Cinema Akil, the only independent cinema in the UAE, is holding its first Arab Cinema Week. Starting Friday, the 10-day event, taking place at the venue in Alserkal Avenue, will screen nine feature films and six short films.
The programme includes stories and talent from and about the Arab world, representing 11 Arab countries with nine female directors showing their work, some of which are being screened in the UAE for the first time.
“The first edition of Arab Cinema Week delivers on our mission of being the home of Arab independent cinema and filmmakers,” said Butheina Kazim, founder of Cinema Akil.
“In the absence of a national film festival, I am proud to dedicate our platform to annually present a range in the programme that also celebrates the growing film industries in our region; giving them the attention they very much deserve.”
Cinema Akil has tied up with the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Goethe-Institut Gulf Region and the Safar Film Festival in order to make Arab Cinema Week a recurring event in Dubai.
Programme curator Rabih El-Khoury said the event has been designed “to bring together a range of themes for Arab stories” where filmmakers can explore “their heartbreaks ... their victories, their struggles and their moments of personal bliss.”
Opening with Bafta-winning Jordanian director Bassel Ghandour’s debut feature The Alleys, the programme will also focus on films from Algeria to reflect on 60 years of the nation’s independence. Productions from Somalia as well as a diverse range of short films from the Middle East will also feature.
Directors of various films will be in attendance for discussions as well as one with acclaimed Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri on October 9.
“The programme has been conceived to spark conversation and encourage discussion, all of which will be made possible with the presence of creators at their respective screenings,” said El-Khoury.
“There is an important dialogue to be held and a platform like Cinema Akil, which over the years has brought Dubai’s diverse communities together in the name of art and love of film, is the perfect setting to do this.”
Here are some of the films showing at Arab Cinema Week.
'Becoming'
Five stories by five Saudi directors take an intimate look into the kingdom’s ever-changing society. Directors Hind Alfahhad, Jowaher Alamri, Noor Alameer, Sara Mesfer and Fatima Al-Banawi each weave a story that explores Saudi identity and experience in both personal and universal ways.
'The Alleys'
Set in East Amman, Ali, a hustler, poses as a businessman to keep his relationship with girlfriend Lana a secret. But their plan starts to fall apart when Aseel, Lana’s mother, is mysteriously blackmailed by a voyeur who has filmed the couple. To protect her daughter and their reputation, Aseel seeks the help of Abbas, a ruthless gangster.
'The Battle of Algiers'
Gillo Pontecorvo’s The Battle of Algiers is considered one of the most influential political films in history. The gritty 1966 docudrama about the Algerian National Liberation Front’s battle for independence against French colonisers in the 1950s and early ’60s is a case study in modern warfare.
Over time, the documentary has had a profound influence and has been studied by everyone from the Black Panthers, the IRA and South African militants to the George W Bush administration in Iraq.
'Beirut Hold'em'
In a country on the edge of war and bankruptcy, ex-con gambler Ziko and his childhood friends fight their way up through lower-middle class Beirut to make something out of their lives.
Lebanese-French director Michel Kammoun presents a gritty and powerful film which depicts the struggle of existence for people who must navigate life as if playing a game of Russian roulette.
Arab Cinema Week runs from October 7 to 16 at Cinema Akil. More information is available at cinemaakil.com
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
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Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
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- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
