The movie is the first production by Sharjah Media City and is the result of a two-year initiative that involved more than 2,000 aspiring creatives from around the UAE.
Emirati actress Amal Mohamed has won Best Asian Actress at the Septimius Film Awards in the Netherlands for her role in the Emirati film 218: Behind the Wall of Silence.
218 is the first film to be produced under the Sharjah Media City (Shams) initiative UAE Entertainment Experience, and is touted as being the “first crowdsourced film in the Arab world.”
The film was nominated in three categories at the Septimius Film Awards, namely, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Asian Film. Septimius aims to recognise and encourage independent film talent, supporting visionary films and bringing together all elements of filmmaking and storytelling.
Al Midfa added: “We congratulate Amal Mohamed on this achievement and wish her success in her career. We also take this opportunity to reiterate that 218 was only the beginning of Shams’ journey in the film industry, and we will be working on more outstanding productions that cement the UAE’s leadership in artistic and creative industries – sectors we aim to support both in the UAE and around the region, all the while training and empowering a new generation of filmmakers through our various initiatives.”
The Emirati suspense drama features a girl telling her story with her family. Her experience sheds light on various social issues ranging from domestic violence to nostalgia and the desire for revenge. 218 is directed by Emirati filmmaker Nahla Al Fahad and stars Habib Ghuloom, Mansoor Alfeeli, Amal Mohamed, Abdulla bin Haidar, Haifa Al Ali, and Fatma Jasim.
The film is a product of the UAE Entertainment Experience initiative, launched by Sharjah Media City (Shams) in 2019, under the slogan ‘Cinema Starts Here’, in order to develop the infrastructure of the film industry in all areas of creative and technical film production. The initiative has trained several film industry professionals, who contributed to the production of 218: Behind the Wall of Silence.
