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Film festival opens in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI — The first Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF) was opened here yesterday.

The six-day festival, which was inaugurated by Shaikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Authority for Heritage and Culture, is a cultural event dedicated to bringing a diverse slate of international films and programmes to the community and introducing film-makers from around the world to the resources of the region.

Presented by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, MEIFF is committed to nurturing relationships and providing opportunities to those looking to invest in the future of film. Abu Dhabi is a city unprecedented in its ability to develop and grow in response to the global marketplace. In this regard, the Festival will launch the inaugural Film Financing Circle (FFC), which will become a significant annual conference on the subject of international co-productions.

In his inaugural address, Shaikh Sultan paid tribute to General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for his support for the high-profile cultural event.

He said that the event allied with the Film Financing Circle (FFC), and Abu Dhabi Film Academy would provide huge diverse opportunities of training, services and incentives for world film-makers.

“’We will host during the festival the Film Financing Circle which will be attended by an elite of global businessmen exploring investment opportunities in the seventh art,” Shaikh Sultan added.

According to him, the attendance of a galaxy of renowned stars of Arab and international film industry and famous film-makers will definitely contribute to establishing the festival from its first edition as a world class event of high cultural significance and a fresh cultural achievement in the history of UAE.

He urged UAE young film-makers to use the festival opportunity to interact with world stars, directors and producers, attend films and workshops accompanying the event in order to enrich their experiences and expertise.