OSN’s launch this month of Sundance Channel HD, the regional version of the Sundance Film Festival-affiliated channel, should cause some excitement among the Middle East’s cinephile community. The region is not spoilt for independent film, either in cinemas or on TV. The big annual festivals and some commendable efforts by the OSN Festival channel are an exception, but the multiplexes and broadcasters tend to play it safe with local winners and Hollywood blockbusters – with some commercial justification, one suspects. The new channel could change all that, having already succeeded in a number of international markets. Here are five reasons why Sundance HD could be a very good thing indeed.
10 Days of Sundance
The channel is now a separate entity to the festival, but the links to the leading indie cinema festival in the US remain close. Robert Redford founded both and the channel is currently screening a strand entitled 10 Days of Sundance, featuring top picks from last year’s festival. Check out Andrew Bujalski’s geeky comedy Computer Chess as well as such flicks as The Meteor and Halley.
Step off the beaten track
Some of the channel’s original content is truly out there, though some of it may not make it to the regional channel as it can be a little close to the bone. Green Porno, for example, has Isabella Rossellini act out the reproductive habits of marine animals and insects in what the channel describes as a “scientifically accurate yet extremely entertaining” manner. The Honorable Woman, on the other hand, casts Maggie Gyllenhaal as the daughter of a Zionist arms dealer who inherits her father’s company, uses it to lay data cables between Israel and the West Bank and campaigns for reconciliation in the region, then causes an international incident by being appointed to the UK’s House of Lords. American Idol this is not.
Talking shop
This continuing series In Conversation With features some of the world’s great directors, writers and actors talking about their life and work in half-hour slots. Slots pop up in the schedules most days and the current crop of conversationalists includes Ken Loach, Stephen Frears and Ben Kingsley – who should have the odd interesting thing to say.
Great drama
In its early days, the channel existed solely as a premium movie channel, largely to promote work that had screened at Sundance. In recent years it has branched out significantly, with original drama series emerging as a strong point. The channel is home to the critically acclaimed Rectify, which is about to launch its second season in the US. The Red Road and The Honorable Woman also debut early this year.
Journey: mystery solved
I may be alone in this one, but way back in 2009, I was at the UK’s Download Festival. The ageing American soft rockers Journey had just inexplicably topped the iTunes chart with their 1981 track Don’t Stop Believin’ and I felt bound by a sense of ironic duty to check out their set. Imagine my surprise to see before me the expected group of guitar-toting pensioners, fronted by what appeared to be a young Filipino. Now, because of Sundance HD, I can find out why, thanks to the documentary Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey, a documentary telling the “rock ’n’ roll fairy-tale story of the Filipino musician Arnel Pineda, who was plucked from YouTube to become the frontman for the iconic American rock band, Journey”. It’s screening all this week.
cnewbould@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
AWARDS
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Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
match info
Athletic Bilbao 1 (Muniain 37')
Atletico Madrid 1 (Costa 39')
Man of the match Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao)
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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HOSTS
T20 WORLD CUP
2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland
ODI WORLD CUP
2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
2025: Pakistan; 2029: India
ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
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More on animal trafficking
THE SPECS
BMW X7 xDrive 50i
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission
Power: 462hp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh600,000
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Nashrah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Mutaqadim, Riccardo Iacopini, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Jose Santiago, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Dalil Al Carrere, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Jayide Al Boraq, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
Company Profile
Company name: Big Farm Brothers
Started: September 2020
Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur
Based: Dubai Investment Park 1
Industry: food and agriculture
Initial investment: $205,000
Current staff: eight to 10
Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
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
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
