It's not unusual for teenagers to encounter a degree of trepidation when they first fly the parental nest and head off for college – particularly when that college is continents away. For Dubai-raised Janam Patel, who last year left her family behind to embark on her studies in the United States, at Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, this was no different. What set her apart is that she used the emotions she experienced to make a short film, Fear, which she wrote, directed and starred in, and which has already picked up awards at both the LA Film Festival (Best Editing and Young Filmmaker Award) and the Festigious Film Festival (Best Actress in an Indie Film).
The three-minute film's achievements are all the more impressive given that Patel had never even attempted to make a movie before – she had to borrow all the equipment, her mum was her main crew member, and the whole project was made for around Dh2,000. The film, says Patel, was an interpretation of the insecurities she felt as a new student, thousands of kilometres away: "It was inspired by true events and feelings I think a lot of people of my generation feel," she says. "After finishing my first year in college I felt there were a lot of things I was unsure of and I was letting my fears and insecurities take over me, worrying about my career and what's going to happen later on. It was taking over me."
The fear the film addresses isn't unique to teenagers, Patel adds. "I just thought there's so much fear out there," she says. "Children are scared of lots of things, adults are scared of losing their jobs ... , and teenagers are scared of what's going to happen in the future. It's a really common emotion in all of our experiences and I decided to express that in a short film."
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Fear was shot over one day, in and around Dubai Mall, and Patel hopes that as well as entertaining audiences, it can serve as an educational tool about the UAE – particularly in her adoptive US home, where she has already been shocked by some of the reactions. "I was really surprised when I showed it in the States," she says. "One girl was like, 'Oh my, this is so weird. I thought Dubai was really unsafe and you couldn't leave your house or go out at night.' It was so weird. Dubai is really popular with so many people, but there are still a lot of people around the world who think of it as some unsafe Middle Eastern scary place, or a place of restriction, so I hope my film can educate audiences about that too, when people see how normal the mall is and all the different people living in harmony."
Patel says she had a number of rejections when she first started submitting the film to festivals, but that once the awards started flooding in, all the effort was worthwhile. She is now trying to get the film into more festivals and is working on a website and a social media campaign to try to publicise it further. She also wants to organise a public premiere for her brief debut, which she hopes will take place in Dubai, her home of 19 years. She also has a new script ready for a second movie.
Although Patel has been thrilled by the success of her film, she is keeping her feet on the ground. She is continuing in her studies and hopes that one day she may be able to use the money management skills to launch a full-time filmmaking career – but only after she's spent a few years working in business.
She also has a few words of advice for other aspiring young filmmakers who are ready to take their first steps. "Just jump right in," she says. "The biggest thing that was holding me back was the feeling that I wasn't ready, or I wasn't experienced enough because I hadn't studied filmmaking. I had to Google things like camera angles and figure them out for myself, so don't aim for perfection, just jump right in. That would be my main advice to other young filmmakers."
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
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Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
