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29 March 2024

Emerging Emirati filmmakers

Published
By Rachel McArthur and Bindu Rai
   

A look at the future stars...

 

Mustafa Abbas 


This child prodigy has come a long way to feature his seventh film at this year’s DIFF. Using birds as symbolism and playing with shadow lighting, his gritty films will transport you back to the 1980s genre of thrillers. His latest 100 Miles, which has already picked up an award, is a thriller about a young schizophrenic.

 

Nayla Al Khaja 


This Ryerson University graduate is the founder and managing director of Dubai-based Dessart Production. She won an Emirates Women of the Year Award in 2005 and in November won a Lloyd’s Bank Inspirational Leadership award. Last year, she created a buzz at DIFF with her six-minute film, Arabana, about child molestation.

 

Fadel Al Muhairi


He made his short film debut at the Emirates Film Competition in 2002 with the experimental Tolerance and followed up with Once Upon a Night [2003]. In 2004, he made Al Ghaith, about poverty in the UAE. His documentary, Under Construction, created quite a stir by giving an insight into the lives of construction workers in the UAE.

 

Hani Al Shibani
 
Jointly named UAE Filmmaker of the Year with Al Muhairi at MEIFF this year, Al Shibani is well known on the festival circuit. This 33-year-old is a graduate of Cairo University and he has several short and full-length features to his credit. Perhaps his most notable film is Jawahara (Gem), which has won him two prestigious awards.