DUBAI 29 February 2020: Dubai Culture and Arts Authority will present a series of films at the first edition of ‘Al Marmoom: Film in the Desert’, which will take place from 4th – 7th March 2020 in the Al Marmoom Desert.
As part of Dubai Art Season, the event aligns with the new cultural vision of Dubai to establish the city as a global centre for art and culture, position it as an incubator for creativity, and ensure that it remains a thriving hub for talent.
Acting as curators for the film programme, Cinema Akil, the first arthouse cinema in the GCC, will be bringing critically acclaimed films from around the world to audiences at Al Marmoom. Over four nights it will present both narrative and documentary films, such as the award-winning feature-length film, You Will Die at Twenty, by Sudanese director Amjad Abu Alala; and Nearby Sky, a documentary film by Emirati filmmaker Nujoom Al Ghanem, which follows the journey of one woman’s devotion to her camel, said Wam.
The selection includes the critically acclaimed Mimosas by Oliver Laxe as well as George Miller’s 1981 fantasy, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. Finally, the line-up will also feature the premiere of the restored classic The Lion of the Desert by Moustapha Akkad and a programme of short films featuring some of the most established voices of Emirati film.
The event will host two key activation spaces, designed to host hands-on workshops centred on various aspects of filmmaking. Those taking part will also be able to create handmade VR binoculars using stencilled, folded paper. Through a guided session, participants can also produce their own short films by going through a process of storyboarding, role allocation, as well as scene and stage setting. At the end of the workshops, the films will be exported and stored for later use.
A series of masterclasses will take place through one-off sessions featuring seasoned experts of the industry, who will address topics and stimulate discussions for the interests of amateurs, expert filmmakers, and enthusiasts.
In addition, industry conversations with members of the local and regional film scene will be using the masterclass as a platform to share their experiences. There will also be a conversation about animation, and the UAE as a filming destination and the use of the country’s landscapes as a location for international films as well as a discussion about film distribution and how to enrich the existing film scene.
