Cinema Akil is launching a summer-long series of film screenings, with classic and contemporary favourites that celebrate the joy of travel, in the spotlight.
Dubbed Cinema Akil Traveller, the programme kicks off on Friday, June 26, with four classic Italian films, which will be screened at the venue in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute and Front Row Filmed Entertainment.
The series will start with the Federico Fellini masterpiece La Dolce Vita.
Dubai's only independent art-house cinema reopened on June 12, as the UAE began easing restrictions that were put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
The cinema, which is located in Alserkal Avenue, has redesigned its seating arrangement and imposed a number of social-distancing measures to ensure visitors have a safe and worry-free viewing experience.
“At Cinema Akil, we've always believed that cinema can take you through places and times,” founder and managing director Butheina Kazim said in a statement.
“You don’t have to get on a plane to travel. Summer 2020 is not a typical one and, if like many this year, you’re choosing not to fly to your summer holiday destination, we wanted to bring that destination to you,” she said.
The organisation has joined forces with the newly opened Italian Cultural Institute Abu Dhabi and long-time partners Front Row Filmed Entertainment for the summer programme.
Here's the lowdown on a few of the films you can watch this season.
'La Dolce Vita' (1960)
One of Fellini's most lauded films, La Dolce Vita won the coveted Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1960, then nabbed the Academy Award for Best Costume Design two years later.
The comedy-drama stars Marcello Mastroianni, who depicts a columnist named Marcello Rubini, who many believe to be Fellini’s alter ego.
The film follows Rubini’s adventures around an ultra-modern, ultra-sophisticated, ultra-decadent Rome, creating a portrait of an intelligent but superficial man who craves a life of celebrity, wealth and self-indulgence.
La Dolce Vita will be showing at Cinema Akil from Friday, June 26 to Thursday, July 9.
'La Grande Bellezza' (2013)
Paolo Sorrentino's art drama La Grande Bellezza (The Great Beauty) won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2013.
It tells the story of an ageing writer, who, after his 65th birthday, begins to take stock of his life, and starts looking past the lavish nightclubs, parties and cafes he has spent most of his time in. Instead he wants to discover Rome in all its glory.
In 2016, the film was listed among the 100 greatest films since 2000 in an international critics’ poll.
La Grande Bellezza will be screening at Cinema Akil from Friday to Thursday, July 10 to 23.
'Il Postino' (1994)
Directed by Massimo Troisi and Michael Radford, Il Postino (The Postman) is one of the most romantic films ever made.
The film is set in the 1950s and tells of a postman whose sole duty it is to deliver Pablo Neruda’s daily mail after the exiled Cuban poet settles down on a tiny Italian isle.
The film is a moving tale of poetry, love and friendship, made more poignant by the fact Troisi – who also acts as the postman in the film – died the day after filming ended.
The comedy-drama earned numerous accolades upon its release in 1994, including the Bafta Award for Best Film Not in the English Language, Best Direction and Best Film Music.
Il Postino will be showing at Cinema Akil from Friday to Thursday, July 24 to 30.
'Mediterraneo' (1991)
Gabriele Salvatores’ anti-war film is set during the Second World War and tells the story of a group of Italian soldiers who become stranded on a seemingly deserted island in the middle of the Aegean Sea.
Soon, the soldiers realise that the island’s citizens have merely gone into hiding, thinking that they were under German attack. As the soldiers become acclimated to island life, they begin repainting the church’s frescoes, starting football teams and even finding romance.
Mediterraneo will be screening at Cinema Akil from Friday, July 31 to Thursday, August 6.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (all kick-offs UAE time)
Hertha Berlin v Union Berlin (10.30pm)
Saturday
Freiburg v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Sunday
Schalke v Augsburg (3.30pm)
Mainz v RB Leipzig (5.30pm)
Cologne v Fortuna Dusseldorf (8pm)
The specs: 2019 BMW X4
Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km
Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
RESULTS
Bantamweight:
Zia Mashwani (PAK) bt Chris Corton (PHI)
Super lightweight:
Flavio Serafin (BRA) bt Mohammad Al Khatib (JOR)
Super lightweight:
Dwight Brooks (USA) bt Alex Nacfur (BRA)
Bantamweight:
Tariq Ismail (CAN) bt Jalal Al Daaja (JOR)
Featherweight:
Abdullatip Magomedov (RUS) bt Sulaiman Al Modhyan (KUW)
Middleweight:
Mohammad Fakhreddine (LEB) bt Christofer Silva (BRA)
Middleweight:
Rustam Chsiev (RUS) bt Tarek Suleiman (SYR)
Welterweight:
Khamzat Chimaev (SWE) bt Mzwandile Hlongwa (RSA)
Lightweight:
Alex Martinez (CAN) bt Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR)
Welterweight:
Jarrah Al Selawi (JOR) bt Abdoul Abdouraguimov (FRA)
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The years Ramadan fell in May
The five pillars of Islam
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Prophets of Rage
(Fantasy Records)
Thanksgiving meals to try
World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.
Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.
The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.
Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m. Winner: Majd Al Megirat, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Shehhi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: Dassan Da, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Heba Al Wathba, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Harbour Spirit, Adrie de Vries, Jaber Ramadhan.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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