Gulf Film Festival diary

It is the place in which he was born and where his mother and father first fell in love. Yet, Um Khanoor, a simple area in Sharjah, has often been the subject of many jokes, says the Emirati filmmaker and playwright Talal Mahmood.

Also featured in the Gulf Shorts competition is Mirage.Net, about a young Emirati girl who is lured via the internet by six men, then beaten and raped. The film, by the Emirati filmmaker Mansoor Al Dhaheri, is based on a true story.

Another contender for the Gulf Shorts prize is Mutiny, about a chef suffering from a rare medical disorder which causes him to lose control of his left hand. The film is written by Khalid Al Jabri and directed by Ibrahim Al Marzouqi.

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@LifeNationalUAE

Gulf Film Festival diary

A film about internet predators and another about a poor area of Sharjah that is the frequent subject of jokes are among those in the running for a short film prize at the Gulf Film Festival.