Mohammad Malas
Biography
Mohamad Malas, born in Qounaytra, studied at the Cinema Academy in Moscow. He did three movies during his studies: Ahlam Madina Saghira, Al Yawm Al Sabeeh, and Al Kol fi Makanihi w Kol Chayi’e Ala ma Youram Sayidi Al Dabet. He finished his studies in 1974. He did, for television, three short documentaries and Novelist movies: Qounaytra 74, Al Zakira, and Fourat. His notable documentary is Al Manam, filmed in the Palestinian Camps in 1980. In 1984, he directed his first long documentary, Ahlam Madina, which won the “Golden Tanit“ Prize at the Carthage Cinema Festival and the "Golden Palm” at the Valencia Festival in Spain. In 1992, he directed his long Novelist movie Al Layl, which also won the “Golden Tanit” Prize at the Carthage Cinema Festival. He also did the Bab Al Makam film in 2005, which won the Jury’s Prize at the Marakish International Festival in 2006. His latest long Novelist work, Al Mahd, in 2008, was screened for the first time in Beirut. “I consider myself a storyteller rather than a professional producer.” AWARDS The documentary Ahlam Madina won the “Golden Tanit “Prize at the Carthage Cinema Festival and the "Golden Palm” at the Valencia Festival in Spain. The film Al Layl won the Golden Tanit Prize at the Carthage Cinema Festival. The film Bab Al Makam won the Jury’s Prize at the Marakish International Festival in 2006.
Known For & Full Filmography6 Titles
Movie - 1987, 2h 15m • as Self
Focusing on key Arab films produced in the last 20 years. Férid Boughedir traces the development of the film-makers' concern to produce more socially aware cinema. Themes include the issue of Palestinian homeland rights and the nature of Arab identity. The film-makers also share a desire to develop a strong poetic tradition.
Movie - 1997, 2h 15m • as Assailant's Father
In the 12th century's Andalusia lives Ibn Rushd a prominent Islamic philosopher with his wife Zeinab and daughter Salma. The principality is ruled by Khalifa ElMansour who has two sons, ElNasser, an intellectual that likes Ibn Rush and is in love with his daughter Salma. The younger son Abdallah is more into dancing and poetry, spending most of his times with the gypsy family and getting the daughter pregnant. The Khalifa is depending on the extremists to build his army granting them more power which they use to combat artists and philosophers. The extremists succeed in recruiting Abd Allah and train him to kill his father. Events go on where Marawan, the gypsy singer, is killed and Ibn Rushd's books are burnt. Adapted from the real life of Ibn Rushd AlMasir is Chahine's statement against extremism.
Movie - 2025, 2h 15m • as Self
A tribute to Mohamed Malas and his cinema
Movie - 1997, 2h 15m • as Himself
A man recollects the conflict in the middle east through his personal memory. In this short documentary, Amiralay reflects on the first time he heard of Israel. Through recorded conversations with filmmaker Mohamed Malas, both Amiralay and Malas share their own unique stories and experiences about Israel and Israeli occupation. In the company of fellow Syrian filmmaker Mohammad Malas, the ground-breaking director Omar Amiralay revisits the ruins of the destroyed Golan village of Quneytra, occupied by Israel and then abandoned following the 1973 war.
Movie - 2025, 2h 15m • as Himself
The worried memory of Malas from the occupation of 1948 to Bashar using his camera to express his memory and his own concerns, so the individual memory was reflected in the community’s memory.
Movie - 2012, 2h 15m • as Self
Gérard Courant's "Filmed Diary" of December 14, 2011, produced in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). Between December 7 and 15, 2011, Gérard Courant was invited by the Dubai International Film Festival, in the United Arab Emirates. It was an opportunity for him to film many "Cinematons" of personalities from the Arab world and to continue his "Film Notebooks" from which he brought back 7 episodes.