Abu Dhabi, UAE – April 21, 2010
Newly renamed Abu Dhabi Film Festival launches a US $500,000 fund for filmmakers from the Arab world The Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF) announced today that the annual event is adopting the new name Abu Dhabi Film Festival to strengthen the connection between the festival and its home. The festival also announced the launch of Sanad, a film fund to support outstanding productions from the Arab region through grants totaling $500,000 each year. Sanad (which connotes support in Arabic) will provide grants in two categories – development and postproduction – for feature-length narratives and documentaries by filmmakers from the Arab world. Development grants will be up to US $20,000 while those for post-production will be up to US $60,000. The selection committee will be composed of members of the Festival’s programming and management teams along with highly qualified film industry professionals. The fund's selection committee will seek out bold and remarkable projects from both new and established filmmakers with the aim of encouraging artistic innovation. As the first fund to be launched by a film festival with the specific aim of supporting filmmakers from across the Arab world, Sanad also aims to build stronger networks within the region’s film industry. “Sanad is a concrete way in which the festival can support the region’s filmmakers in developing their own voices and taking their place in the international film community. There's an amazing amount of untapped and unrecognized creative potential in the Arab world and these grants are an important building block in the creation of a vibrant and viable cinema here, especially since they come with the kind of international opportunities and support we can offer," said Peter Scarlet, the Festival's Executive Director. Applications for the fund are now open until July 15, 2010. Full Rules & Regulations along with the Application Form are available for download at http://www.meiff.com/industry/sanad
New name reflects the spirit of Abu Dhabi The festival’s management explained that changing the name to Abu Dhabi Film Festival emerged naturally from a strengthened mission focused on fostering a rich film culture. As the only festival in the region where works by Arab filmmakers are represented equally in competition alongside those by major talents of world cinema, the festival offers Abu Dhabi's diverse and enthusiastic audiences a means of engaging with their own and others' cultures through the art of cinema. At the same time, a strong focus on the bold new voices of Arab cinema connects with Abu Dhabi's role as a burgeoning cultural capital in the region and marks the festival as a place for the world to discover and gauge the pulse of recent Arab filmmaking.
“Abu Dhabi has become a common denominator in many of the region’s boldest cultural projects and the film festival is one of them. That is why we wanted the new name to reflect a shared vision of the city as a destination where the regional and international film industry comes together to share and discover some of the stunning new films now being made in the Arab world,” said Eissa Saif Rashed Al Mazrouei, the Festival’s Project Director. “Our new branding also takes inspiration from the spirit of cultural dialogue to which we aspire here. We have chosen an identity that invokes openness, vision and creativity radiating outwards, mirroring the key objectives of the festival. And with Sanad, a new source of meaningful funding to filmmakers from within the region, we are solidifying these aspirations with a commitment to support and nurture innovation in the art of filmmaking.” Peter Scarlet added, “It's common practice for major international film festivals to name themselves after the town in which their principal screenings take place. We're happy and proud to be based in Abu Dhabi, so why not say so? At the same time, our goal hasn't changed: to be the principal place where the filmmakers of the Middle East can be discovered by international critics and buyers, and where the residents of Abu Dhabi can discover the best films from the region – and from all over the rest of the world.” The new Abu Dhabi Film Festival logo is available for download at: www.meiff.com/press/press-downloads
About the Abu Dhabi Film Festival The Abu Dhabi Film Festival (formerly the Middle East International Film Festival) was established in 2007, with the aim of helping to create a vibrant film culture throughout the region. The event, presented each October by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, is committed to curating exceptional programs to engage and educate the local community, inspire filmmakers and nurture the growth of the regional film industry. Submissions for the 2010 edition of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival are now open. Complete information regarding eligibility is available at: www.meiff.com/info/submissions. For question regarding entries email entries@meiff.com or call +971 2 417 7444. The Abu Dhabi Film Festival Press Office is at your disposal for any inquiries and further information. Email press@meiff.com or call + 971 50 614 6653.