A number of Gulf film directors who showcased their work at the Dubai International Film Festival this week say they believe the UAE is playing a leading role in transforming the region's film industry. But they also claim it will be some time before Gulf cinema is able to compete, financially or artistically, on the world stage.
The Gulf Voices programme at this year's festival has given 10 of the region's filmmakers a chance to screen their work in front of an audience of industry members and cinema lovers. The films range from Mriamy, about a belly dancer who falls in love with a fisherman in 1960s Bahrain, to Naked Human, an animated movie about human development in a globalised world.
Some of the directors claim that without festivals such as DIFF or the Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi, it would be almost impossible to reach audiences. They also believe that the growing number of film-financing bodies in the UAE, such as the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, are unrivalled in the region.
"I would love to become a full-time filmmaker, but there is no such thing in Kuwait. There is such a thing here in Dubai, so I'm thinking of moving here," said Meqdad al Kout, whose short film Banana is part of Gulf Voices. "There are a lot of institutions here that can provide you with financing for movies."
The 25-year-old, who works as a translator for the Kuwaiti government, is a serious fan of cinema. His list of filmmaking heroes includes everyone from Ingmar Bergman to the Coen brothers. Although he began making short films while at school, he was inspired to take filmmaking more seriously after learning that the Emirates Film Competition, launched by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage in 2002, was looking to showcase some of the region's blossoming talent.
"A friend suggested that I should start making films for festivals. I wasn't exposed to that kind of thing at all, so it was a totally new idea," he says.
Banana is his fourth short film and the second to play at DIFF. Clocking in at around 20 minutes, it was made for just Dh4,500. The black comedy is about a Kuwaiti man who seeks a temporary marriage. It relies heavily on surrealist devices, with bananas never far from sight.
Despite being optimistic that the UAE is helping to create a new Gulf film industry, al Kout also believes the current crop of movies from the region leaves serious room for improvement.
"I think there's a long way to go and we need to work a lot harder," he says. "It's because we don't have much of an industry at all. We are only starting to now."
He also claims that many Gulf moviegoers don't want to pay to see films about the realities of life in the region.
"Lots of people from the Gulf are only interested in Hollywood movies and it's difficult for them to grasp the idea of independent cinema; it's just not glamorous enough."
All the films on this year's Gulf Voices line-up were also screened at the second annual Gulf Film Festival in April, which focuses exclusively on cinema from the region. According to Masoud Amralla al Ali, the festival director of GFF and the artistic director of DIFF, it is an ideal time for aspiring filmmakers in the region to begin work.
"There are many factors that are in our favour right now. The interest in Gulf and Arab cinema around the world is definitely growing," he says. "Also today, with only a little money, you can have good-quality cameras and editing tools and do it at home. If you start now, in the future you could become one of the premier directors who helped build cinema here."
Many agree that a major obstacle blocking the progress of Gulf cinema is the current restriction on public screenings in Saudi Arabia. A film festival that was scheduled to take place in Jeddah in July was cancelled just hours before it was due to begin. A relaxing of the country's laws could be a blessing for the region's embryonic film industry.
"The biggest market is closed for cinema, but through DVDs you still have a big market in Saudi Arabia," says al Ali. "Dubai and Abu Dhabi are doing a huge amount to support local filmmakers, starting with the film festivals dedicating a section for them and giving them support.
"The Emirates Foundation in Abu Dhabi is a great supporter of filmmaking. Most of the recent short films coming out of the Emirates are being funded by it. Then there is the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, which is trying to attract Emirati filmmakers and other Gulf filmmakers. It's all happening in the UAE first and the film festivals are definitely helping."
The Abu Dhabi Film Commission was launched by Adach in January this year to help develop film and TV industries in the region. David Shepheard, the director of ADFC, explains: "We are here to find new talent, encourage them and train them. Throughout the year, we run a number of initiatives and run workshops for whoever would like to join. We take short films by the region's filmmakers and play them at international festivals like Cannes and Sundance."
This year, the ninth edition of the Emirates Film Competition, organised by ADFC, took place at the Middle East International Film Festival. Kellen Quinn, MEIFF's executive co-ordinator, described the festival's role in helping establish filmmaking in the region as wide ranging.
