Latest news with #ImageNationAbuDhabi
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Arab Cinema Makes a Splash on the Croisette
Arab cinema and its representatives are out in full force — and in the spotlight — on the Croisette this year, where the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival kicked off on Tuesday. Case in point: Qatar's film industry is gearing up for what insiders say will be its biggest-ever presence on the Croisette. The timing seems fitting given that the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) will, during the fest, bestow its sixth Arab Cinema Personality of the Year Award onto Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of Qatar's Doha Film Institute, for her 'noteworthy efforts to advance the Qatari, Arab, and global film industries.' More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Two Prosecutors' Review: Sergei Loznitsa Explores the Stifling Climate of Stalin-Era Russia in a Legal Drama That Burns Slowly but Brightly Nude and "Voluminous" Cannes Red Carpet Looks From Past Years That Would Violate New Dress Code 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' Review: Tom Cruise Delivers but the Convoluted Eighth Entry Takes Its Sweet Time Getting There Egypt also has reason to celebrate. It returns to the Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard lineup for the first time in nine years, with its 'central role in regional production and distribution' as 'the Arab world's largest filmmaking hub' getting the spotlight in a panel organized by the Marché du Film and ACC entitled 'Egypt: Arab World's Blockbuster Nation.' Meanwhile, Charlie Polinger's debut feature The Plague, starring Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased, Black Mass), will world premiere in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section, giving Image Nation Abu Dhabi its first movie in one of the two big Cannes fest sections. Made under its co-production partnership with Spooky Pictures, along with producers Hellcat, The Space Program, and Edgerton's Five Henrys, the psychological horror movie tells the story of a 12-year-old navigating the savage social order at an all-boys water polo summer camp. For Image Nation Abu Dhabi, it will mark a special moment, CEO Ben Ross tells THR. 'We are all super happy that we get to go to Cannes with a movie,' he says. 'I'm sure it will be a different experience.' Palestinian cinema is also set to draw attention on the Croisette. It will be in focus in a Cannes market session, while revenge thriller Once Upon a Time in Gaza, directed by twin brothers Tarzan and Arab Nasser, will unspool in the Un Certain Regard program. In addition, Iranian director Sepideh Farsi's documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, which features Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona and her work documenting daily life in Gaza, will screen in the lineup of ACID (Association for the Distribution of Independent Cinema), a parallel event held during the Cannes fest. When the 25-year-old and several members of her family were recently killed in an Israeli air strike, the Cannes fest expressed 'its dread and profound sadness at this tragedy,' adding that the movie's screening 'will be, in addition to the message of the film itself, a way to honor the memory of Fatma Hassona.' The Israel-Gaza war took center stage during the Cannes opening press conference on Tuesday when jury president Juliette Binoche was asked about a letter, published on Monday evening and signed by such film industry folks as Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Javier Bardem, that said: 'In Cannes, the horror Gaza must not be silenced,' read the letter. Binoche said she did not sign the letter but would not detail the reasons, simply saying: 'You will maybe understand it a little later.' Egypt will also be making its presence felt in Cannes in more ways than one. In Un Certain Regard, Egyptian director Morad Mostafa's Aisha Can't Fly Away, a co-production with France, Germany, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Sudan, tells the story of a Muslim migrant from Sudan who works as a caregiver in Cairo. She lives in an area full of 'tension between the different African and Egyptian groups over the control of the neighborhood,' according to a synopsis. Egypt's return to the section after nearly a decade was in a press announcement for the movie, described as 'a triumphant breakthrough for Egyptian cinema.' The country also plays a role in this year's competition lineup as Swedish director Tarik Saleh, the son of a Swedish mother and an Egyptian father, will bring his much-anticipated Eagles of the Republic, about a fictional Egyptian actor who falls into disgrace with the authorities, to the Croisette. Jordan is also in the spotlight as the Royal Film Commission – Jordan just launched an 'enhanced financial incentives program' for film and TV productions in Cannes early on Wednesday. The new cash rebate of 25-45 percent for qualifying film and TV projects replaces the 25 percent cap that has been in place so far. 'Projects with production expenditures exceeding $10 million and integrating Jordanian cultural elements can qualify for the maximum rebate of 45 percent,' the commission said. 'For local productions, the rebate has been raised from 10 percent to 30 percent for projects with spending over $500,000 – part of a broader effort to empower Jordanian producers and stimulate the domestic production industry.' Existing additional financial savings on the likes of sales tax and customs duty also remain in place. 'The amendments aim to enhance Jordan's competitiveness as a major film production hub in the region by creating a supportive environment that fosters creativity, provides robust infrastructure, and facilitates the exchange of expertise, training, and knowledge transfer,' said Mohannad Al-Bakri, managing director of the Royal Film Commission – Jordan. 'They also aim to boost film tourism by promoting filming locations and highlighting Jordanian cultural identity and heritage in global productions.' Previous films that have been shot in Jordan include Dune Parts 1 & 2, The Martian, John Wick, and Aladdin. 