Saudi, Pakistani films in Oscars foreign long list

LOS ANGELES: Saudi Arabia's first ever candidate for the foreign language Oscar is among 76 movies on the Academy Award long-list announced Monday, while Pakistan has entered its first film in five decades.

Moldova and Montenegro have also submitted movies for the first time, among the hopefuls for the best foreign film at the 2014 Oscars, the climax of Hollywood's annual awards season next March.

The long list, which has a record number of movies up for Oscars glory, was initially expected to be announced last Friday, but was held up as Academy bigwigs checked that all of them meet the eligibility criteria, industry journal Variety reported.

The Saudi entry, "Wadjda" by Haifaa al-Mansour, is an avowedly feminist movie about a young girl's quest to own a bicycle in the kingdom where women are deprived of many rights, among them driving.

Directed by Saudi Arabia's first female filmmaker and shot entirely in the Gulf state, the film won best Arabic feature award at the Dubai Film Festival last year and picked up an award in Cannes in March.

For Pakistan, "Zinda Bhaag" ("Flee Alive") is the first Oscar entry for over 50 years. It is a comedy-thriller about three young men trying to escape the drudgery of their everyday lives through unconventional means.

The candidates are submitted by their individual countries, some of whom had already announced their choices.

Montenegro chose "Ace of Spades - Bad Destiny," as its first submission as an independent country, while Moldova selected "All God's Children."

France chose "Renoir" by Gilles Bourdos. The much-feted film "Blue is the Warmest Color," which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, was not eligible because of its release date, but could in theory be submitted next year.

Some selections were unexpected: India chose "The Good Road" instead of "The Lunchbox," while Japan opted for "The Great Passage" instead of "Like Father, Like Son," decisions which prompted protests in both countries, Variety said.

The last foreign language Oscar winner was Austrian Michael Haneke's "Amour" ("Love") -- which had already won the Cannes Palme D'Or last year. Iran's "A Separation" took the category the year before that.

The shortlist of five foreign film nominees will be announced on January 16 next year, and the winner unveiled at the Academy Awards ceremony, to be held on Sunday, March 2, 2014. 

Arab And International Cinema Stars Bound For Abu Dhabi’s Glittering Festival Of Film

Abu Dhabi will play host to film stars and other leading lights of the international film world when the seventh Abu Dhabi Film Festival opens tomorrow. Household names will walk the red carpet alongside new talents that the audience will discover during the nine day celebration. Festival Guests will attend screenings of their films, giving film fans a chance to hear insider stories first hand.

The seventh ADFF opens with the Middle East Premiere of LIFE OF CRIME. The director Daniel Schechter and actor Mark Boone Junior will discuss the film at a live audience Q&A during the Opening Night.

Also attending Opening Night is acclaimed US actor Forest Whitaker, who won 23 major acting awards, including the Academy, Screen Actor’s Guild and BAFTA awards, for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND (2006). Whitaker, who has starred in iconic films like THE CRYING GAME (1992) as well as turning his hand to producing (Fruitvale Station) and directing films such as HOPE FLOATS, 1998 and WAITING TO EXHALE. In partnership with Jaeger-LeCoultre, Whitaker will receive a Black Pearl Career Achievement award.

Actress Hiam Abbass (Munich, 2005; THE VISITOR, 2007; MIRAL, 2010; and PEACE AFTER MARRIAGE which world premieres at ADFF 2013) will also be presented with a Black Pearl Career Achievement Award in recognition for her admirable contributions to cinema as an artist, actress and professional.

Mervat Amin will lead the Arab stars down the carpet, including Hend Sabri, Ahmad Ezz, Basel Khayat, Eyad Nassar, Kinda Aloush, Abed Fahad, Manal Khader, and Nesrine Tafesh. Egyptian stars Lebleba and Khaled Abol Naga, whose latest film VILLA 69 has its World Premiere at ADFF, will also join the Festival. Other Arab talents at ADFF this year include Saleh Bakri, one of the most internationally recognised Arab actors of our time. Bakri appears in GIRAFFADA and SALVO. Another rising star, Asser Yassin, will attend with his new film RAGS AND TATTERS. Abdel Monaam Chouaya will present BASTARDO and Samar Qahtan joins the delegation with IN THE SANDS OF BABYLON and UNDEREXPOSURE.