"The festival's foremost support for Gulf filmmakers is to create a film culture, a forum for discussion about films and a place to see films from other parts of the world. That's not film education in a technical sense, where you're learning to put a light up or work a camera, but more in the broad sense, which can help talent to emerge. You can't have filmmakers unless they are exposed to film culture."
Rawia Abdullah, 24, from Al Ain, won first place in the Student Short category at GFF in April with her film Amal's Cloud. It tells the story of a young girl whose parents have divorced. To symbolise the separation, the film shows a painted yellow line dividing the courtyard of the family home. In the moving short, the young Amal wishes for a cloud to appear and wash away the divide.
"Winning the award was a good step for me and things have become much better for filmmakers in the Gulf, but there is still lots of problems," she says.
"I cannot find actors. They won't co-operate with us because we don't have lots of money. There aren't enough good writers and it can be hard to get financial backing, too," says Abdullah, who received a grant from the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation.
The short had a budget of almost Dh25,000 and was shot in one day on a Sony high-definition camera.
"Digital cameras have made it easier for Gulf filmmakers. HD gives us the best picture. This is our liberation," she says.
The only full-length feature film in the Gulf Voices programme was written and directed by the Abu Dhabi-born Nawaf al Janahi. His film, The Circle, was partly financed by the Dubai-based media organisation MBC.
A reflection on death and destiny, it tells the story of a late-night meeting between a thief and a writer, who enter a discussion about the morality of their lives. With a budget of about Dh1 million, the film premiered in April and there are plans for it be shown on television and even in cinemas throughout the region.
"My film and Ali Mostafa's film [City of Life] are both taking steps towards the same thing; building a film industry here in the UAE," he says. "I believe that in four or five years, if more production companies come along and start thinking commercially, we will have a good base for a film industry for the entire region."
Many of the short films in the Gulf Voices line-up focus on pressing modern-day issues that are affecting those living in the Gulf. They include divorce, globalisation, temporary marriage and unexpected pregnancy. Although respectful to the morals of the region, films such as Naked Human, Half Heart and Banana seem intent on confronting taboos head-on.
"Showing the films in Dubai was a really interesting experience. Lots of people told me they thought the films were daring and ambitious, but some people inevitably get offended," says Meqdad al Kout, the director of Banana. "I like to portray funny things and play around taboos."
But not all of the Gulf Voices filmmakers agree with this approach. Al Janahi believes that if the industry is to become commercially successful, films must focus on universal themes that can reach any nationality.
"The UAE culture is so diverse and we have around 200 nationalities here, so if you become too narrow and specific, you lose different categories of the audience and this translates to tickets and money," he says.
"This is the approach I take with all my films; cinema is the universal language and I want people from Brazil, Japan, or wherever to understand my films."
@Email:ogood@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
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Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
if you go
The flights
Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.
The trip
Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.
FA CUP FINAL
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised
General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.
"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.
He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
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
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EGold%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMagomedomar%20Magomedomarov%20%E2%80%93%20Judo%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20%2B100kg%0D%3Cbr%3EKhaled%20Al%20Shehi%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20-62kg%0D%3Cbr%3EFaisal%20Al%20Ketbi%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20-85kg%0D%3Cbr%3EAsma%20Al%20Hosani%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Women%E2%80%99s%20-52kg%0D%3Cbr%3EShamma%20Al%20Kalbani%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Women%E2%80%99s%20-63kg%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESilver%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EOmar%20Al%20Marzooqi%20%E2%80%93%20Equestrian%20%E2%80%93%20Individual%20showjumping%0D%3Cbr%3EBishrelt%20Khorloodoi%20%E2%80%93%20Judo%20%E2%80%93%20Women%E2%80%99s%20-52kg%0D%3Cbr%3EKhalid%20Al%20Blooshi%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20-62kg%0D%3Cbr%3EMohamed%20Al%20Suwaidi%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20-69kg%0D%3Cbr%3EBalqees%20Abdulla%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