'For the past 60 years, since Lawrence of Arabia, Jordan has been welcoming international and regional films and TV productions,' the country's film commission highlighted. Another part of the Arab world playing Cannes this year is the Maghreb. French-Tunisian director Erige Sehiri opens the Un Certain Regard section on Wednesday with Promised Sky, a drama about an unorthodox family made up of several women in Tunis. Plus, French director Hafsia Herzi, the daughter of Algerian and Tunisian parents, is bringing her coming-of-age drama The Little Sister, about a young woman navigating life between two cultures, to Cannes where it will compete for the Palme d'Or. Finally, this year marks 'the first time Qatar will really be showing up to Cannes in force,' according to one industry insider. Indeed, Hassan Al Thawadi, who oversaw the delivery of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the emirate and is now also focusing on the growth of the movie industry, will lead a group of executives from Media City Qatar and a new film committee to Cannes. The Qatari delegation is understood to be made up of representatives of the Film Committee at Media City Qatar and Doha-based studio Katara Studios (Orca, series The Pact). The influence of Qatar's Doha Film Institute and its financing support will also be visible in the Directors' Fortnight, the independent section held in parallel to the Cannes festival. After all, it will include the world premiere of The President's Cake, written and directed by Iraq's Hasan Hadi in his directorial debut. One key player in the story will be recognized well beyond the Arab world. After all, the movie tells the story of a young girl who gets tasked with baking a birthday cake for none other than Saddam Hussein. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia continues looking to make waves. Shivani Pandya-Malhotra, managing director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, which organizes the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah and just announced a new CEO, and its chair Jomana Al-Rashid are among the country's representatives in Cannes. And Film AlUla, the film agency tasked with promoting and supporting film and TV productions while protecting the AlUla region, is back at Cannes for its fifth year in a row. Its films have included the likes of Norah, Cherry, Kandahar, K-Pops, and Siwar. 'The Cannes Film Festival is a pivotal stop on our events calendar and one of our most productive markets of the year,' Zaid Shaker, acting executive director, tells THR. 'Our team is based at the Saudi Pavilion, where attendees are invited to experience the breathtaking landscapes of AlUla through our immersive VR offering. As Saudi Arabia plays an increasingly prominent role in the global film ecosystem, Film AlUla is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation – championing regional storytelling, attracting international productions, and supporting filmmakers at every stage of development.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Horror Buffs at Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Spooky Pictures Love 'Cool Shit' and Have Unleashed ‘The Plague' at Cannes
High concept, low budget, straight-forward creative lens – that is how Emirati studio Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Los Angeles-based genre label Spooky Pictures target movies under their partnership that is bringing one of its features to the Cannes Film Festival for the first time. No need to mince words either. 'The creative mandate is: cool shit,' producer and Spooky co-founder Steven Schneider (Pet Sematary, Paranormal Activity, Insidious) tells THR. 'We also always just look for things that are original and will surprise us,' adds producer and Spooky co-founder Roy Lee (It, The Ring, A Minecraft Movie). 'The guiding light when we start out is that we want to make a movie that somebody thinks is their favorite movie of that year or of all time.' More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Highest 2 Lowest': Spike Lee on Trump, Cannes Scandals and the Knicks' Championship Chances: "We're Going to Win!" UTA's Rich Klubeck Is Juggling Wes Anderson, Kelly Reichardt and Ethan Coen at Cannes Jafar Panahi: The World's Most Acclaimed Dissident Filmmaker The duo found a partner in crime in Image Nation CEO Ben Ross, bringing together what Schneider calls three 'historical horror buffs' on a mission. 'Steven and I had been threatening to do this for probably 15-plus years, and the three of us have known each other for a really long time,' recalls Ross. 'So when the two of them discussed launching something together, it was pretty easy just to go and do it, because we know genre films and like the business.' This year, the dynamic trio for the first time ever hit the Croisette with a movie premiering in the Cannes selection, namely New York-based Charlie Polinger's debut feature The Plague, which debuted in the Un Certain Regard section on Friday. Its cast features an ensemble of new faces, including Everett Blunck, Kayo Martin and Kenny Rasmussen, and Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased, Black Mass, Loving), who also has a producer credit on the film via his banner Five Henrys Productions, along with additional producers Hellcat and The Space Program. 'At an all-boys water polo camp, a socially anxious 12-year-old is pulled into a cruel tradition targeting an outcast with an illness they call 'The Plague',' reads the ominous synopsis. 'But as the lines between game and reality blur, he fears the joke might be hiding something real.' Edgerton was already attached to the project when the partners boarded it. His involvement as a producer mirrors the starring and producing roles that David Dastmalchian had on the Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes-directed Image Nation-Spooky horror box office hit Late Night With the Devil, which in its prologue is framed as a documentary investigating an unexplained event that occurred on Halloween night 1977 during a live broadcast of a late-night talk show, and which delivered IFC Films' highest-grossing opening weekend ever. Dastmalchian and the companies are now replicating his double duty on their recently unveiled new feature, The Shepherd. 'That dual role is incentivizing,' explains Schneider. 