Fimmaking UAE may be in its infancy, but the Emirates Film Competition (EFC), now in its tenth year, has had an enormous impact in inspiring and promoting young talent. The competition became part of the ADFF last year, so many short films featuring work from directors in the UAE and the rest of the GCC are now showcased at the festival. We caught up with EFC director and programmer Ali Al Jabri to hear more.
Tell us a little about the films that have been entered into this year’s EFC.
The thing I enjoy most about the EFC is there is always so much diversity in the topics. You wouldn’t expect it but these filmmakers can really deliver quite a punch with the topics they discuss. We see a lot of social issues including marital issues, family issues, young adult and teenager issues, and many more. We also have a film discussing the very recent uprisings in the Arab world. We have topics discussing our identity, not necessarily as nationals but as who we are.
How have you noticed the film entries developing over the past 10 years?
There have been significant improvement in terms of quality – especially now with technology becoming more portable and affordable. Also in terms of the overall narrative, filmmakers are becoming more experimental in terms of stories and topics, especially the student filmmakers.
Which would you say has been the most successful film or filmmaker to emerge from the EFC in the past few years?
The vision of the EFC isn’t to be the success story of one particular filmmaker, but to be the success story of a whole film industry. But Nawaf Al Janahi is one example, he has been participating in many of the previous editions of the EFC with notable works such as Mirrors Of Silence and The Circle. Now he has finished his second feature film, Sea Shadow, which is going to be premiering at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
Which of the Emirati films are really unmissable?
This year we have seen impressive films from the students of the American University of Sharjah and the Higher Colleges of Technology, which is very exciting. Also we have a good line-up of documentaries and narratives this year – I would say watch all of them!
How do you see filmmaking in the UAE developing in the next few years?
The UAE is a relatively young country, for a film culture to flourish it would require years and years of experimenting. After all, Rome wasn’t built overnight. But I believe the UAE is on the right track more or less. We are trekking deeper into unchartered territory and I am excited to see what filmmakers in the UAE have in store for us in the years to come. I expect higher quality films with better production and stronger narratives. I also expect more feature length films to come out, as I know a lot of filmmakers here would be very open to that idea. Especially with companies like the Abu Dhabi Film Commision, Twofour54, ImageNation and the Emirates Foundation supporting these filmmakers.
What does the UAE film scene need to propel it into the next stage of development? Are there any factors that restrict it at the moment?
Currently, we are lacking proper educational institutes for film – we lack advanced facilities for advanced filmmaking. Also, the private sector doesn’t break into the film market much as it’s almost always government backed. There isn’t much film industry in this region and not enough distribution, people aren’t buying and selling films and that affects exposure and experience for the filmmakers. Most filmmakers make the films and are then shelved after touring a few film festivals or competitions. We also lack a film culture in the region – but that’s normal since the industry doesn’t really exist yet. I also believe we aren’t very exposed to a lot of films outside Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters. I believe it is crucial for a filmmaker to have an eye for any kind of film and this is probably why I most enjoy working in the film festival and also attending other film festivals – I have a chance to see what other people are doing.
What do you think is the biggest impact the ADFF has had on local filmmakers?
For one thing, the Emirates Film Competition and the ADFF provide a platform for filmmakers to come and display their talents. We also offer the filmmakers a chance to meet other people in the industry, not just locally but abroad as well.
What are you most looking forward to at the ADFF?
The film festival is always a very exciting event. Everyone in the industry is all in one place, especially the Emiratis. It’s like a really big family gathering. I’m excited to finally meet the participating filmmakers in person and discuss their films and ambitions. Most of all, it’s just the environment and the overall energy and the promise a big film festival brings what with all the filmmakers coming together to celebrate the art of cinema.
www.abudhabifilmfestival.ae.
