Dubai will host the first Cinematic Innovation Summit in December at the Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah. The summit to be held on December 5 and 6 will feature visionaries from Hollywood, Silicon Valley, academia, and beyond. A first-of-its-kind event, the summit will be a dynamic mix of symposium, film festival, and interactive space for cutting-edge works […]
Dubai will host the first Cinematic Innovation Summit in December at the Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah. The summit to be held on December 5 and 6 will feature visionaries from Hollywood, Silicon Valley, academia, and beyond. A first-of-its-kind event, the summit will be a dynamic mix of symposium, film festival, and interactive space for cutting-edge works and technologies and discuss the future of cinematic innovation, throwing a spotlight on the changes to come.
The summit is co-organised by the Centre for New Cinema and naseba, and held in conjunction with the Dubai International Film Festival. The Summit will immediately precede the 10th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival.
Scheduled speakers at the Cinematic Innovation Summit include: Alvy Ray Smith, co-founder of Pixar, award-winning engineer, digital imagery pioneer and visionary; actor Stephen Lang, globally acclaimed for a formidable screen-and-stage career that includes his role as Colonel Quaritch in 2009s CGI-powered blockbuster AVATAR; and David Linde, CEO and founder of Lava Bear Films, the film production and financing company formed in partnership with Reliance Entertainment, Universal Pictures, eOne Entertainment, the Tele-Muenchen Group, Nordisk Film and Sun Distribution (Linde also served as Chairman of Universal Pictures and President of Focus Features).[1]
Explaining his rationale for participating, Alvy Ray Smith commented: “I helped create the future of cinema once before. I want to be part of creating the next future of cinema. That’s why I’ll be in Dubai.”
DIFF Chairman Abdulhamid Juma commented: In todays world, technology is transforming the entire media ecosystem and this impact is already visible in the rapidly growing cinema industry across the region. We understand that providing guidance and access to these powerful new tools for storytelling is now crucial to the achievement of our ultimate goal – enabling talent and film to find critical and commercial success. We are delighted to host the inaugural Cinematic Innovation Summit in association with our partners CNC and Naseba ahead of our 10th anniversary. The summit will be an annual event that furthers our commitment to the development of cinema and the film industry.
JB Davis, President of the Centre for New Cinema, said: Its an exciting time to be in cinema: the rules for how movies can be made and experienced are all being rewritten. The Cinematic Innovation Summit exists to anticipate the changes to come. Were thrilled to hold this world-first event in Dubai, a city that itself embodies innovation and possibilities. All told, the Summit promises to be an unprecedented event.
Nicholas Watson, Managing Director at naseba, said: Not only is Dubai an exciting emerging market, but it continues to enhance its relationship with the world of cinema, making it the perfect location for this summit. Furthermore, because of its geographic position, it is ideal for connecting movie professionals with businesses from East and West.
