Promises Fulfilled

EFC Film Program (click here) Emirates Film Competition… Promises fulfilled When the Emirates Film Competition was launched there was abundant hope that one of the benefits would be the realization of a strong Emirates film industry. The fulfillment of that wish is evident in the vast number of films from the Emirates that are being screened in Arabic and international festivals. The 2008 edition of the Emirates Film Competition not only introduces more films, but the number of newcomers to the annual event is exceeding past years. This is testament to the advancing film business in the country and the young filmmakers who are attentively contributing to the nucleus of the emerging industry. This year’s competition has been opened to filmmakers throughout the Gulf region and other producers. As additional incentive, this year the Emirates Film Completion has increased not only the number of categories, but also the monetary value of the awards. Among the newly introduced prize categories is script writing as encouragement to enhance film production. The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage aspires to honor the Emirates Film Competition legacy by recognizing and supporting the expanding industry and providing a platform for those filmmakers in the Emirates who are depicting our culture and national identity. We look forward to witnessing the evolution of creative ideas into quality films with high aesthetic principles; films that will be our ambassadors, conveying a message of peace and love to the world. As the 2008 edition of the Emirates Film Competition comes to a close, we reflect on the expanding industry in the United Arab Emirates and the role of not only the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, but most particularly the young filmmakers who continue to inspire. We look forward to 2009 and beyond and contemplate the unlimited possibilities ahead whether they be available through the evolution of technology, or the vast untapped creativity of the Emirati youth who are inexorably drawn to this industry. As for the future plans of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage in this realm, we are expanding our investment in the future of film in the UAE with a program that will make state-of-the-art equipment available to the young Emirati filmmakers. Mohammad Khalaf Al Mazrouei Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, Director General

7th Edition 2008 In Media 17 Jan 2008 Double take 16 Jan 2008 Films from Emirates Competition increases AME Info 16 Jan 2008 UAE filmmaking promoted in new script competition 13 Dec 2007 UAE expands Emirates film competition 10 Oct 2007 Let the festival begin