Emirati films dominate GFF Gulf Short Film Competition

Emirati films make up a third of the short films vying for the Gulf Short Film prize at the Gulf Film Festival (GFF) this year.

The Festival saw a record number of entries in the competition, with the highest number originating from the UAE, representing a solid showcase of the latest in Emirati cinema by its best and brightest up and coming filmmakers.

Masoud Amralla Al Ali, GFF Festival Director, said: “This is an exciting moment in the development of UAE cinema. A new awareness of film as a means of expression has been born and opened up the possibility of a new career path to UAE Nationals. This is thanks in part to the sustained efforts of the major festivals that have constantly reached out to nationals and challenged them to express themselves through film. We have also seen a number of government-led training initiatives through the Emirates in recent years. The result is a body of work that is interesting, relevant and not afraid to take a stance on current issues in UAE society, while at the same time remaining rooted in respect for culture and heritage. Remember the names of the filmmakers in competition this year — we will be seeing remarkable things from them in coming years.”

Some of the entries include: Mansoor Al-Dhaheri’s Mirage.net, Till When, an Egypt-UAE coproduction by actor/director Mohammed Magdy, Amal Al-Agroobi’s Half-Emirati, Journeyman and the City of Pilgrims by Jalal Bin Thaneya, Um Khanoor, Talal Mahmood, Hamad Saghran’s Almost the Teacher.