Image Nation will declare the winner of its debut annual documentary film competition, Arab Film Studio Docs, on Tuesday, May 19 at Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, where the shortlisted films will also be screened.
The winning filmmaker will receive a grant for their next documentary and the opportunity to work with Image Nation’s documentary division.
The entries will be judged by a panel of international experts, including Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim, Bafta-winning Anthony Geffen, Oscar-nominated and NYU Abu Dhabi professor Scandar Copti and The National's editor-in-chief Mohammed Al Otaiba.
The shortlisted films include The Absentees by Tanya Daud (Pakistan), a story told by a refugee in Dubai that focuses on themes of identity, discrimination and home; Omnia by Amna Al Nowais (UAE), about a young Egyptian woman who has yet to make peace with an incident that happened in her childhood; The Sheikh of Mussafah by Waled Al Madani (Syria), the story of a father and son, born and raised among old cars; Cross The Line by Khaled Bin Sahli (UAE), about a wannabe cosplay designer trying to break away from his controlling father; Made of Clay by Fayssal Bin Sahli (UAE), in which Ahmed, a young stop-motion artist, finds his career is being hindered because of his father's views on his art; and Skin by Farah Diab (Lebanon), about a young American teacher coming to terms with how she feels about the way she looks.
artslife@thenational.ae
