The “Marmoum Festival” enhances the hopes of filmmakers

A diverse spectrum of stories from Arab societies, featured by a distinguished group of films, was shown by the second edition of the “Al Marmoum: Film in the Desert” festival, which was organized by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) in the Al Marmoom Desert Reserve, during the period from the ninth to the 11th of September. This month, reinforcing the hopes of filmmakers for a promising future for the film industry in Dubai and the UAE, as one of the tributaries of Dubai’s creative economy. With interesting methods and eloquent visions, it reflected the diversity and richness of Arab cultures.

Regarding the films included in the second edition of the festival, Sheikh Maktoum bin Marwan Al Maktoum, project manager of the “Al Marmoum: Film in the Desert” festival, said, Senior Officer of the Projects and Events Department at Dubai Culture: “The films were distinguished by their diversity and their coping with important issues related to societies. It gave the audience the opportunity to see human stories and stories and an authentic cultural heritage that deserves to be presented to the world.” Stressing that the group of films represents an opening to innovative narrative experiences, and reveals the creativity and artistic styles of young talents that highlight their potential and visions.

Inspire the audience

For her part, the Festival Project Director, Senior Officer in the Office of the Executive Director of the Arts and Literature Sector in Dubai Culture, Shamma Yahya Al-Zafin, pointed out the importance of the festival’s distinguished works that educate, entertain and inspire the audience, adding that the “Al-Marmoum: Film in The Desert »is an innovative idea that gives filmmakers attractive experiences, and a platform that displays inspiring works that reflect the visions of filmmakers and community issues, which confirms Dubai Culture’s keenness to discover new experiences and give it opportunities that enable it to open up to multiple cinematic experiences that have reached advanced degrees of experimentation and clarity. In raising different issues and topics.

Tales

Over the course of its three days, the festival screened 27 films, including the films participating in the “Marmoum Short Film Industry Competition.” Among the feature films that were shown was the movie “Honey, Rain and Dust”, by Emirati director Nujoom Al-Ghanim, in which she tells the stories of three of the most famous honey collectors in the UAE. To continue her journey with Aisha and Fatima, who prefer free roaming and tracking the tracks of bees in the mountains.

As for the Lebanese director and screenwriter, Monia Akl, she sought through her movie “Costa Brava” to present a window overlooking the reality of her society, through the story of a family who decides to leave Beirut and resort to solitude in nature, thinking that parents are thus saving their children from the suffering of residing in the city. . Nadine Labaki, Saleh Bakri, Youmna Marawan, and others will star in the work starring Lebanon for the Oscar.

Drama of hope

“Drama Opens the Door to Hope,” a description befitting the short narrative film “Awsha’s Gift,” by Emirati director Hind Abdullah, in which she seeks to introduce treatment through art, and how loyalty is to friends even after their departure, as the work deals with a true story of the young Emirati plastic artist Ashwaq, Who lost her old friend, Hind, and reviews her new friendship with the little girl, Awsha.

While Emirati director Sarah Al Hashemi tells, through her short film “Why My Hand Bed in the Hall,” the story of a family that lost their grandfather’s house, and while its members remember their loss, an old wooden bed appears in front of them in the center of the hall, which represents the only remaining memory of the house.

The short documentary film “The Marshes of Iraq,” directed by Ali Muhammad al-Hamami, reviews the history of the marshes and the stories of that region, and presents, through real testimonies, a vision of the close connection between the population and the land.

Maktoum bin Marwan Al Maktoum:

“The festival gave the audience the opportunity to see human stories and an authentic heritage that deserves to be presented to the world.”

You Elzafin:

“The (Al-Marmoum: Film in the Desert) Festival presented distinguished works that would educate, entertain and inspire film lovers.”

Dialogue sessions

In order to increase the desired creative interest behind the “Al Marmoum: Film in the Desert” festival, the second edition included the organization of 23 dialogue sessions and a specialized workshop aimed at discussing ways to enhance the local film scene. The festival was organized in partnership between Dubai Culture and many government and private agencies in Dubai.

27

A film shown by the festival over 3 days in the Al Marmoom Desert Reserve in Dubai.

The films highlighted by the festival presented their diverse themes and issues in interesting ways and eloquent insights.