The Tribeca Film Festival is no stranger to adversity. The event, co-founded by Robert De Niro in 2002, was launched after the 9/11 attacks as a gathering to unite a grieving New York community. The event, which was scheduled to open on Wednesday, April 15, and run until Sunday, April 26, seems determined to bring that same defiant spirit into this latest challenging period by moving select parts of its programme online, going live on the planned opening day.
The festival’s organisers said: “While New York City is hurting once again and we do not yet know when we will be able to share that magical experience of being in a theatre together – we are bringing the festival experience to your doorstep. We are thrilled to announce the debut of select 2020 festival programming online, so that storytellers and audiences can continue to experience Tribeca together – apart.”
Of greatest interest to the public is probably the news that the festival will move its virtual-reality-focused Cinema360 programme online, and continue with its already live "A Short Film a Day Keeps Anxiety Away" schedule.
This year’s Cinema360 projects will be available to users of the Facebook-owned Oculus platform. The films will be curated into four 30 to 40-minute programmes, which will be available via Oculus TV, Oculus Go and Oculus Quest to owners of the VR headsets. The Short Film a Day programme, meanwhile, will offer a daily curated title from Tribeca’s catalogue, completely free of charge, on the festival’s website and social media channels.
Tribeca's competition films include 12-Hour Shift, from writer, director and Heroes star Brea Grant; and an uncannily timed pandemic drama, Little Fish, from Morris from America maker Chad Hartigan. The entries will be judged online by this year's jury members – Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle, Shaft actress Regina Hall and Star Trek and Wonder Woman's Chris Pine. The winners will be announced on Tribeca's website during the festival's originally planned dates, although there are currently no plans for public screenings online.
The Tribeca Extranet – the online hub for industry and press feature screenings for accredited delegates, promises a record number of films this year, with 90 per cent of competition entries signed up.
The New Online Work Showcase section for web series and short-form content makers, and the TV Pilot section for independently produced episodes, will also be moved online, again for press and industry only. The organisers have also promised screenings and virtual meetings between filmmakers and buyers and distributors.
It is fair to say that the general public has limited access to Tribeca’s online programme, but that will hopefully be a temporary issue. The team remains insistent that a live event will still take place later in the year. Although chief executive Jane Rosenthal has so far declined to discuss new dates, saying it’s “too early”, industry insiders expect a scaled-down event taking place concurrently with Tribeca TV Festival in September.
Meanwhile, down in Texas, the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival is set to make news even more publicly. SXSW, which should have taken place in March, has announced its competition winners via online judging – a move that Rosenthal admits inspired Tribeca to press ahead with its virtual programme. The Texas event has also teamed up with streaming giant Amazon to launch an “SXSW Film Festival Collection”.
We are supporters of independent film festivals, and hope this online festival can help give back some of that experience, and showcase films that audiences might otherwise not have had the chance to see.
Details are sparse at present – all filmmakers who were listed to screen their work at SXSW were contacted by Amazon last week and given the option to “opt in” to the streamed event.
It is possible that filmmakers who may already have a distribution deal in place with a rival will pass on the option. Amazon has stated that participation will not grant it any rights or exclusivity outside of the still-to-be-announced “festival” dates, expected to be at the end of April, and that filmmakers who hoped to use their SXSW screening as a springboard to a distribution deal, will still be allowed to do so if they sign up to the online version.
Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke said: “We are honoured to be able to provide a space for the first time for SXSW filmmakers to share their hard work and passion with audiences. It’s been a privilege collaborating with the SXSW team to bring these films to viewers around the country. We are supporters of independent film festivals, and hope this online festival can help give back some of that experience, and showcase films that audiences might otherwise not have had the chance to see.”
The Amazon deal seems to have the potential to be a game changer, particularly if other cancelled festivals should choose to take the Amazon route to screening. Even though the SXSW films have only been confirmed to show on Amazon in the US for now, it still represents a potential audience of more than 100 million, larger than the biggest festival could hope to reach.
On the face of it, that is great news for independent filmmakers, who Amazon also says will be paid screening fees for their films.
Should Amazon continue to work with postponed or cancelled events, and possibly become the go-to online platform for film festivals in the future, some very interesting questions may need to be asked. Could Amazon be expected to continue with a policy of giving a premiere to festival films, then letting a rival obtain rights to screen the most popular titles? And, as a major content producer, could Amazon’s films compete in a festival that the company is also hosting?
For now, these are purely hypothetical scenarios, but in a movie industry that was already undergoing seismic changes before the coronavirus outbreak, a close eye will be kept on developments.
Lowest Test scores
26 - New Zealand v England at Auckland, March 1955
30 - South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, Feb 1896
30 - South Africa v England at Birmingham, June 1924
35 - South Africa v England at Cape Town, April 1899
36 - South Africa v Australia at Melbourne, Feb. 1932
36 - Australia v England at Birmingham, May 1902
36 - India v Australia at Adelaide, Dec. 2020
38 - Ireland v England at Lord's, July 2019
42 - New Zealand v Australia in Wellington, March 1946
42 - Australia v England in Sydney, Feb. 1888
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Specs
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
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Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Specs
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
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Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
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AIDA%20RETURNS
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
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The years Ramadan fell in May
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Pupils in Abu Dhabi are learning the importance of being active, eating well and leading a healthy lifestyle now and throughout adulthood, thanks to a newly launched programme 'Healthy Lifestyle'.
As part of the Healthy Lifestyle programme, specially trained coaches from City Football Schools, along with Healthpoint physicians have visited schools throughout Abu Dhabi to give fun and interactive lessons on working out regularly, making the right food choices, getting enough sleep and staying hydrated, just like their favourite footballers.
Organised by Manchester City FC and Healthpoint, Manchester City FC’s regional healthcare partner and part of Mubadala’s healthcare network, the ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ programme will visit 15 schools, meeting around 1,000 youngsters over the next five months.
Designed to give pupils all the information they need to improve their diet and fitness habits at home, at school and as they grow up, coaches from City Football Schools will work alongside teachers to lead the youngsters through a series of fun, creative and educational classes as well as activities, including playing football and other games.
Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, head of public health at Healthpoint, said: “The programme has different aspects - diet, exercise, sleep and mental well-being. By having a focus on each of those and delivering information in a way that children can absorb easily it can help to address childhood obesity."
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
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Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
