Image Nation & twofour54 tadreeb Announce Winner of Arab Film Studio 2012
- Emirati filmmaker Fatima Al Dhaheri takes home the overall award for ‘Best Film’, along with a 50,000AED Image Nation development deal
- Arab Film Studio 2013 competition and expansion plans announced
Abu Dhabi, UAE, 21 June, 2012: Image Nation Abu Dhabi and twofour54 tadreeb announced the winner of its inaugural Arab Film Studio (AFS) film competition last night, at glamorous gala event held at the Yas Viceroy Hotel on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Fatima Al Dhaheri’s final short film titled “Something Called Fear” was selected from the five AFS 2012 finalists to receive the overall grand prize of ‘Best Film’, winning herself a 50,000AED development deal with Image Nation. The other four finalists also received awards from the various competition categories including Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Costume, Music and Sound Design.
The awards were the culmination of a three month AFS instructional lab program designed to mirror the real process by which feature films are developed and produced. The finalists began the training program after being selected from dozens of Arab Film Studio 2012 entries, and concluded their AFS training by shooting and editing a final film project (a ten minute short), which then formed their final competition submission.
These final projects were assessed by an impressive panel of judges including renowned filmmakers, directors, writers and producers from across the UAE and the world, who determined the final winners announced at last night’s event.
Arab Film Studio Finalists with Image Nation CEO Michael Garin and Head of Image Nation Abu Dhabi Mohammed Al-Otaiba
Mohammed Al Mubarak, Chairman of Image Nation, commented on the awards: “It is with great pleasure that we announce Fatima as the winner of Arab Film Studio 2012, and also recognize the achievements of all the finalists involved in this year’s competition. Throughout AFS 2012 all five of our finalists have shown real talent across the various aspects of filmmaking and I am certain they all have bright futures ahead of them in this fast-paced and exciting industry.”
Following the success of AFS 2012, Image Nation also announced that the AFS program will continue and expand in 2013:
Arab Film Studio 2012 Winner Fatima Al-Dhaheri with Image Nation CEO Michael Garin
“We were blown away by the response we had to our inaugural Arab Film Studio competition in 2012, and we are excited to confirm that we will be expanding the program for 2013 to UAE residents (and UAE Nationals), as well as GCC Nationals. We look forward to opening the competition up across the region in 2013, and seeing the immense talent the region has to offer. We will be announcing more details about the Arab Film Studio 2013 program shortly, so stay tuned!” commented Michael Garin, CEO of Image Nation.
Following the awards last night, Fatima Al Dhaheri commented on her win and the AFS experience: “I am really thrilled that my final film was selected for the ‘Best Film’ award here tonight. The AFS program has been an amazing learning opportunity, and it is great to see all my hard work pay off with this award. I look forward to working with Image Nation on my development deal, and am excited to get started!”
Brunson Green, Producer of blockbuster movie ‘The Help’, and judge on the AFS 2012 panel, also added: “I have been really impressed with the quality and creativity displayed in the final film projects presented by the Arab Film Studio finalists. It was a tight competition, with all of the finalists displaying real talent and producing impressive short films in a short time frame.”
Following the conclusion of the Arab Film Studio 2012 competition, Image Nation and twofour54 will also be offering an intensive marketing course to create posters, trailers, social media and other collateral material typically created for the marketing and distribution of feature-length films. Image Nation will also help the contestants facilitate entries to appropriate film festivals for each film.
Arab Film Studio 2012 Finalists Omar Butti and Khalid Al-Abdulla and Eisa Al-Sabousi
Arab Film Studio is a short film competition and multi-disciplinary learning program developed in by Image Nation Abu Dhabi and twofour54 tadreeb in order to give burgeoning filmmakers the training they need to have successful careers in the film industry. For those wanting to know more, you can visit www.imagenation.ae, or watch ‘Cinemazika’ each week on ADTV- Al Oula, where they are screening features from the competition captured during the AFS 2012 program.
Arab Film Studio 2012- Winner Bio:
FATIMA AL DHAHERI
Fatima Al Dhaheri has started her media career working at twofour54 in Abu Dhabi. With a strong belief that experience is the best education, she applied for Arab Film Studio to develop and grow her existing filmmaking talents.
With a desire to create movies that will appeal to audiences across the world, Fatima is currently exploring themes of phobia within her films.
“Often people cannot determine why they have certain phobias. Film provides a unique medium to explore and tell these stories.”
The inspiration for her final short film ‘Something Called Fear’ is the phobia of feet.
“For many years I have been fascinated by feet and did not necessarily know why. I believe a person’s feet tells a story about them.”
Having now completed the AFS program, Fatima believes one of the most useful tools she has discovered is to think smart.
“I’ve learned that when faced with obstacles, there is always an alternative solution.”
About Image Nation
Launched in 2008 as a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Media, Image Nation has rapidly become one of the world’s leading feature film producers. The company’s mission is to build the foundations of a strong local film industry in the UAE.
Image Nation Abu Dhabi, the company’s local division, produced its first Emirati film in 2011 – the coming of age story “Sea Shadow”. The division also oversees a number of training and internship programs designed to encourage the growth of local film talent.
Image Nation International, the company’s international film division, maintains strategic partnerships with a number of major producers. These include Participant Media, National Geographic Films, Hyde Park Entertainment, Parkes /Macdonald Productions, Warner Bros., and Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA). The division has co-produced a number of feature films, including the Bollywood hit “My Name is Khan”, “Fair Game”, “The Help”, “Contagion” and “The Double”.
