Distinguished Emirati participation in the activities of the fifth session of the “Gulf Film Festival”
Today, Wednesday, in the Omani capital, Muscat, the activities of the fifth session of the “Gulf Film Festival”, which is held at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center, will conclude, with the participation of 26 Gulf films, competing in nine awards, in the categories: feature films, short films, and documentaries.
The “Festival” witnessed distinguished Emirati participation, represented by the presence of four films, highlighting the development of the film industry in the country and its pioneering role in the Gulf cultural scene. Emirati films represent a fundamental pillar of the film industry sector in the UAE, as they are an effective tool in enhancing the country’s cultural identity.
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Honoring Saad Al-Faraj
The list of participating films from the UAE included: the horror film “Houba” by director Majid Al Ansari, and “Eid Two Eids” by director Maitha Al Awadi, which is an Emirati-Saudi comedy, in addition to “Zamara” by director Alawiya Thani, which deals with a person’s struggle with his ambitions in a human drama framework, and “Birthday Girl” by director Badr Muhammad, which takes place in a comedy drama framework.
In its current session, the Festival honors the Emirati director, screenwriter and producer Abdullah Hassan Ahmed, in appreciation of his long career in supporting the national film industry, and his qualitative contributions to establishing the Emirati film movement and bringing it to the global arena.
Abdullah Hassan is considered one of the most prominent pioneers of Emirati cinema, as he presented more than 12 short films between the years 2001 and 2013. During his distinguished artistic career, he also won many awards, in addition to his recent participation in the film “Rituals of Water, Mountain and Light,” which includes selections from the most prominent productions of Emirati cinema over the past fifteen years.
The Saudi artist, Abdul Mohsen Al-Nimr, received special honor, during the opening ceremony of the activities of the fifth session of the “Gulf Film Festival”, in appreciation of his great artistic role. As one of the most active Gulf stars in drama and cinema, during the past two years, the most prominent of which is the movie “Hajan”, which was shown in 2024, and achieved a wide presence in a number of festivals. He is also preparing to release his new movie, “Sari and Amira”, in the category of suspense and excitement, and brings him together with a number of artists, including: Hala Al-Turk and Alexander Aloum.
The “Festival” also honored a number of Gulf actors and filmmakers, namely: Saad Al-Faraj, Ahmed Yaqoub Al-Muqla, Abdullah Hassan Ahmed, and Jumaa Heikal.
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Abdul Mohsen Al-Nimr, after honoring him, published a group of photos, and commented on them by saying: “A lot and a lot of gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman and its honorable people… all this love and inclusion, with which you showered me, during those few hours at the Gulf Film Festival… In fact, my honor was an outpouring of great love, enough to last me for many years.”
It is noteworthy that the “Gulf Film Festival” is one of the most prominent joint cultural festivals among the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and is held every two years. With the aim of promoting cultural and artistic exchange and supporting the film industry in the region, the “Festival” includes cinematic screenings of a group of feature films, short films and documentaries, in addition to seminars, workshops and dialogues with major film makers.
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