Best of Emirati cinema to be screened at SIKKA 2012

The best of Emirati cinema, screened at the past four editions of the Gulf Film Festival, will be screened for free to the public as part of a unique collaboration between the festival and SIKKA 2012, a contemporary art fair by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) at Al Bastakiya from March 16 to 25, 2012.

The first of its kind initiative aims at highlighting the significant strides that Emiratis have made in films and is in line with SIKKA’s objective of showcasing UAE’s diverse and emerging art perspectives. Some 42 films including features, documentaries and shorts by professional Emirati filmmakers and students will be screened from March 16 to 24 at the Dar Al Nadwa in the heritage district.

SIKKA, now in its second year, is a carefully selected presentation of works by forward-thinking artists, and runs concurrently with Art Week, the umbrella initiative that includes a range of contemporary art and design events, museum shows, gallery exhibitions and artists’ projects, coinciding with Art Dubai.

The selection, from award-winning features to hard-hitting documentaries and delightful shorts by students, presents the eclectic styles of filmmaking by Emirati filmmakers, and the rich and growing film talent pool in the country. 

GFF’s SIKKA showcase will feature spotlight sessions on three directors – Khalid Mahmood, Nujoom Alghanem and Waleed Al Shihhi. The programme will also present women filmmaker talent in the country, and two thematic perspectives – identity and the other side – as explored by UAE national film directors.

On Friday, March 16, 2012, a selection of films by award-winning Emirati director Khalid Al Mahmood will take centrestage from 9:00 to 9:50 PM. The films to be screened include: Sabeel (2010), Bint Al-Nokhitha (2008), Celebration of Life (2006) and Dreams in a Box (2003). Sabeel won the first prize in the Official Gulf Competition and Best Script for Mohammed Hassan Ahmed at GFF 2011 and was the runner up at DIFF 2010’s Muhr Emirati Awards. The story of two young boys living in the mountains of the UAE who must earn enough money to buy medicine for their sick grandmother also won Best Short Film at The New York Film Eurasian Festival, and was chosen for Locarno and Berlinale.

The lineup for Saturday, March 17, includes five GFF prize-winning films by Emirati filmmakers including: Mountain Sheik (directed by Nasser Al Yaqoobi; GFF 2008 – Second Prize winner, The Official Gulf Competition – Documentary); End of December (Hamad Al Hammadi; GFF 2011 – Third Prize winner, The Student Competition – Shorts); Ghaimat Shrooq (Ahmed Zain; GFF 2009 – Special Mention at The Official Gulf Competition - Shorts); The Sea Hides (Hamad Saghran; GFF 2008  - Special Jury Prize, Student Competition) Tenbak (Abdullah Hassan Ahmed; GFF 2007 – First Prize, The Official Gulf Competition – Shorts and Special Mention for Cinematographer, Sameer Karam); and Bint Mariam (Saeed Salmeen Al-Murry; GFF 2008 – Second Prize – The Official Gulf Competition - Shorts). The screenings will take place from 8 pm to 10 pm.

Emirati student talent will be in the spotlight on Sunday, March 18, from 5 pm to 7 pm, with the screening of Second Wife (Moza Al Sharif); Finding Mr & Mrs Right: Dubai Style (Elham Sharaf and Hind Al Hammadi); Am Arab (Ahlam Albannai and Jumana Al Ghanem); Mad Camel (Mohammad Fikree); Constructing Dreams (Moath Bin Hafez); Access Denied (Nawar Al Shamsi) and Shhh (Hafsa Al Mutawa and Shamma Bunawas).

On Monday, March 19, the programme is dedicated to Emirati women filmmakers. The films to be screened from 6 pm to 7 pm include: Rewind (Muna Al Ali); Amal’s Cloud (Rawia Abdullah); Nations and Tribes (Maysoon Al Ali); Once (Nayla Al Khaja) and I’m A Man (Shamma Bunawas and Sahar Al Khatib).

Continuing the tribute to women filmmakers, on Tuesday, March 20, Hamama, directed by Nujoom Alghanem will be screened from 6pm to 8pm. A documentary on a 90-year-old female healer and living legend, Hamama won first prize in the GFF 2011 Official Gulf Competition and Special Jury Prize at DIFF 2010 Muhr Emirati Awards. It was supported by Dubai International Film Festival’s Enjaaz post-production support programme.

A unique compilation of films exploring the theme of identity will be screened on Thursday, March 22, from 6 pm to 7 pm. The selection includes: The Half Heart (Bilal Abdullah); Supplication (Omar Ibrahim); Miriam’s Paradise (Mohamad Al Hammadi); Abeer (Talal Mahmood) and Slow Death (Jamal Salim).

On Friday, March 23, from 8:00 to 10:00 PM, the showcase of Emirati films will explore ‘the other side’ and includes: Gloves (Saleh Karama); Calendar and Consultant (Ali Al Jabri); The Last Hope (Ibrahim Almarzouqi); Hammer & Nails (Hamad Al-Awar); Soweer (Saud Merwesh); Life of Stone (Moath Bin Hafez); Noura’s Apple (Manal Ali Bin Amro) and Al Kandorah (Maitha Al Haddad and Sheikha Lamya Al Mulla).

On Saturday, March 24, the final day of the GFF showcase at SIKKA, the spotlight will be on Waleed Al Shihhi, with the screening of five of his films – The Water Guard, Aushba’s Well, Ahmad Sulaiman, Door and Wind. Screenings will run from 8:30 PM to 10:00PM.

Masoud Amralla Al Ali said: “The Emirati showcase at SIKKA is a clear demonstration of the rich filmmaking talent we have in our country. The interest in cinema that we see in our youth is also stimulated by the UAE’s rich artistic and cultural heritage, which is reflected in the story-telling style and the themes our filmmakers explore. The best of GFF at SIKKA is a not to be missed opportunity to witness the evolution of a home-grown Emirati cinema industry.”

Salem Belyouha, Projects & Events Director, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, said: “We are delighted to host the best of Emirati films from Gulf Film Festival at SIKKA 2012. While the predominant focus of SIKKA is on fine arts, the introduction of the film programming highlights our commitment to promote all cultural artforms in the city. We believe that by bringing together the significant achievements by Emirati creative professionals working in different realms of arts under one roof, we can encourage and drive more original content creation locally and inspire new talent.”

Entry to the GFF films at SIKKA 2012 is free.

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