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They’ve got talent!
They’ve got talent! Silvia Radan (silvia@khaleejtimes.com) / 3 July 2013 Saleh Al Shunnar was the last Emirati standing with a chance to win the Dh50,000 Best Film award in the Arab Film Studio’s film competition. Minutes before the awards were announced on Monday night in Yas Viceroy hotel, the Dubai-born was the centre of attention, giving interviews, posing for photos and greeting friends and supporters. Arab Film Studio, which was established in 2011 in partnership with Image Nation and twofour54, is a short film competition that aims at discovering talent and giving aspiring talent the tools to carve out a career for themselves. “Image Nation gave us $5000 to make a short film, and also a lot of support in the form of training, even hotel accommodation,” said Saleh, who has never before attempted to make a film. His story is one that he much cares about: litter. Titled Recycled, Saleh’s short film is about a Western film director shooting a movie in Hatta, but litter keeps appearing in every scene. Eventually, he gives up, but his Emirati assistant director takes the discarded film reels and creates a short film about litter, which is the actual film the audience gets to see. “Litter really bothers me. This particular story came to me as I was sitting in my usual cafe in Dubai, having a karak. I kept seeing people throwing rubbish on the street, when garbage bins are nearby,” said Saleh. The Emirati filmmaker was happy to have reached this stage of the competition, especially since the films were judged by the likes of Jude Law, David Frankel (director of The Devil Wears Prada), Michael Brandt (writer, The Double), UAE’s Nawaf Al Janahi (director, Sea Shadow) and several other international film industry personalities. “In my view, I have won already. We all did. Just to finish the film was an accomplishment in itself,” mentioned Saleh. Altogether, there were 13 contestants selected for the competition and only six made it to the final: Mohamed Islem Cherchali, a Dubai resident from Algeria, Muneer Al Busaidi, an Omani living in Abu Dhabi, Allegra Brooksbank, a Dubai-based American, Belal Anteple, a Syrian living in Al Ain, Sara Saber, a Dubai resident from Egypt and Saleh Al Shunnar. Saleh’s Recycled did not win the big Best Film award, but it did take one of the other seven awards, the Best Sound Design. The night, in fact, belonged to Sara Saber, who scooped not only the much desired Best Film, but also Best Screenplay and Best Editing for her short film In Her Eyes. “Oh, my God! Thank you very much!” she burst out on the stage as she received the Best Film trophy. “I’ve been blessed with a fantastic team, who supported all my crazy ideas,” she went on. In Her Eyes is a story of two different generations and their separate values. A mother and her daughter find themselves at crossroads as their visions clash – the mother finds reason in the art of poetry, despite her poverty, while the daughter wants to pursue a financially successful life. “This is my story,” Sara told Khaleej Times. “I have this inner struggle in me weather or not to pursue art, but I think I can combine art and business,” she went on. Details for the 2014 Arab Film Studio competition will be announced later this autumn. Continue reading
World monuments park & more
World monuments park & more Sajila Saseendran (sajila@khaleejtimes.com) / 3 July 2013 His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Tuesday reviewed and approved new civic projects being implemented by the Dubai Municipality, which include a miniature park of world monuments and a central library with over two million books. If a tourist wishes to see all the famous monuments across the world in the shortest span of time, flying into Dubai is likely to be the way out in future. The ‘Mini World Park’ that was approved by Shaikh Mohammed is designed to showcase the replicas of famous monuments from all over the world, the Dubai Municipality said in a statement. The project is expected to feature nearly 300 replicas of modern, historical and natural monuments. The Empire State Building — New York, CN Tower — Toronto, Petronas Towers — Kuala Lumpur and Swiss Re Tower — London will come under the modern monuments’ section along with Dubai’s own iconic buildings Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab. The Eiffel Tower of Paris, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Big Ben of London and Taj Mahal of India could also be seen at this first of its kind park in the Arab world. Historical landmarks will include replicas of Abu Simbel temple and pyramids — Egypt, Timgad — Morocco, Great Wall of China, Leptis Magna — Libya, Kingdom of Kerma — Sudan, Aztec Temple — Mexico, Roman Colosseum — Rome, Acropolis of Athens — Greece, Stonehenge — England and Petra — Jordan. The park would also contain some models of natural monuments such as Hanging Gardens of Babylon — Iraq, Ayers Rock (Uluru) — Australia, Raouché Rock — Lebanon, Mount Rushmore — USA, Rice Terraces — Philippines, Easter Island — Chile and Niagara Falls — Canada. Shaikh Mohammed also approved a central library named after him. It will be a unique architectural masterpiece, designed in the form of an open book. The building consists of a basement, ground floor and seven levels with a total area of 50,000 m2. The library will accommodate a million books in display, in addition to 1.2 million books in storage. Al Mamzar Corniche Beach project that aims to add 60,000 m2 of area to the public beaches of Dubai also received the approval of the Ruler. Located in the Mamzar area opposite to the Palm Deira between Al Mamzar Park and Al Hamriya Port, the one kilometre long project includes all basic and advanced facilities of public beaches in line with the Blue Flag quality mark recently achieved by the Mamzar Beach. It is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2014. The second stage of the Sewage Water Treatment Plant in Jebel Ali aimed at serving one million people was another project approved by Shaikh Mohammed. The municipality said the Sewage Water Treatment Plant Department had almost completed the designing of the second stage. The construction of the Dh1.5 billion project is expected to start in July 2014 and accomplished by December 2016. The total area of the plant will be 41,000 hectors by 2020 with the capacity to serve 2.25 million people which will in turn help to increase the green area of the city up to 450 hectors and enhance its beauty. A Dh35 million snail-shaped Maritime Museum of aquatic species with great views of the Ras Al Khor Sanctuary, and the second stage of an ambitious waste-to-energy project also received the go-ahead from Shaikh Mohammed. The sustainable development project is named “2020” in anticipation of Dubai’s win its bid to host World Expo 2020. The initial phase is designed to extract methane gas from the landfill in Al Ghusais, mitigating 250,000 tonnes of carbon emission per year. Shaikh Mohammed also reviewed the Hatta Housing Project, the approved plan of which has 302 housing plots to be built for citizens over 375,000 m2 at the site in Hatta which he had visited last year. Shaikh Mohammed’s visit to the municipality’s head office in Deira was as part of his follow-up to the performance of the government departments at federal and local levels. He was accompanied by Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and was briefed about the projects by Hussain Nasser Lootah, the Director-General of the Dubai Municipality. Shaikh Mohammed emphasised the importance of teamwork and coordination between all departments and entities, saying, “We are all walking in one direction and we have to walk a straight path to get to the end of the road, and beyond, successfully.” (With inputs from Wam) Continue reading
DOE Announces Investment In 4 Advanced Biofuel Projects
Taylor Scott International Continue reading
