The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts (RSICA) holds Open House Day in Amman

Attendees of the event included a large number of prospective students, members of the filmmaking community and interested members of the general public. An interactive question and answer session with attendees followed a presentation by RSICA senior management addressing the latest developments of the project; a new international core faculty for 2008, the latest on scholarships and financial aid, as well as further details on the MFA in Cinematic Arts Program and applications.

The event's active agenda served to highlight the cultural and artistic importance of RSICA's goals for Jordan and the Middle East, positioning the Institute as an active entity with a pivotal role in the development of a self-sustaining local film and media industry, building on the significant achievements of colleague institutions such as the Royal Film Commission and local production houses.

Senior Consultant and Chief Academic Officer at RSICA Mr. James Hindman said, "We aim to invest highly in our students and give them the skills and training not just for a job after graduation, but for a long and successful career."

Mr. Hindman further explained, "The Institute will accept talented and passionate students who show a real desire for learning and working in the film and media industry."

The MFA in Cinematic Arts at RSICA is open to BA graduates of all academic backgrounds from the Middle East with creative potential, talent and dedication to hard work. It was also confirmed at the event that in order to select the best applications and invest highly in the first class of exceptionally talented students, RSICA plans to be generous with scholarships and financial aid as necessary. Once an applicant has been accepted, he or she will be invited to undertake a financial aid application process as appropriate with guidance from the RSICA Registrar's Office.

RSICA's Project Manager Ms Claire Naber said, "Our goal is to empower local talent and to enhance their position as the voice of the Middle Eastern film industry. We're looking for creative, dedicated individuals with potential to become the critical thinkers and outstanding media makers of the future".

The two year MFA in Cinematic Arts program at RSICA aims to produce industry-ready graduates with practical, creative and media business skills. Through ongoing classes and collaborative production in varied forms such as fiction, documentary and television, RSICA students will build a significant portfolio of creative media work intended to launch their careers. The course itself has been designed with some of the finest film schools in the world in order to meet the needs of the developing Middle Eastern film industry.

As part of the Open House event, RSICA senior management introduced the core international faculty members for the academic year 2008/2009, with biographies and details now provided online. It was also confirmed that the core faculty would be supplemented by regular guest visits from filmmakers, specialists and scholars from the region and around the world throughout the academic year. Attendees were encouraged to review full details about goals, missions and operations on RSICA's award-winning website www.rsica.com, which also covers details of how individuals and institutions can support the project.

RSICA is set to open in September of 2008 in the city of Aqaba on the Red Sea, a unique location providing an unusual and effective learning environment particularly supportive of creative work. RSICA's first MFA class is set to graduate in 2010.