The Ministry of Culture is participating in the fifth edition of the Gulf Film Festival, hosted by the Sultanate of Oman from the 16th to the 19th of this month, with four Emirati films that highlight the development of the cinematic industry in the country and its leading role in the Gulf cultural scene. The Assistant Under-Secretary for the National Identity and Arts, Acting, Asma Al Hammadi, affirmed that the cinema sector is a fundamental pillar of the creative economy and an effective tool in enhancing the state's cultural identity. She noted that participation in this festival comes within the framework of the Ministry of Culture's commitment to supporting Emirati filmmakers and celebrating their achievements. The list of participating films from the UAE includes the horror film 'Huba' by director Majed Al Ansari, and 'Eid Edeen' by director Mitha Al Awadi, a joint Emirati-Saudi comedy, in addition to the film 'Zamjara' by director Awwa Thani, which tackles the human struggle with their ambitions in a human drama framework, and the film 'Girl of the Birthday' by director Badr Mohammed, set within a comedic drama framework. The festival will honor Emirati director, screenwriter, and producer Abdullah Hassan Ahmed in recognition of his long career in supporting the national cinematic industry and his qualitative contributions to founding the Emirati film movement and bringing it to the international stage. Abdullah Hassan is considered one of the pioneers of Emirati cinema, having presented 12 short films between 2001 and 2013. Throughout his distinguished artistic career, he has won numerous awards, in addition to his recent participation in the film 'Rituals of Water, Mountain, and Light', which features a selection of the finest Emirati cinematic productions from the past 15 years.
