Film competition finalists named

ABU DHABI// The 14 finalists for the ninth annual Emirates Film Competition were announced this week. The films, from the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman, were selected from 142 submissions to the Abu Dhabi Film Commission and will be screened during the Middle East International Film Festival being held next month at the Emirates Palace hotel. The overall aim of the competition is to encourage the production of short, feature, documentary and animated films by Emiratis. The entries were divided into three categories: the UAE, GCC and longer feature documentaries.

In the UAE category is a film by Ahmed Arshi and Ahmed Zein about Al Hamra Island, plus three premiere showings from Emirati filmmakers, Ali Jamal, Yasser Saeed al Neyadi and Juma al Swahili. Also included is Young Sadness by Hani al Sheibani. In the feature category is an entry from Hanan al Mohairi, the only woman in the competition. Her film, Our Right to Ride, is a 51-minute feature about horseriding and reflects her passion for the animals and her work as the president of the Arabyana Horse Riding Team.

The winners will be announced on October 16. [e-mail]