ADFF 2013 is showing a host of great documentaries including offerings from the UAE. Our favourites are all world premieres and all competing for Best Documentary.
El Gort
Made over a six-year period, El Gort follows the lives of two Tunisians whose job is to load and unload hay from trucks. The dead-end jobs they have now symbolise the way the Tunisian revolution, which took place during 2010/11, undeniably altered the country’s financial landscape. Trapped in jobs that offer little money and no real future, this quasi-road movie is a stirring social portrait on a very personal scale.
Tuesday October 29, 6.45pm, VOX 4. Thursday October 31, 3.45pm, VOX 6.
Hanging Dates Under Aleppo’s Citadel
Another Emirati documentary focusing on revolution, this sombre piece – directed by Mohammad Soueid – observes a young man’s experience in the Battle of Aleppo in Syria. Starting his role in the revolution as a singer in mass protests, before becoming a fighter on the streets of Aleppo, he also recounts his motivation; his father was ‘disappeared’ by the Syrian secret police in the ’80s. This documentary clearly looks like it will aim for the heart of such political upheaval, and also the hearts of the audience while it’s at it.
Sunday October 27, 9.30pm, VOX 4. Tuesday October 29, 4pm, VOX 2.
Whispers Of The Cities
Our final documentary pick is a rare thing; a film which understands the power of images. A documentary that truly defines the meaning of the word, this wholly observational work will showcase the patient talent of Iraqi filmmaker Kasim Abid, who, over the ludicrous span of ten years, gathered footage of life on the streets of Ramallah, Baghdad and Erbil and created a sprawling pastiche of life in the Middle East. Arrests are made; the fires of battle burn; a market stall owner’s produce is blown away. If you want a look at life at its most real, Whispers Of The Cities is as honest as they come.
Saturday October 26, 9.15pm, VOX 4. Tuesday October 29, 4.30pm, VOX 4.
Ticket info
You can buy tickets for the festival online at www.abudhabifilmfestival .ae, or in person from the Marina Mall box office between noon-10pm, from now until October 24. From October 25-November 2, the box office will be open right up until the start of the last scheduled screening. For the Emirates Palace screenings, the box office is open from October 24-November 1 from 10am until 30 minutes before the last screening.
Tickets cost Dhs30, Dhs20 if you’re a student. You can get a festival pass for Dhs400, allowing you to see as many movies as you can fit in. You can buy this online, or in person at the box office, for one ticket per screening.
If a movie you want to see is sold out, you can check the website at 12.01am the same day as that screening for any additional tickets. Also, 15 minutes before a screening, extra tickets may be made available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Be your own filmmaker
Belle director Amma Asante spills the beans on how to get into the industry your own way
Film school isn’t the only route into the industry.
‘I didn’t go to film school, so it’s certainly not the only way to get into the industry – I got into the business through writing. I think it’s important to watch films, and read scripts as much as possible. There are various websites that allow you to download the scripts for films that have already been made.’
Get a decent camera.
‘Get yourself a nice, reasonably priced digital camera, get some friends together and start shooting – and then start getting your work into short film festivals.’
Be proactive.
‘While you’re making your short, you can be writing your feature film that you can be getting out there to production companies and producers. I think the way to do that really is to look at the films you like, and look at who’s behind them. If you do have a screenplay you’ve written that you think is
good enough, get it out to those people.’
Ready to finally start making your film? There’s a wide selection of camcorders for reasonable prices at www.uae.souq.com, such as the Sony HDR-CX220 for Dhs875. For more professional equipment, try out www.abudhabi.dubizzle.com which you can get second-hand from Dhs600 – but if you’re looking to really splash out, get your hands on a Sony DCR shoulder-mounted camera for Dhs3,300 from www.amt.tv.
