Concern as Syrian doc producer reported missing

August 24, 2012 by Adam Benzine

Orwa Nyrabia (pictured), the director of Syria’s Dox Box Film Festival, has disappeared and been reported missing amid unrest in the country, Dutch documentary festival IDFA reports.

The festival says on its website that Nyrabia – a doc producer who last year served as an IDFA jury member – disappeared yesterday afternoon (August 23) while at Damascus International Airport on his way out of the country.

Nyrabia was heading to Cairo but his family lost contact with him shortly after his arrival at the airport and, according to Egyptian Airlines, he did not board his flight. His family has now reported him missing.

A statement from the Local Coordination Committees (LCC), a network of local groups that organize and report on protests as part of the Syrian uprising, suggested that his not boarding the plane “indicates that he has been arrested by the Syrian authorities,” gulfnews.com reports.

In March of this year, Nyrabia and the Dox Box team received the EDN Award for initiating and running the documentary festival. He also co-founded his own production company, Proaction Film.

Tags: Dox Box Film Festival, IDFA, Orwa Nyrabia, Proaction Film, Syria

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