Almost every major global cultural event was torpedoed by the coronavirus pandemic last year, but it felt like film festivals suffered more than most. Everything that typifies these celebratory cinematic gatherings – community, coming together, crowds – was deemed dangerous during a public health crisis, so movies had to take a back seat.
But necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention. And the film industry fought back – whether it was staging a socially distanced festival as Venice managed to, or offering up hybrid events, as seen in Toronto, New York and London.
This year, the film festival season is set to kick off with a virtual Sundance, Utah's nod to independent cinema that's launched the careers of the Coen Brothers, Steven Soderbergh and Quentin Tarantino among many others. Online Q&As and targeted events are planned, but it remains to be seen how the industry will cope without the on-the-ground audience buzz that festivals always bring.
Here, we outline the current plans major film festivals have for the year, what to expect and what films you might be able to see.
Sundance Film Festival: January 28 - February 3
"There is no Sundance without our community," announced Robert Redford, the Sundance Institute founder and president, recently. And like so many, the Sundance Film Festival is going virtual this year, with online premieres available to the public in the US and some international territories, as well as in-person screenings in art house venues in the US, where public safety allows.
The good news is, Sundance has had almost a year to prepare for this event, meaning it should run smoothly. The selection may have been slimmed down, but with 71 features from 29 countries, you'll hardly notice.
As ever, the line-up is eye-catching. It features Nicolas Cage's criminal / supernatural tale Prisoners of the Ghostland, as well as Passing, an adaptation of Nella Larsen's novel of the same name about two African-American women (starring Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga). It has actress Rebecca Hall stepping behind the camera for the first time.
A Glitch in the Matrix, a documentary by Room 237's Rodney Ascher, about people who believe the world around them is not real, is also on the roster. Another addition is Coda, which stands for Child of Deaf Adults,casts real-life deaf actors. The film is directed by Sian Heder, who made 2016's Tallulah.
Land, a two-hander set to the stark backdrop of the American wilderness, directed by and starring Robin Wright, will also premiere.
Berlin International Film Festival: March 1 - 5 and June
For as long as possible, the Berlinale held out hope that its coming 71st annual event could be staged physically. Rising Covid-19 infections in Germany now means that's not possible, but rather than cancel, the festival will unfold in two stages.
Firstly, in March, the programme will be presented to the industry, with buyers allowed to view films in a virtual European Film Market. A jury will also award prizes to the competition entries (including the newly modified performance awards, which will be gender neutral). In June, the winners will be presented to the public.
The films on show have yet to be announced – they will come in February – but given the postponements and delays of last year, you can expect a rich selection.
The Berlinale competition line-up is usually geared towards world cinema – last year Iranian film There Is No Evil by Mohammad Rasoulof took the coveted Golden Bear. But don't bet against a glossy film or two making an appearance. Perhaps British filmmaker Edgar Wright's 1960s-set horror Last Night in Soho, starring The Queen's Gambit actress Anya Taylor-Joy, which is currently scheduled for an April release.
Cannes Film Festival: May 11 - 21
Last year, the world's most prestigious film festival was cancelled for the first time since 1968, at which time the event was brought to a halt by directors sympathising with the student and labour strikes across Paris. With the idea of going online rejected, last year's official selection was announced belatedly in June and there was even a three-day showcase of films at the Cannes Palais in October.
This time, the festival has put contingency plans in place, working with local authorities to consider three separate blocks across June and July should it still not be possible to hold the festival in May.
Although nothing official has been announced, seemingly several of the films selected for 2020 have been held over for this year. Among them, Paul Verhoeven's Benedetta, his first film since 2016's Oscar-nominated Elle. The story of two 17th-century nuns – starring Virginie Efira – is seemingly guaranteed a competition berth whenever Cannes finally gets under way, as is Wes Anderson's The French Dispatch, which was set to open Cannes 2020. Since then, studio backer Disney moved its release date to October, before it disappeared off the schedules – presumably to reappear for Cannes.
After all, where else is a Paris-set "love letter to journalists" going to make its bow, but at France's premiere film festival?
Venice International Film Festival: September 1 - 11
A festival that was once mocked for screenings that ran late and poor organisation, the Venice Film Festival truly stepped up to the plate in 2020. Rigorous temperature checks, mandatory face-mask wearing and hand-sanitiser stations wherever you looked kept Covid-19 at bay – helped by the fact the festival area on the Lido was tightly controlled by security. You woke up with a high temperature, you weren't getting in.
After the success of that event, which ended with the acclaimed Nomadland winning the Golden Lion, the plan is to once more stage an in-person festival in Venice – for both the industry and the public.
What films will play there is pure speculation. Last year there were fewer blockbusters and hardly any stars, as was necessary, and those who did show up found the red carpet was shielded from view for safety measures. But this year could offer a glut of glittering A-listers, as long as they're allowed to travel.
One movie that could well be in contention is Paul Thomas Anderson's latest, Soggy Bottom. Anderson has form in Venice (he bowed The Master there) and this 1970s high-school set tale starring Cooper Hoffman, son of Anderson's late regular actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, looks like a delicious prospect.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
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
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Indoor Cricket World Cup
Venue Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE squad Saqib Nazir (captain), Aaqib Malik, Fahad Al Hashmi, Isuru Umesh, Nadir Hussain, Sachin Talwar, Nashwan Nasir, Prashath Kumara, Ramveer Rai, Sameer Nayyak, Umar Shah, Vikrant Shetty
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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