Beirut DC is a cultural association for the development of independent Arab cinema that was founded in 1999. Beirut DC’s aims are:
 - To encourage and enhance a creative cinematic movement in the Arab World through varying modes of promotion, production, training and co-production meetings;
- To support Arab independent filmmakers and producers by encouraging them to create films that question socially established norms and beliefs;
- To urge change and the development of new personalized cinematic approaches;
- To use art and cinema to communicate across the largest possible audience, ultimately transforming the art of film into a tool that reaches all communities and societies; - To normalize cinema by making it readily available for everyone to enjoy, as opposed to its current status as a luxury good.