Tarak Ben Ammar (Arabic: طارق بن عمّار; born June 12, 1949) is a Tunisian film producer and distributor. He is famous for his interest in artistic movies, especially when they are related to Mediterranean culture or require North African locations.
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Early years
Tarak Ben Ammar was born in 1949 in Tunis, to a political family in Tunisia who fought for and gained independence from France in 1956, and where his uncle Habib Bourguiba became the first President of Tunisia.
After studies in Rome and graduating from Georgetown University in Washington, Tarak Ben Ammar started his career as film producer.
Career
Tarak Ben Ammar forged a successful career as a film producer, working on George Lucas's Star Wars, Steven Spielberg's Raiders of the Lost Ark, Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth and La Traviata, Monty Python's Life of Brian, Roman Polanski's Pirates, and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. He created the film industry in Tunisia by building the first film studios which have attracted 58 films. He produced all his films through French companies Carthago Films, and Quinta Communications.
In 1984, French President François Mitterrand awarded him the Légion d'Honneur in recognition of his contribution to cinema.
Tarak Ben Ammar is also a businessman, he has served as an advisor to Rupert Murdoch, Prince Al Waleed, Leo Kirch, Vincent Bolloré and Silvio Berlusconi and has been board member of companies such as Mediaset, Mediobanca, Telecom Italia and Vivendi.
He has also been Michael Jackson's manager from 1996 to 1998 and was the producer of his last worldwide tour, Michael Jackson’s HiStory Tour.
In 2009, Tarak Ben Ammar officially launched Nessma, the first North African independent TV Channel which plays a key role in promoting freedom of speech and democracy in Tunisia. Nessma is also the leading channel in North Africa.
He also controls Eagle Pictures, which is Italy’s number one independent film distribution and production company with a library of 3,500 films.
Tarak Ben Ammar also formed a US venture called Spyglass Media Group. Spyglass announced a strategic partnership with Warner Bros and other important US partners, such as Lionsgate Entertainment.
In 2022, Tarak Ben Ammar acquired with Lantern Entertainment and his company Eagle Pictures, Studios de Paris, the largest movie studio in Paris.
In 2023, his company Eagle Pictures has enlarged its strategic alliance with Sony Pictures by becoming the exclusive distributor of Sony Pictures in Italy. Eagle Pictures is also the exclusive distributor of Paramount Pictures in Italy.
In the same time, Tarak Ben Ammar with Eagle Pictures, has announced the building of a new film studio in Rome.
Tarak Ben Ammar has built a media company operating in France, Italy, Tunisia, UK, and in the USA, it has partnerships with famous US companies such as Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros and Lionsgate.
Private life
Tarak Ben Ammar is the son of Mondher Ben Ammar, Tunisian lawyer, politician and diplomat, and Corsican mother Simone Gaggeri. He is the brother of writer Hélé Béji. His aunt Wassila Ben Ammar was the First Lady of Tunisia as the wife of the first President of Tunisia, Habib Bourguiba. Tarak Ben Ammar has a first son, Jad Ben Amma r, film producer, and three children from his marriage to Polish actress Beata (born Sonczuk), Neil, Tarak Jr. and his model-singer daughter Sonia Ben Ammar (Sonia Ammar).
Filmography
Producer
1976: Death Rite (French: Les Magiciens) by Claude Chabrol
1977: Jesus of Nazareth by Franco Zeffirelli (TV series)
1979:
Il ladrone (a.k.a. The Good Thief, French: Le Larron) by Pasquale Festa Campanile
The Adolescent (French: L'Adolescente) by Jeanne Moreau
1981: Tais-toi quand tu parles by Philippe Clair
1982:
La Traviata by Franco Zeffirelli
Deux heures moins le quart avant Jésus-Christ by Jean Yanne
Plus beau que moi,tu meurs by Philippe Clair
1984:
Les Cavaliers de l'orage by Gérard Vergez
Par où t'es rentré? On t'a pas vu sortir by Philippe Clair
Misunderstood by Jerry Schatzberg
1985:
Bras de fer by Gérard Vergez
A.D. (miniseries) by Stuart Cooper
1986: Pirates by Roman Polanski
1988: Young Toscanini (Italian: Il giovane Toscanini) by Franco Zeffirelli
1989: Bille en tête by Carlo Cotti
Executive Producer
1979: Monty Python's Life of Brian by Terry Jones
1980: Rodriguez au pays des merguez by Philippe Clair
1983: Le Grand Carnaval by Alexandre Arcady
1984: Les Morfalous by Henri Verneuil
2022: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Josh Gordon and Will Speck
Distributor
2002: City by the Sea by Michael Caton-Jones
2005: Quartier VIP by Laurent Firode