Stars from the Gulf region that attend this year’s Abu Dhabi Film Festival include Mohammed Al Mansour, Dawood Hussain, Huda Al Khatib, Khaled Ameen, Ahmed Iraj, Samera Ahmad, Ahmad Al Jasmi and Maisa Al Maghribi.

Merzak Allouache, attending ADFF with THE ROOFTOPS and OMAR GATLATO (1976), will receive the Variety Award for Middle East Filmmaker of the Year during the Festival. Other Arab directors with films in competition include Mohamed Jabarah Al-Daradji, Director of IN THE SANDS OF BABYLON, Ahmad Abdallah, Director of RAGS AND TATTERS and Ayten Amin, Director of VILLA 69. Directors Férid Boughedir (HALFOUINE: BOY OF THE TERRACES), Moufida Tlatli (SILENCES OF THE PALACE), Mohamad Malas (DREAMS OF THE CITY) and Oday Rasheed (UNDEREXPOSURE) films appear in the Special Programme “Debut Films by Arab Filmmakers”. Documentary filmmakers Mohammad Soueid (HANGING DATES UNDER ALEPPO’S CITADEL) and Kasaim Abid (WHISPERS OF THE CITIES) present their latest films as well.

Two Kurdish directors will be at the screenings of their films in this year’s edition of ADFF: Hiner Saleem (MY SWEET PEPPER LAND) and Hisham Zaman (BEFORE SNOWFALL).

Many leading lights of Indian Cinema will be at the Festival for its celebration of the centenary of Indian Cinema. Cross-over star Irrfan Khan, who has taken Bollywood and Hollywood by storm, attends with his new film QISSA, along with the film’s director Anup Singh. Director Richie Mehta presents SIDDARTH, and director Aparna Sen presents THE JEWELLERY BOX at a Premiere attended by a star of Hindi and Bengali cinema, Moushumi Chatterjee. In the Special Programme “Celebrating Indian Cinema” Jahnu Barua, director of THE CATASTROPHE, and M.S. Sathyu, director of SCORCHING WINDS, will attend screenings in person. Producer Ashok Amritraj, whose extensive credits include the Opening Night film LIFE OF CRIME, will also attend the festival and deliver a workshop as part of ADFF TALKS FILM.

International stars attending ADFF include, among others, Chinese actress Tao Zhao (A TOUCH OF SIN), Philippine Superstar Eugene Domingo (BARBER’S TALES), Golshifteh Farahani and Korkmaz Arslan (MY SWEET PEPPER LAND), and rising stars Laure De Clermont-Tonnerre (GIRAFFADA), Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Sam Reid (BELLE), as well as Louis Garrel (JEALOUSY).

As for international directing talents, expect to see Academy Award winner Danis Tanovic (AN EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF AN IRON PICKER), Amma Asante, (BELLE) and from China Jia Zhangke, (A TOUCH OF SIN). Baroness Beeban Kidron, appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire and life peer in 2012, is attending with her new film, INREALLIFE. The director of HARMONY LESSONS, Silver Bear winner at this year’s Berlinale, will be presented by the director, Emir Baigazin from Kazakhstan as will SACRO GRA, which won the Golden Lion in Venice this year for Italy’s Gianfranco Rosy. French Fashion Designer Agnès Troublé, aka Agnès B., who has produced a number of films including Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers, makes her directorial debut with MY NAME IS HMMM...

ADFF also welcomes renowned producers Cedomir Kolar (AN EPISODE IN THE LIFE OF AN IRON PICKER), Uberto Pasolini (STILL LIFE, Oscar nominated for THE FULL MONTY in 1997), Mohamed Hefzy (VILLA 69 and RAGS AND TATTERS) and Catherine Dussart (THE MISSING PICTURE) to the Festival.

The Abu Dhabi Film Festival runs from October 24 until November 2. The Ceremony for the winners of the Black Pearl Awards will take place on October 31

White Dubai Opening On December 19

White Dubai is making its comeback on December 19, are you guys ready?

