press releases

Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF) has announced that the 2014 edition of its ‘ADFF Talks Film’ programme will comprise master-classes and panel discussions on topics ranging from film preservation, crowdfunding campaigns, international acting techniques, Arab diaspora filmmaking, international co-productions, and short film marketing.

As an annual component of the festival, ADFF Talks Film offers accredited professionals and the public access to panel discussions on topics that impact Arab cinema and the global film industry. The programme also provides up, close and personal conversations with key industry players and film talent.

Ali Al Jabri, Festival Director, Abu Dhabi Film Festival, said: “An important part of our work is creating connections between local film talent and the wider industry. ADFF Talks Film provides film buffs, students and filmmakers with a rare chance to interact with leading filmmakers and actors on a range of issues spanning the colourful world of cinema. The seminars that are open to the general public offer a refreshing and incisive behind-the-scenes look at the business of films.”

ADFF Talks Film will kick off on 24 October with “In conversation with Rachid Bouchareb” which presents a rare opportunity for the audience to discover the life and career of one of the most distinguished Arab directors of our time, the French-Algerian Director and Producer, Rachid Bouchareb. Bouchareb will unfold his journey in the filmmaking industry which won him three Oscar nominations for his films Dust of Life (1995), Days of Glory (2006) and Outside the Law (2010).

Furthermore, the opening day will also host the director and producers of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival’s opening film – From A to B – speaking about the various stages of filmmaking, from concept to post-production. In the session titled “From A to B – The A to Z of Making an Emirati Feature Film”, panellists will discuss what it takes to produce feature films of a high calibre.

A panel discussion named “Lets Work Together” on 25 October will witness directors and producers from Europe, Canada and the Arab world analyzing whether Arab filmmakers should opt for international co-productions and collaborations to gain global success. In the second half of the day, twofour54’s Creative Lab will host Iraqi-Canadian musician and actor Yassin Alsalman at a special event titled “An Evening with The Narcicyst”. Alsalman is scheduled to attend the Abu Dhabi Film Festival this year for the premiere of his latest film Rise. Currently a solo artist, Alsalman has performed across North-America, Europe and the Middle East, sharing the stage with influential hip hop acts like Kanye West, Wu-tang Clan, IAM, Public Enemy and Mos Def. His acting career includes a nominated role in the UAE production City of Life.

ADFF Talks Film’s agenda on 26 October will include a panel discussion on “Moving Beyond the Arab World” examining various acting styles in films from the region and its impact on gaining international exposure.

The panel discussion will be followed by a workshop on “Preserving for the Future”. Led by representatives of Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project (WCP), the workshop will highlight techniques on the preservation and protection of new, digitally produced motion pictures. The WCP is a program of The Film Foundation dedicated to preserving and restoring neglected old and new films from around the world ensuring that they are preserved, seen and shared.

On 27 October, a panel discussion “The Soul Yearns for a Home – Film Making from Arab Diaspora” will complete ADFF’s special programme ‘The Arab Diaspora’. This segment will see filmmakers discussing the economic, social and historical factors that contribute to an inpidual’s decision to emigrate. Emigrant filmmakers residing away from their home countries will discuss how the challenges they faced living in countries not originally their own impacted their careers.

The panel “Build it and They Will Come” will be headlined by regional filmmakers and industry representatives. Participants will analyse the GCC’s fledging film industry that took root over a decade ago with the launch of the Emirates Film Competition and will discuss achievements and barriers faced by the industry.

Additionally, a panel titled “Point of View” will debate the problems documentary filmmakers and their audiences face in remaining objective. Panellists will also focus on the notions of truth in documentary films.

On 28 October, the final day of ADFF Talks Films, ADFF and Tadreeb will team up with Avid to present a workshop on Media Composer and Pro Tools, some of the industry’s most trusted platforms that have been used in legendary blockbusters such as Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, Gravity and The Artist.

A master class on “The Long and Short of it” will unite short film programmers from prestigious film festivals such as Berlinale, Cannes and Tribeca. During this session, filmmakers will be offered valuable tips on the preparatory work towards the launch and marketing of short films.

ADFF Talks Film will wrap up with an interactive workshop on “Pitching to the Masses”. Conducted by Aflamnah, a crowdfunding initiative dedicated to the Arab World, the session will offer an overview on crowdfunding and ways to make it work – from planning the campaign and pitch video to wrapping up with social media utilisation.

ADFF, powered by twofour54, is presented each October to help create a vibrant film culture throughout the region. Focusing on Arab cinema and the wealth of emerging and established film talent from around the world, ADFF has become one of the most anticipated cultural events in Abu Dhabi, helping to enhance the emirate’s position as a regional hub of cinema and creativity.

Previous speakers at ADFF Film Talks have included Berlinale Talent Campus, BBC Academy, Film London, European Producer Club, Image Nation, as well as Richard Gere, Irrfan Khan, Ashok Amritraj, Hiam Abbas, Annemarie Jacir, Yousry Nasrallah, Abderrahmane Sissako, Nawaf Al Janahi, Amr Waked and Michael Winterbottom.

Back to news press listing