Gulf filmmakers shine at Italy’s global film festival
Four films that premiered at the inaugural Gulf Film Festival (GFF) in Dubai earlier this year were screened at the Horcynus Festival in Messina, the heart of European filmmaking.
The films included Belooh and Realism Beats (Oman), Bint Mariam (UAE) and Absence and Dinner (Bahrain).
Bint Mariam, by UAE-based director Saeed Salmeen Al Murry, was the recipient of the second prize at the GFF along with a certificate of appreciation for its leading lady Nevin Madhi. The film highlights the sufferings of a girl in her search for happiness. Dinner by Hussain Al Riffaei explores the taboo subject of adultery in a Muslim country.
Realism Beats by Dawood AlKiyumi and Belooh (Hopscotch) by Amer Al Rawas will serve as Oman’s contribution to the Italian event.
Commenting on the incredible exposure achieved by GCC filmmakers in the international field, Nayla Al Khaja, one of the first Emirati filmmakers, says: “We have some of the best artistic talent in the country and all they need is encouragement and international exposure.”
Al Khaja, who also organises special workshops on filmmaking, believes in the value of such film festivals. She says: “Film festivals are an essential stepping stone for new filmmakers and it’s their chance to get noticed by the jury, critics, audience and the international professionals from the field.”
The Horcynus Festival was the second international film festival to showcase GFF films and came close on the heels of the Nabeul Cinema Nights in Tunisia that screened eight of the movies that premiered at GFF. The UAE has also been invited as the guest country for the 2009 edition of the Horcynus Festival.
Masoud Amralla Al Ali, festival director of Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), said: “It is an honour for the UAE to be selected as the guest country for next year’s Horcynus Festival. It is a testament to the level of growth and exposure that our film industry has achieved through platforms such as the Gulf Film Festival and Dubai International Film Festival.”
Irfan Rasheed, director of the Horcynus Festival, said: “Choosing the UAE and its cinema comes in line with our aim to celebrate the excellence of Arab cinema. Our experience at the DIFF and the GFF provided us with rich perspectives of the range of cinematic milestones achieved by young Emiratis.
“The exposure provided to aspiring filmmakers by DIFF and GFF is highly commendable. Both events serve as important tools in building and developing the industry experience of emerging talent,” Rasheed added.
Al Ali came in for special praise from Rasheed for his central role in the development of the two festivals, in addition to his contribution to the Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Film Competition.
He added: “As artistic director of DIFF and GFF, and as the creative brain behind the Emirates Film Competition, Al Ali helped unleash the country’s cinematic potential and build a significant film library through the publications he supervised.”
Organised by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the GFF is an annual event and the first such initiative in the Gulf Co-operation Council countries. The festival provides a platform to promote regional filmmaking while positioning Dubai as the epicentre for fostering cinematic talent.