DUBAI // Workshops to nurture the region's film industry will be held during the fourth Gulf Film Festival, encouraging students and young filmmakers to develop a thorough understanding of cinema, the festival's director said.
A programme expansion, including special workshops on Thursday, the opening day of the festival, will deliver insights into the film business in an effort to build on the industry's foundations, Masoud Amralla al Ali said.
"It's something that will give them a flavour on how to make films," he said. "It's not about how to own the camera and shoot, it's about how to deeply understand the cinema, which is what we need.
"We must build the film industry in the Gulf region, and the workshops are a great opportunity."
The festival will showcase 153 films - including 45 Emirati titles - from 31 countries until April 20 at the Grand Cinema in Dubai Festival City.
Abdulhamid Juma, the chairman of the festival, said: "We wanted to make sure we take care of the industry, and do whatever we can do as a film festival because there are a lot of gaps in this industry, from financing to distribution."
This year's line-up includes 59 world premieres, 15 GCC premieres and 10 UAE premieres. There are 85 entries from the GCC, including 12 from Saudi Arabia, 11 from Kuwait, eight from Qatar, seven from Oman and two from Bahrain.
The workshops will teach filmmakers and students how to get their films seen and offer an introduction to filmmaking conducted by the New York Film Academy. Other topics include making the right technical choices and how to apply to international festivals.
"We want to look at students and young filmmakers because they are the industry's future," Mr Juma said.
With 1,400 film submissions, Emirati filmmakers, including Amina bin Dasmal, Ali al Jabri and Talal Mahmood, took the lead, according to Shivani Pandya, the managing director of Dubai Entertainment and Media Organisation.
"The participation from the Gulf has been greater than before, and we've had more Emirati films this year - up from 36 to 45," she said.
The festival's "In Focus" segment will highlight Cinematon, a 156-hour work from the experimental French filmmaker Gerard Courant. Installations throughout the festival will showcase 48 parts of the film.
A 10-day masterclass conducted by the Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami and attended by 45 filmmakers worldwide began yesterday as part of the festival. The filmmakers will each produce a film by the end of the workshop.
"The idea is to get good experience and good direction," Ms Pandya said. She said two competitions were on the agenda: the Gulf Competition, with 64 professional Gulf filmmakers, and a student category.
On Monday, students will be able to visit the set and view filming of the horror film Djinn at Studio City. They will also meet the film's director, Tobe Hooper.
An eclectic set of films, including six features made in the region and 16 animated films, will touch on Middle Eastern developments as well as lighthearted local issues.
"The Emirati film Calendar by Mr al Jabri is one of the films describing what has been happening in the Middle East," Mr al Ali said.
"It is an interesting time for the Gulf and the Arabs, so people should expect to hear their stories," Mr Juma said.
"People think Emirati films don't even exist, but this attitude is changing. Before 1990 there were only 58 Emirati films and now there are over 700, which is a big jump."
Mr al Ali said people in the UAE were now aware of the country's film industry, thanks to home-grown films such as City of Life by Ali Mustafa, which sold more than 70,000 tickets.
"That film did very well at the box office and I think those are the same people who are helping the industry to grow in the UAE," he said.
The festival will open on Thursday night with the world premiere of an Iraqi documentary, Child of Iraq, by Ala'a Mohsen. The film depicts his return to the country after 14 years.
cmalek@thenational.ae
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
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- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
From Zero
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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
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David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
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Investors: Undisclosed
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
'Midnights'
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Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)
Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD
