Tarak Ben Ammar

{{Infobox person

| name = Tarak Ben Ammar

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|6|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tunis

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Film producer

| known for =

| children = 4, including Sonia Ben Ammar

| education =

| alma_mater = Georgetown University

}}

Tarak Ben Ammar ({{langx|ar|طارق بن عمّار}}; born June 12, 1949) is a Tunisian-French 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.

Early years

Tarak Ben Ammar was born in 1949 in Tunis, to a political family in Tunisia{{Citation |title=Famille Ben Ammar |date=2024-08-06 |work=Wikipédia |url=https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famille_Ben_Ammar |access-date=2025-01-06 |language=fr}} who fought for and gained independence from France in 1956, and where his uncle{{Cite web |date=2016-01-10 |title=Tarak Ben Ammar, l'arme anti-Netflix de Bolloré |url=https://www.lejdd.fr/Culture/Tarak-Ben-Ammar-l-arme-anti-Netflix-de-Bollore-767713 |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=lejdd.fr |language=fr}} Habib Bourguiba became the first President of Tunisia.

After studies in Rome and graduating from{{Cite web |title=Producer wants to make Tunisia Africa's film capital;NEWLN:UPI Arts & Entertainment -- Scott's World - UPI Archives |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/07/26/Producer-wants-to-make-Tunisia-Africas-film-capitalNEWLNUPI-Arts-Entertainment-Scotts-World/4119522734400/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=UPI |language=en}} 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,{{Cite web |title='We're going to develop local culture, local talent, build the emerging film industry of Saudi Arabia,' says Hollywood producer Tarak Ben Ammar |url=https://www.arabnews.jp/en/features/article_109723/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Arab News Japan |language=en}} 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{{Citation |title=Catégorie:Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur décoré en 1984 |date=2022-07-20 |work=Wikipédia |url=https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat%C3%A9gorie:Chevalier_de_la_L%C3%A9gion_d'honneur_d%C3%A9cor%C3%A9_en_1984 |access-date=2025-01-06 |language=fr}} Légion d'Honneur in recognition of his contribution to cinema.

Tarak Ben Ammar is also a businessman,{{Cite news |date=2011-11-25 |title=Les mille et une vies de Tarak Ben Ammar |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/m-styles/article/2011/11/25/les-mille-et-une-vies-de-tarak-ben-ammar_1608525_4497319.html |access-date=2025-01-06 |language=fr}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Ramsay |first=Derek |date=2017-09-26 |title=Tarak Ben Ammar |url=https://variety.com/exec/tarak-ben-ammar/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Variety |language=en}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Loupien |first=Serge |title="Michael? Un garçon simple". Tarak Ben Ammar est le nouveau manager de Jackson. |url=https://www.liberation.fr/culture/1997/06/27/michael-un-garcon-simple-tarak-ben-ammar-est-le-nouveau-manager-de-jackson_208594/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Libération |language=fr}}

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.{{Cite web |author=Variety Staff |date=2010-05-07 |title=Nessma TV programs for change |url=https://variety.com/2010/film/markets-festivals/nessma-tv-programs-for-change-1118018962/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} Nessma is also the leading channel in North Africa.

He also controls Eagle Pictures,{{Cite web |last=Gagliardi |first=Pino |date=2023-08-03 |title=Tarak Ben Ammar on His Big Italian Job(s) and Why He Owes His Career to Roberto Rossellini |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tarak-ben-ammar-italian-studio-rome-1235550118/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Goldsmith |first=Jill |date=2021-07-15 |title=Lionsgate Takes 20% Of Spyglass Media, Most Of Its 200-Title Library In Broad Strategic Partnership Including First Look Television Deal |url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/lionsgate-spyglass-media-acquires-most-of-its-200-title-library-library-1234794032/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} Spyglass announced a strategic partnership with Warner Bros and other important US partners,{{Cite web |last=Lang |first=Brent |date=2019-04-16 |title=Warner Bros. Invests in Spyglass Media |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/warner-bros-invests-in-spyglass-media-1203190618/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} such as Lionsgate Entertainment.

In 2022, Tarak Ben Ammar acquired with Lantern Entertainment and his company Eagle Pictures, Studios de Paris,{{Cite web |title=Tarak Ben Ammar Finalizes Acquisition of Studios of Paris, Home of 'Emily in Paris' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://www.lanternent.com/press/tarak-ben-ammar-finalizes-acquisition-of-studios-of-paris-home-of-emily-in-paris-exclusive |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Lantern Entertainment |language=en-US}} the largest movie studio in Paris.{{Cite web |title=A propos {{!}} Studios de Paris |url=http://lesstudiosdeparis.com/fr/a-propos |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=A propos {{!}} Studios de Paris |language=fr}}

In 2023, his company Eagle Pictures has enlarged its strategic alliance with Sony Pictures by becoming the exclusive distributor of Sony Pictures in Italy.{{Cite web |last=Keslassy |first=Elsa |date=2022-11-01 |title=Sony, Tarak Ben Ammar's Eagle Pictures Ink Distribution, Co-Production Pact |url=https://variety.com/2022/global/global/sony-eagle-pictures-distribution-italy-pact-1235420436/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Vivarelli |first=Nick |date=2023-08-01 |title=Tarak Ben Ammar Expands Italy Operations by Buying Unscripted Outfit Blu Yazmine, Enters Talks to Build Rome Studios (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/tarak-ben-ammar-italy-blu-yazmine-unscripted-rome-studios-1235683256/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

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 [https://www.businessnews.com.tn/biographie-de-tarak-ben-ammar,525,14646,1 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, [https://www.imdb.com/fr/name/nm9547301/ Jad Ben Amma] r, film producer, and three children from his marriage to Polish actress [https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Beata+Ben+Ammar-183829/filmography Beata] (born Sonczuk), Neil, Tarak Jr. and his model-singer daughter Sonia Ben Ammar (Sonia Ammar).