AMAL arises from the need of creating an audiovisual collaboration space between Spain and the Arab world to promote both merging industries.

AMAL aims to be an understanding place between the Arab and the Spanish cultures, an opportunity to bring near two distant worlds by means of the most universal of languages: cinema. AMAL wants to become, in the course of time, a reference of the dialogue between cultures in Spain.

To make this true, AMAL is led by values like concord, acceptance, cultural tolerance, development, mutual benefit, knowledge, empathy and humanism.

Amal is born in 2003 as a sample of the Arab audiovisual market to open a path through which culture can transit in its most fascinating way of expression: cinema.

The Audiovisual Forum, one of the meetings of the Showing, was also a big success, fully accomplishing objectives such as work agreements and collaboration between different Galician and Arab firms and professionals. The meetings among directors, producers and public are highly acclaimed, and the participation in past editions was massive.

Each year’s growing audience is the best sign of the interest that this cinema- strange to the majority of the public- is arousing among the lovers of the seventh art in Galicia in general and in Santiago in particular. The flow of spectators is very indicative: almost three thousand people showed their interest for the reality of the Arab world and the film making industry.

As a competitive festival, AMAL 07 seeks the promotion of quality Arab production projects, co produced between Galicia, Spain and some Arab country or with Arab subject matter.

Thanks a lot everybody and welcome to AMAL 06.