaking was palpable. Roots of the New Arab Film is a necessary and comprehensive resource for anyone interested in the foundations of Arab cinema.
Roy Armes is Emeritus Professor of Film at Middlesex University. He has written extensively on African and Arab filmmaking and his latest books include dictionaries of both African and Middle Eastern filmmakers and, most recently, New Voices in Arab Cinema (IUP) and Arab Filmmakers of the Middle East (IUP).