Acclaimed Emirati director Majid Al Ansari has won Best Horror Feature at Fantastic Fest, the largest genre film festival in the US, for The Vile.
The film, which will be released as Hoba in the UAE on October 30, tells the story of Amani, a wife and mother whose life unravels when her husband takes a second wife, only for something darker to begin invading the home.
The Vile has already been picked up for distribution in the US and is the first film from the UAE to do so. It will also screen at the London Film Festival next month, ahead of its UAE cinema release just before Halloween.
It is the second directorial project for Al Ansari, whose debut film, the crime thriller Zinzana, also premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2015.
Fantastic Fest director of programming Annick Mahnert told IndieWire: “To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we curated a remarkable line-up of feature and short films.
“Each year, our jurors face the difficult task of choosing from an extraordinary pool of talent, and this year was no exception. Despite the challenge, their selections reflect the true spirit of Fantastic Fest – a celebration of global cinema and the diverse voices that bring it to life.”
Charlie Polinger's The Plague, which had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, won Best Picture in the main competition, while Polish filmmaker Bartosz M Kowalski was named Best Director for his home-invasion thriller 13 Days Till Summer.
Speaking to The National ahead of The Vile's premiere, Al Ansari – who had spent the past decade cutting his teeth as a producer on films such as Hwjn and Scales and as a television director on Netflix’s Paranormal and Starzplay’s Kaboos – spoke about stepping back into the director's chair.
“I had to find my joy again,” he said. “Even when I am in the producer's chair, I don’t have the joy as much as directing.”
As a co-writer on the film, he also had to change the way he approached the project, he added. “I usually have no problem killing my favourite shots or scenes,” he said. “But with Hoba, I had to force myself to step away, sometimes for weeks, so I could come back and see it with fresh eyes.”
Hoba is being released in UAE cinemas on October 30
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
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Price: On request
Scoreline
Syria 1-1 Australia
Syria Al Somah 85'
Australia Kruse 40'
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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