10 - 12 April 2002

This chance to screen films from the Emirates does not claim to establish a film festival, or try to impose a real existence of cinema in the United Arab Emirates. It is an attempt to penetrate through a mass of rigidity and stolidity that is surrounding an important cultural venture which is ignored, and still is, intentionally or not. Cinema is coerced, humiliated, insulted in all the countries of the world but it also leaves you perturbed, naked and exposed at the same time; and reaches out its flames and heat from its natural and everlasting fuel. "Emirates Short Films", is not a luring title to attract and look smart, but luring to provoke and act. Different tries on video, a merciful way to kill cinema, but in the end lives that the human being breathes and the cineaste, from its enraged lungs; and digest it with a choke; but reaches to the other with ease and says something, whatever it may be. Professional, amateur and students tries all gathered to affect, not merely to be screened for a few and that is it. Screened to grab attention, catch glances, not to become a commercial item or footage. Screened to say in all complete honesty: We have not yet died. And, if some of these tries were hazy or technically disturbed: visual or aural; then it came by itself to say it publicly: yes it is that, poor and depressing. And if the Cultural Foundation adopts this principle, for its own purpose, then let say it with them as well: we are here. Masoud Amralla Al-Ali _____________________

Emirates Short Films 2001 In Media 16 Nov 2002 New Arab Video LA Freewaves 28 Oct 2001 Blue: Azza Al Zarouni World Wide Video Festival 21 Sep 2001 Keeping life in focus 15 Dec 1999 Between Two Banks