Women%E2%80%99s%20-48kg%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBronze%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EHawraa%20Alajmi%20%E2%80%93%20Karate%20%E2%80%93%20Women%E2%80%99s%20kumite%20-50kg%0D%3Cbr%3EAhmed%20Al%20Mansoori%20%E2%80%93%20Cycling%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20omnium%0D%3Cbr%3EAbdullah%20Al%20Marri%20%E2%80%93%20Equestrian%20%E2%80%93%20Individual%20showjumping%0D%3Cbr%3ETeam%20UAE%20%E2%80%93%20Equestrian%20%E2%80%93%20Team%20showjumping%0D%3Cbr%3EDzhafar%20Kostoev%20%E2%80%93%20Judo%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20-100kg%0D%3Cbr%3ENarmandakh%20Bayanmunkh%20%E2%80%93%20Judo%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20-66kg%0D%3Cbr%3EGrigorian%20Aram%20%E2%80%93%20Judo%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20-90kg%0D%3Cbr%3EMahdi%20Al%20Awlaqi%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20-77kg%0D%3Cbr%3ESaeed%20Al%20Kubaisi%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Men%E2%80%99s%20-85kg%0D%3Cbr%3EShamsa%20Al%20Ameri%20%E2%80%93%20Jiu-jitsu%20%E2%80%93%20Women%E2%80%99s%20-57kg%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
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)
Global institutions: BlackRock and KKR
US-based BlackRock is the world's largest asset manager, with $5.98 trillion of assets under management as of the end of last year. The New York firm run by Larry Fink provides investment management services to institutional clients and retail investors including governments, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, banks and charitable foundations around the world, through a variety of investment vehicles.
KKR & Co, or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, is a global private equity and investment firm with around $195 billion of assets as of the end of last year. The New York-based firm, founded by Henry Kravis and George Roberts, invests in multiple alternative asset classes through direct or fund-to-fund investments with a particular focus on infrastructure, technology, healthcare, real estate and energy.
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa
THE BIO: Mohammed Ashiq Ali
Proudest achievement: “I came to a new country and started this shop”
Favourite TV programme: the news
Favourite place in Dubai: Al Fahidi. “They started the metro in 2009 and I didn’t take it yet.”
Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
The Library: A Catalogue of Wonders
Stuart Kells, Counterpoint Press
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Squad: Majed Naser, Abdulaziz Sanqour, Walid Abbas, Khamis Esmail, Habib Fardan, Mohammed Marzouq (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai), Khalid Essa, Muhanad Salem, Mohammed Ahmed, Ismail Ahmed, Ahmed Barman, Amer Abdulrahman, Omar Abdulrahman (Al Ain), Ali Khaseif, Fares Juma, Mohammed Fawzi, Khalfan Mubarak, Mohammed Jamal, Ahmed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Ahmed Rashid, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Wahda), Tariq Ahmed, Mahmoud Khamis, Khalifa Mubarak, Jassim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Yousef Saeed (Sharjah), Suhail Al Nubi (Baniyas)
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
MATCH INFO
Crawley Town 3 (Tsaroulla 50', Nadesan 53', Tunnicliffe 70')
Leeds United 0
The specs: 2018 Peugeot 5008
Price, base / as tested: Dh99,900 / Dh134,900
Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 240Nm @ 1,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
More from Janine di Giovanni
Scoreline
Liverpool 4
Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mane 61', Salah 68'
Manchester City 3
Sane 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gundogan 90' 1
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m, Winner SS Lamea, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m, Winner AF Makerah, Sean Kirrane, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m, Winner Maaly Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,600m, Winner AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m, Winner Morjanah Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,200m, Winner Mudarrab, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
Leaderboard
64 - Gavin Green (MAL), Graeme McDowell (NIR)
65 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Sebastian Soderberg (SWE), Adri Arnaus (ESP), Victor Perez (FRA), Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
66 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Tom Lewis (ENG), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Ross Fisher (ENG), Aaron Rai (ENG), Ryan Fox (NZL)
67 - Dustin Johnson (USA), Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez (ESP), Lucas Herbert (AUS), Francesco Laporta (ITA), Joost Luiten (NED), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
68 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Matthieu Pavon (FRA), Adrian Meronk (POL), David Howell (ENG), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Sean Crocker (USA), Scott Hend (AUS), Justin Harding (RSA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Shubhankar Sharma (IND), Renato Paratore (ITA)
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
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane