On February 24, famous Syrian film director Nabil Maleh passed away after a long battle with cancer in Dubai. Maleh is recognized as the father of Syrian cinema and as the person responsible for creating the identity of Syrian cinema. Maleh's films ranged from feature films to documentaries and were characterized by challenging authority. Maleh left Syria in 2011 when violence in the country was intensifying. Some of his most famous films are The Leopard (الفهد) and The Extras (الكومبارس).

WBC