ABU DHABI // A film company from the capital has won an International Emmy Kids Award for its co-production of a children's Christmas tale.
Image Nation, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Media, which owns The National, jointly produced Lost Christmas with Hyde Park Entertainment.
The urban fairy tale, set in Manchester, England, is about how a series of tragic events are reversed one Christmas Eve, giving a young boy and those around him the happy ending they were destined.
The programme, which aired on the BBC and starred Eddie Izzard, won the Best TV Movie/Mini-Series award. The gong follows last year's Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Octavia Spencer in The Help, a co-production between Image Nation and Participant Media.
Image Nation's strategy of partnering with some of the most prestigious organisations in the industry has helped bring international recognition home to Abu Dhabi, said Mohammed Al Mubarak, the group's chairman.
"Image Nation is proud to be associated with such award-winning programmes, a direct result of the close-working relationships we have forged in the global industry," he added.
Image Nation chief executive Michael Garin said the International Emmy Kids Award recognition furthers the ambition of the company to make its mark on the global stage.
"We look forward to the day when some of our promising Emirati film-makers and writers can win an Emmy for a locally grown project," he added.
The inaugural International Emmy Kids Awards were created by The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to honour excellence in children's programming.
jbell@thenational.ae
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The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
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Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
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