The race to the Oscars began in earnest last month, with the New York Film Critics Circle handing out a clutch of awards to some of this year's prestige movies. But the recipient of its best picture gong - and now leading the charge for Academy Award success - is undoubtedly the most unlikely contender for some years. Also recognised by the Washington Area Film Critics Association and just this week by the Boston Society of Film Critics as the best film of the year, the 1920s and early 1930s-era The Artist is an ode to the silent screen - it doesn't just use the medium's tricks to tell its heartwarming story, but its limitations as well.
The black-and-white romance focuses on a fading star of the silent era who struggles to make the transition into talkies (played masterfully by France's Jean Dujardin). Not only does the film deliver tap-dancing routines and exaggerated acting, but it provides little more aural stimulation than a jaunty score - surely a tough sell in the age of Avatar?
Maybe not. After leaving audience spellbound at its premiere at Cannes and inspiring waves of nostalgic glee at film festivals around the world, The Artist is being lauded and adored, even by those who admit they have never seen a silent movie before. With the film about to go on general release in most territories, talk of a silent revival has already begun. In preparation, here is a guide to some of the best films of the silent era.
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
Often hailed as the very first Western and the catalyst for a genre that would become Hollywood's most popular for decades to come - today, the claim is heavily disputed.
The 12-minute heist movie made by the Edison Company (established by the light bulb inventor, Thomas Edison), however, shows remarkable narrative sophistication and makes for surprisingly thrilling viewing today. The scene in which one of the robbers fires, point blank, at the screen brought the audience closer to the action than had ever been attempted before.
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
Based on the play The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan, it's easy to guess why DW Griffith's film is reviled by many. But if you can look past the deplorable racial stereotyping, The Birth of a Nation is an ambitious and momentous civil war epic.
By all accounts, Griffith was indifferent to the racism of the story and more interested in pushing the limits of cinema. With its huge battle sequences and more than three-hour running length, it smashed all previous box-office records and was even the first film to be screened at the White House.
Les Vampires (1915)
Early cinema adopters, the filmmakers of France quickly realised that the medium of shadows was perfect for stories of terror and suspense. More thriller than horror, this 10-part serial follows the exploits of the criminal gang Les Vampires in a Paris that is riddled with trap doors and hidden passageways.
A precursor of surrealist cinema, it's a film that delights in its villains - particularly the vampish Irma Vep (played by the spectacularly dark-eyed Musidora) - more than it cares about following a coherent narrative.
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1919)
While Hollywood was busy making epics, German filmmakers experimented with bizarre horror stories, tinged with expressionism. With angular sets and grotesque characters, Caligari sees a deranged doctor and his sleepwalking associate linked to a series of murders in a German town.
Robert Wiene's film is a treat to behold, with its slanted windows and macabre imagery, but it also has a brilliantly articulated story - and even a twist ending.
The Thief of Baghdad (1924)
Known for portraying Robin Hood and Zorro, Douglas Fairbanks was the best-loved action star of the silent screen. Not only did he play The Thief of Baghdad's bare-chested hero, he also wrote and produced the film.
With a six-and-a-half-acre set (reportedly still the largest in Hollywood history), Baghdad was recreated in glorious detail. Some artistic licence was taken, however, such as the inclusion of dragons, winged horses and flying carpets.
The Battleship Potempkin (1925)
Perhaps the most famous and influential piece of propaganda in film history, The Battleship Potempkin is based on a real-life 1905 mutiny by Russian sailors.
The movie sees the ship's weary and oppressed crew-members overthrow their superiors - members of the old Tsarist regime - as well as a massacre of Odessan citizens by government soldiers.
The director Sergei Eisenstein wanted the film to have the maximum emotional effect on its audience and devised revolutionary camera and editing techniques to help achieve this.
The Gold Rush (1925)
After graduating from merely acting in films, Charlie Chaplin began writing, directing and even scoring his own projects. The Gold Rush was his most technically ambitious.
It sees his Little Tramp character head to the Yukon in search of his fortune, only to encounter fellow prospectors that are as treacherous as the conditions. It contains many timeless moments of comedy, but the scene in which the Tramp boils and eats his own shoe is perhaps the best remembered.
The General (1926)
America's greatest silent clown, Buster Keaton brought more than his famous deadpan expression and mind-blowing stuntwork to this, his greatest work.
Set during the civil war, the runaway-train movie sees Keaton attempting to save his locomotive (named The General) and his beloved, from the clutches of Union spies.
Not only in front of the camera, but also sitting in the director's chair, Keaton made a movie that is not just a great comedy, but a brilliant action-adventure and a stirring war film. Not bad for a clown.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)
Germany's FW Murnau was best known for Nosferatu, his deliciously gothic retelling of Dracula, when he was brought over to the US. But the film he chose to make in Hollywood was a far gentler affair.
With every frame resembling a perfectly composed still photograph, Sunrise tells the story of a rural couple whose lives are disrupted when a temptress arrives from the city. It boasts a level of emotional depth that no other silent quite achieved.
Metropolis (1927)
Considered cinema's first sci-fi masterpiece and, in its day, the most expensive film ever made, the German filmmaker Fritz Lang ensured the silent age went out with a bang when he made Metropolis.
Set in a futuristic dystopia where a bourgeois elite live a carefree existence above ground while a raggedy underclass toil in its bowels, the film's political message is not difficult to determine. Applying the expressionist flourishes seen first in Caligari to giant sets and cityscapes, it's as visually breathtaking as any film made since.
artslife@thenational.ae
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
TOP%2010%20MOST%20POLLUTED%20CITIES
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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.”
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 BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
SPAIN SQUAD
Goalkeepers Simon (Athletic Bilbao), De Gea (Manchester United), Sanchez (Brighton)
Defenders Gaya (Valencia), Alba (Barcelona), P Torres (Villarreal), Laporte (Manchester City), Garcia (Manchester City), D Llorente (Leeds), Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Midfielders Busquets (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City), Pedri (Barcelona), Thiago (Liverpool), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Ruiz (Napoli), M Llorente (Atletico Madrid)
Forwards: Olmo (RB Leipzig), Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Morata (Juventus), Moreno (Villarreal), F Torres (Manchester City), Traore (Wolves), Sarabia (PSG)
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Company%20Profile
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
