|
||||||||||||
Abu Dhabi Film Commission Takes Five UAE Filmmakers To Berlin International Film Festival |
||||||||||||
|
Abu Dhabi Film Commission (ADFC) is heading to the 61st Berlin International Film Festival this week with five UAE national and resident filmmakers to meet with producers and other influential figures in the European film industry with the goal of identifying business and film production opportunities, as part of its association with the European Producers Club (EPC). The partnership will allow the delegation to travel to Berlin for four nights from the 11th to 14th February, and attend a series of special events, workshops, and networking opportunities with international producers and filmmakers, hosted by EPC and ADFC. ADFC has played a central role in developing the Film and TV industry in Abu Dhabi and the UAE, striving to promote the UAE’s production infrastructure and extensive creative talent to the production community around the world. The five delegates accompanying ADFC were jointly chosen by ADFC and EPC because of their range of experiences and active participation in the UAE film industry. ADFC Director David Shepheard, said "We are pleased that such prominent filmmakers from the UAE will be attending Berlinale alongside the ADFC team. It is a great opportunity to showcase the talents of this extremely talented group boasting such a range of experiences and that have been active in the film and TV industry in the UAE. There will be a lot of exposure for the UAE at the festival this year and we aim to make the most of this by promoting talent and films from the UAE." Butheina Hamed Kazim is the Emirati Producer of the documentary film Letters to Palestine and was the curator of an Independent Films Program at Shelter in Dubai, while delegate Eva Star Sayre is the Business Director of Veritas Films and Executive Producer of the award winning film Teta, Alf Marra (Grandma, A Thousand Times). Emirati Actor, Director and Producer Nawaf Al Janahi, has brought several films to the UAE including prize winning film Mirrors of Silence, as well as feature films The Circle which was screened at the Gulf Film Festival (GFF) and Sea Shadow which is currently in post production. Amina Dasmal, Emirati Producer of Toronto Film Festival’s 2007 Discovery Award winning film Cochochi has also produced Siren, The Caller and Trash Humpers, which collectively have won 8 major film awards. Tim Smythe, Founder of Filmworks who co-produced for Paramount Picture’s Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and facilitated the production of films such as Syriana and The Kingdom in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. He has also produced Emirati feature film City of Life in conjunction with Emirati Director/Producer Ali Mostafa. These UAE based film makers will be posting blogs and video diaries during the Berlin International Film Festival to share their experiences during the festival and market. The delegates have a full schedule of pre-arranged meetings with numerous Producers, Financiers and distribution companies. |
||||||||||||
