The beginnings of a national cinema
Emirati production has long been limited to short formats. These include the freewheeling Shhh by Hafsa al-Mutawa and Shamma Abu Nawas, Al-Sinderella al-Jadeeda by Eva Daoud, The Caller by Amina Dasmal, Gheamt Shroog by Ahmed Zain, Inkhifad by Rashid al-Marri, Calendar by Ali al-Jabri, and City of Life by Ali Mustafa. In 2011, the Berlin Festival selected for the first time an Emirati short film, Sabeel, by Khalid al-Mahmood. On the creative entertainment front, Haidar Mohammed's animated series Shaabiat al-Cartoon is a hit and continues to renew itself. But how can we not mention Nawaf Al Janahi, a multi-faceted artist, actor and director born in 1977 to an Egyptian mother and Emirati father. His film The Circle was critically acclaimed and described as a turning point in Emirati cinema. In October 2021, his latest film Before we forget tells the story of a debt-ridden man who takes his son and his father, whose memory is failing, on a road trip in search of a buried treasure that should solve all his financial problems. He is also the initiator of the "Emirati cinema campaign", whose mission is to raise awareness of local production and encourage cinema in the country.
After the craze for short films, the country opened up to feature films in 2004 with the Dubai International Film Festival, the only festival devoted to feature films in the Emirates, and the installation of Dubai Studio City, which has encouraged the production of both domestic and foreign films. In particular, the studios attract Bollywood and Southeast Asian productions.
The Dream (2005), by Hani Al Shaibani, was the first Emirati film to be distributed in cinemas. Since then, feature film production has continued to grow. Among emerging directors, Tarik Al Kazim made a name for himself with the thriller A Tale of Shadows in 2017, whose sequel A Tale of Shadows: Illusions was released in 2020. Abdulla Alkaabi is also part of the younger generation of Emirati directors(Culture Shock, 2011).
Nujoom Al-Ghanem is one of the few female names in national cinema, and is also a poet whose practice extends to the visual arts.
Extraordinary complexes
Movie theaters in the United Arab Emirates have to match the standing of the cities in which they are located. Here, cinemas are equipped like palaces. Vox Cinemas is a national operator with sumptuous cinemas in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, particularly noteworthy for its complex in the heart of the Nation Towers in the capital of the Emirates, which offers luxury service.
Dubai has a number of open-air cinemas, the best of which is probably the Habtoor Grand, which also screens classics at Jumeirah Beach Residence. On the rooftop of the Galeria Mall, Vox Outdoor offers the big releases of the moment and a privileged service: just 100 seats, drinks, popcorn and sandwiches included in the price of the ticket, and a few VIP sofas for the more fortunate. Finally, at the Marina, a free daily screening for children, with a milkshake from the Salt foodtruck to complete the experience.
The Cinema Akil on Alserkal Avenue in Dubai is one of the few modest cinemas in Dubai to screen high-quality, uncensored films d'auteur. Visit the website for the program(https://www.cinemaakil.com/).
