What have Napoleon Dynamite, the Saw franchise and District 9 all got in common? On the face of it not much, aside from the fact that they’ve all garnered varying degrees of critical acclaim and mammoth commercial success, of course. A little snooping down the back of the internet however reveals one crucial, shared thread: each of these instantly recognisable titles began life as a cinematic short with miniscule budgets and even smaller crews. In fact, if any of you cinephiles out there are interested in seeing these flicks in their original incarnation they can still be found on YouTube.
Why are we telling you all this? Because this Friday (October 26) on the Corniche, amateur filmmakers from across the Middle East and North Africa, driven by little more than their innovation and imagination, will be debuting short features at Tropfest 2012 in a bid to be recognised as, potentially, the next big thing in the movie world.
Judged by a panel consisting of the most famous names in Arabian cinema and screened in front of thousands of film fans (a whopping 12,000 people showed up at last year’s event) these budding filmmakers will have one eye on the top prize (Dhs46,000 and a trip to meet industry professionals in Los Angeles no less) and another on the opportunity to make films as a full time career.
Originally founded in a café by Australian actor and director John Polson (who later went on to helm the likes of Hide And Seek, starring Hollywood royalty Robert De Niro) Tropfest has gone on to become a staple of the film industry’s calendar. Focusing on introducing the world to the raw talent often overlooked by studios and presenting them with a chance to showcase their wares, Polson is keen to shine a spotlight on new filmmakers in the Arabian world. ‘I couldn’t be more excited that Tropfest is providing a lightning rod for the people in the [MENA] region to show what they’ve got [to show], outside the Hollywood system and tell their own local stories,’ he says.
To spice up the competition there’s one major requirement: each film must contain a specific object known as the TSI (Tropfest Signature Item). This year’s TSI is ‘Two’ and the entries may either be heavily inspired by the TSI or just make a slight, or even hidden, reference to it. The idea being that the person behind each piece of film must stretch their creativity and also highlight the fact that the film was made specifically for Tropfest.
Polson is also keen to point out that although Tropfest offers a fantastic and unique platform for the competition entrants it’s not just about seeking adulation or chasing the Hollywood dollar, ‘This is a competition for storytellers and not just about becoming famous.’
The message is clear – presenting your story in a compelling and intriguing manner is more likely to gain the recognition of the judges. Just check out the beautiful animated winner from last year, Flock Of Stars, by Iraqi director Jassem Al Jabbouri on the Tropfest website to get a better idea of what might sway the voting on the night.
So, if you fancy possibly catching a glimpse of the next Scorsese or Kubrick get yourself down to the Corniche. If nothing else you’ll at least get to watch some of the finest short films currently being produced in the region, and that’s no bad thing. Oh, and did we mention it’s free? Well we did now.
All of the films can be viewed on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, starting from 6pm on October 26. For a full list and venue information visit www.tropfestarabia.com
