UAE Filmmaking Community Unite to Judge the Talent of Tomorrow in Latest Arab Film Studio Awards

• HH Sheikha Alyazia Bint Zayed Al Nahyan to judge AFS Documentaries alongside leading Emirati female directors Nahla Al Fahad, Nayla Al Khaja and Nujoom Al Ghanem
• Directors Ali Mostafa, Majid Al Ansari and Yasir Al Yasiri, judge AFS Narrative short films alongside
• AFS Awards Ceremony will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 5th
• Students crowned winners of both programs will win an internship with Image Nation
• Arab Film Studio program celebrating five years in 2016

Abu Dhabi, 4 December, 2016:  Key figures in the UAE filmmaking community will unite to judge the talent of tomorrow in the latest Arab Film Studio awards.
The awards ceremony held on December 5 in Abu Dhabi will see 15 students across three programs -Documentary, Narrative and Young Filmmakers in association with NYU - graduate from the filmmaking program-come-competition, with two grand winners crowned overall for ‘Best Documentary’ and ‘Best Narrative’.

Judges of the AFS Documentary films include HH Sheikha Alyazia Bint Zayed Al Nahyan who is a renowned visual artist and avid supporter of the arts within the region. Joining Sheikha Alyazia are three foremost female Emirati director-producers; Nayla Al Khaja, the UAE’s first-ever female producer; poet and award-winning director Nujoom Al Ghanem; and Nahla Al Fahad.

Nahla Al Fahad has been prominent in the film industry for over a decade directing and producing several commercials, music and corporate videos. Her first documentary film The Tainted Veil released in 2015 was an emotive look into the subject of the hijab.

“I am honoured to be selected as a judge for this year’s Arab Film Studio. I am passionate about original and offbeat films, and look forward to seeing what stories the next generation of filmmakers have to tell”, said Nahla Al Fahad.

Also judging the AFS Docs student final films are curators of some of the world’s most respected film festivals such as Director of Beirut International Film Festival, Collette Naufal, and Topher Horman, curator of the Fear No Film slate at Utah Arts Festival, USA.

Students vying for the trophy will be Arkus Arkus (Hartom); Alawi Shareef (Jumaa and Hakim); and Hind Abdullah (Osha’s Gift). The winner of the ‘Best Documentary’ at the AFS Awards will win an internship in the documentary department of Image Nation.

Considering the student films are three renowned Arab film directors; Ali Mostafa, whose brand-new blockbuster The Worthy is one of the most anticipated releases of 2017; Zinzana-director Majid Al Ansari, Netflix’s first UAE acquisition; and flourishing filmmaker Yasir Al Yasiri, who has just wrapped filming in Dubai on Image Nation’s feel-good comedy On Borrowed Time.

“Filmmaking training programs such as these are a credit to the industry and the region. I am delighted to be involved and to support emerging talent”, said Ali Mostafa.

Students competing in the AFS Narrative competition are Eman Talal (The Choice); Laura Saab (I See A Woman); Jaafar Almadhoon (Rattled); and Saeed Rachid (Face The Music). The winner will receive an invaluable internship on a regional or international feature film production.

Arab Film Studio celebrates five years of film training in the region in 2016 and continues to strengthen year-on-year.

Alicia Gonzalez, Head of Training & Development at Image Nation, commented; “Undoubtedly this is one of the biggest AFS years to-date with seven strong productions to judge. The students should be immensely proud of themselves as we are of them”.

The multi-disciplinary program takes finalists on a six-month filmmaking journey that mirrors the real process of developing and producing a film. It consists of several workshops, online tutorials, feedbacks and assignments led-by industry experts. Past winners of the program have gone on to receive acclaim for their productions at film festivals worldwide and have gone-on to bourgeoning careers within the industry.

Michael Garin, CEO Image Nation said of the program; “We are proud to be able to provide world class training opportunities and internships to the filmmakers of tomorrow. Our practical tuition will ultimately ready them for real jobs within the industry”.

Arab Film Studio is currently taking submissions for the 2017 AFS Narrative program.