About the Project
Close Up is an independent international NGO based in Brussels, Belgium, established by five individuals, Founder & Executive Director Sigal Yehuda and Founding Partners, Ahmet Boyacioglu, Bruni Burres, John Appel and Vincent Melilli.
Close Up provides an annual year-long training and development program for documentary filmmakers from Southwest Asia and North Africa, supporting filmmakers who come from diverse ethnic, religious, cultural, and political backgrounds, including Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Qatar, Yemen, and the United Arab Emirates.
Positioned at the intersection of arts, media, social change, and peacebuilding, Close Up is the only initiative of its kind in the region, creating a transformational experience for many young filmmakers. We believe in the necessity for dialog between individual artists coming from “enemy” societies to build bridges despite stereotypes and censorship.
In the past 17 years, Close Up has supported more than 60 extraordinary films. Recent Close Up films includes: No Other Land - Berlinale 2024 Best Documentary & Audience Awards, Hollywoodgate - Venice Film Festival 2023, Telluride 2023, El Gouna 2023 Best Feature Documentary & FIPRESCI Awards & Q - Tribeca 2023 Best New Documentary Director, Sheffield DocFest 2023 Best First Feature Award.
Close Up is committed to creating an open-safe space for a dialogue between independent artists and continues to fight for equality, justice, a pluralist and open society that respects its people regardless of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, or gender orientation.