After a spectacularly packed August opening at the Al Murooj Rotana Hotel main ballroom, White Dubai has relocated to the Meydan Racecourse Grandstand Rooftop – a more fitting venue, in our opinion, since its counterpart and the original, White Beirut, is also outdoors.

“I think the majority of people that come to The White Room have a very specific expectation. They’ve either already partied at White Beirut in which case they are yearning for a rerun OR they’ve heard the wild stories and seen the jaw-dropping pictures and want to be part of the White scene.People can expect great DJs as well as international acts, entertainment and constantly changing and customised beverage selection,” said Karim Jaber, managing partner of Add-Mind who’s behind the concept.

Address: Meydan Racecourse Grandstand Rooftop
For reservations and more info call: +971 50 443 0933

Majority of UAE residents will change mobile operators after MNP

by Muhammad Aldalou

With the much-awaited mobile number portability (MNP) now available to UAE residents, which allows users to switch freely between telecom operators without losing their mobile numbers, it’s interesting to see how many would be tempted by this option.

For many years, users were not necessarily “stuck” (as recent billboards would suggest), but rather felt like they should remain with their initial mobile operator to avoid the hassle of owning an entirely new number and having to inform all of their contacts about the change. For the first time in the UAE, unhappy customers will have the option to switch over with no such consequences.

A recent survey by financial comparison website Souqalmal.com found that 34 per cent of residents surveyed claim that they would definitely switch to another (in this case, the other) service provider.

The poll, based on the responses of more than 700 participants from the UAE, also reveals that a further 35 per cent of residents would consider the possibility of making the switch – bringing the total of potential switchers to 69 per cent.

Residents were initially asked whether they were even aware of the MNP option being made available to the general public in December, followed by their reasons behind wanting to change their service provider.

Surprisingly, a whopping 56 per cent of respondents were unaware of the introduction of MNP in the first place. For those who are considering switching, pricing (58 per cent) and network reliability (24 per cent) are the primary reasons behind swapping providers.

Interestingly enough, despite customer service being extremely important to UAE residents, it was not a strong deciding factor, as only 14 per cent of respondents would switch between Etisalat and du based on the quality of customer service.

Since the official announcement, both telecom giants have been engaged in an ongoing advertising campaign to attract new users to switch to their respective services.

To make the switch, a visit to a branch of your existing provider won’t be necessary, but a trip to the provider you’re switching to is. Carry a valid ID (Emirates ID or passport with valid visa) and the process should be completed in one visit. You will also have the option of changing a post-paid plan to a pre-paid plan during the transition; you need not be constrained to the plan of your current provider.

Once the swap is complete, you will be notified by your new provider through an SMS as to when your new SIM will be activated. You will also get an SMS from your old provider informing you of the deactivation of your SIM card.

Know your rights when rent rises

This year has brought a lot of positive change for Dubai, whether it was from winning the right to host the World Expo 2020 or having its GDP rate rise by 4.7 per cent. However, with all of these opportunities the rent in Dubai has risen considerably, causing tenants everywhere to panic.

In issuing the decree No. 43, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, states that there should not be any increase, if the rent of the property unit is less than ten per cent of the average similar rent value. Similarly, if the rent value is 11 per cent to 20 per cent less than the average rent value, the maximum rent increase should be equal to five per cent of the rent value. Moreover, if the rent value is 21 per cent to 30 per cent less than the average similar rent value, the maximum rent increase should be ten per cent of the rent value.

He adds that if the rent value is 31 per cent to 40 per cent less than the average similar rent value, the maximum rent increase should be 15 per cent of the rent value. Finally, a maximum rent increase of 20 per cent is applicable, if the rent value is less than 40 per cent or more of the average rent value.

According to a property consultant firm, Cluttons, whose figures were issued in November 2013, the locations that rose the most in price this year are Emirates Living and Dubai Marina, with an 8.5 per cent to ten per cent increase, as well as Jumeirah Village, being the strongest of them and leading with an 18.4 per cent increase.

The Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) was established as a result of a law issued by His Highness, in 2007. RERA has set a legislative framework that regulates renting property in Dubai.

Hence, landlords cannot randomly increase rents for tenants whenever they please, but they must stick to this decree, as stated by His Highness. This decree pertains to landlords from the private and public sectors in Dubai, including private development areas and free zone

Future Looks Bright For UAE Fashion Industry

Fashion students from across the UAE have recently gathered in Dubai to compete in the BurJuman’s Fashion Expose Competition. The event is the only competition between fashion colleges and universities held in the Emirates, and offers up-and-coming designers the opportunity to showcase their talent to local and international fashion houses and buyers.

The winning team from the Centre of Executive Education’s (CEE) Fashion Department will have their winning pieces showcased in the Saks Fifth Avenue BurJuman store. The team has also won AED20,000/- and various other prizes from the competition’s sponsors.

Competition entrants were judged on the creativity, innovation and adherence to the theme of their designs. This year’s theme was “Decades of Fashion – 1950s to the Present”. Suraiya Taufiq, Manal Al Younis, Huda Salem, Nabeela Amin, Assia Mehri, Subhashini Sam, Tishya Pandey and Anisa Begum were part of the winning team.

Suraiya Taufiq says that the competition provides a forum for young fashion designers to grow their profile in the industry.

“Entering the fashion industry can be very competitive, but this event allows us to demonstrate to potential employers or potential buyers that we have both the design skills and technical capability necessary to produce beautiful garments. The Edexcel programme that we have undertaken at the Centre for Executive Education has given us a great start in our careers, and this competition is an opportunity to show to the market what we have learnt in this course, and what we can accomplish going forward”.

The Pearson Edexcel Professional Programme in Fashion Design being undertaken by the winning team at CEE is a practical-focussed qualification that can lead to university entry and membership of the United Kingdom’s prestigious Chartered Society of Designers. The programme has been designed to develop a breadth of understanding of the fashion industry and to provide a broad foundation for students from which they can determine which branch of the industry their personal talents are most suited. CEE has offered the programme for 14 years, producing a number of award winning students across International competitions including Dubai International Fashion Week, Hotel Show, Swarovski Bride Show and BurJuman Awards.

Revealing local design talent through Fashion Expose will help build Dubai’s growing international reputation as a regional and international fashion centre. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Maktoum, Vice-President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai recently signed a decree that will bring together the country’s public and private sectors to foster the growth, innovation and sustainability of the Emirate’s design and fashion industries.
Work has also started on a dedicated design quarter in the Emirate, to be known as the Dubai Design District, or D3. This new “design city” will be housed near Dubai mall, accommodating design, fashion and luxury organisations.

Mark Andrews, Regional Director of Pearson International Qualifications, says encouraging local talent through competitions such as Fashion Expose will help meet increasing demand across the region for well-trained fashion graduates.

“As the fashion industry grows in Dubai and across the region it is important that educational institutions are providing qualifications that give graduates the skills necessary to succeed in this burgeoning industry. The Pearson-Edexcel Professional Programme in Fashion Design helps prepare learners for a variety of careers in fashion, and gives learners the capabilities needed to thrive in the world of work – whether it is in fashion or any other industry

Sheikh Mohammed; the real meaning of giving

(Photo: AP)

By:Yasmine Hamdy

A Swedish couple was on a pre-Christmas trip to Fujairah planning to have great time in the UAE. Suddenly the 72-year-old man Yngve Nilsson got sever breathing trouble and they were moved directly to Dibba Hospital as reported on Emarat Al Youm.

Unfortunately the case got worse and his wife Dagmar Fogelstrom decided to take him back to their country and the couple was driven to Dubai Airport. Yet, after consulting the airport officials the lady was advised to take him back to the hospital.

The couple moved to Rashid Hospital and she tried to contact their embassy for help but the only thing she got was a voice message as they were closed for Christmas. She also lost her mobile and was unable to contact her folks.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid heard of their bad situation and directly representatives of his office visited her and by then everything was looked after by his highness including all medical expense and their hotel stay. However, Yngve Nilsson passed and shortly all arrangements have been made to transfer his body back home.