'Nobody's getting rich up front on these movies. We are, I think, more than fair for low-budget movies in terms of what we are prepared to pay people. But we are trying desperately to keep the above the line as minimal as possible.' Adds Ross: 'We also try to make all the actors feel like they are real partners. They are doing these things for significantly less of a payday than they can normally get. Everything goes on screen when we design the financial plans for our films. We treat the actors as partners, so they are significant stakeholders in the back end. We all win together, or nobody wins.' How else does The Plague fit into the partnership's business model? 'The model is basically $5 million net budgets or below, big concept, well executed, directors that we believe in and want to bet on – whether they are first-timers or established, and not cast contingent in the usual way,' summarizes Schneider. The three veterans trust their taste and instincts and all use words such as 'different,' 'fresh,' 'original,' and 'fun' when discussing what kind of projects they look for. Explains Lee: 'If we read the first act of a script and could predict everything that is going to happen, it's actually a movie we don't want to do. We want the movies that veer in different directions.' The content can originate from anywhere. 'As far as the business perspective, we operate under the premise that content is global,' Ross tells THR. 'So we make it for a global audience, whether it's in Arabic, which a lot of Image Nation stuff is, or in English or Spanish,' like one project currently in the works. One fundamental thought the partners all share is that creative, artistic, and financial considerations are not mutually exclusive. 'Our movies can be artistic and commercial at the same time,' emphasized Schneider. 'They just have to be scary. They have to be spooky.' Is there a slate goal, such as a certain number of movies the three target per year? 'We don't have a set goal. We just judge things as they come in,' emphasizes Lee. 'When we love something, we want to try and make it.' That has meant that, in contrast to most studios' operations, the partnership has made all movies it has decided to develop. One thing that makes The Plague different is that it will be the partnership's first film to be sold upfront, with that process starting at the Cannes market, where UTA and Cinetic will be co-selling the U.S. rights and AGC International handling the rest of the world. Chloe Okuno's psychological thriller Watcher was the team's first feature. Among their upcoming films are Oddity director Damian McCarthy's supernatural horror movie Hokum, starring Adam Scott (Severance), which is currently in post, Randall Okita's Menace, starring Isabel May (1883), and Archangel, written and directed by Bryan Edward Hill and starring Conor Leslie (Titans, Man in the High Castle) Greg Hovanessian (Cardinal), and Alyshia Ochse (True Detective). Given the entertainment industry's various issues, what is a key hurdle for the Image Nation-Spooky team? 'The biggest challenge is finding great projects,' highlights Lee. 'Because there are so many things out there in the marketplace and there is a lot of competition, you just have to be able to discern the ones that will rise above the others and that will be great.' One promise that can make a difference is trust in the creatives and their vision. 'We really try to be completely collaborative with our filmmakers,' says Ross. 'We want to show them that we believe in them. We really don't dictate a lot. We are all going to work together.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked
Arabian Business
05-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Million dollar broker: How reality TV star Ben Bandari built his AED22bn Dubai real estate portfolio
In a city sculpted from ambition and bold moves, Ben Bandari deals in certainties. When we meet at Villa Flora, a mansion that embodies Dubai's particular brand of opulence, Bandari's calculated confidence feels like part of the property's fixtures. His gestures – the meticulous cuff adjustment, the practiced sweep of an arm toward the golf course vista – telegraph a man who has transmuted Dubai's relentless optimism into quantifiable assets: $5.99 billion in transactions over two decades. The afternoon light cascades across Villa Flora's pristine marble floors, casting geometric shadows through floor-to-ceiling windows that frame a manicured golf course. Here in DAMAC Hills, Bandari adjusts his impeccably tailored blue suit sleeve, revealing a gleam of his luxury watch. His pink silk tie captures the light as he gestures toward the panorama. 'Not bad, right?' he says, the understatement hanging in the air like fine perfume. Reality TV transforms business To millions of viewers across 60 countries, Bandari is the breakout star of Million Dollar Listing UAE, the Emmy-nominated reality show currently filming its highly anticipated second season. The first season broke viewership records on STARZPLAY, becoming the number one show within 24 hours of its premiere. 'It's been a really, really great experience, and the exposure has been great,' says Bandari, reflecting on how the show has transformed his life. 'Everywhere I go, everyone knows Ben Bandari. I have random people, literally daily, in the real estate world congratulating me on season two.' For the casual viewer, Bandari appears as the consummate professional – serious, focused, all business. Yet behind the cameras, colleagues know him as the strategic mastermind who spent five years pitching the show before finding the right partners in Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Aldar Properties. Most recently, DAMAC has joined as a sponsor for Season 2, creating a triumvirate of the UAE's most influential property players backing the program. 'In terms of business, it's been amazing,' Bandari explains. 'Sellers who've watched the show contact me to give their properties exclusively. Buyers reach out because they want to deal with someone they've watched. And developers send boxes of chocolates every week, asking us to come to their sales offices.' The show's success has provided unprecedented recruitment opportunities. 'A lot of agents want to work for me and for BenCo real estate,' he notes, describing how his personal brand has grown exponentially since the show's premiere. The reality behind reality TV While Bandari's televised success has inspired many to enter real estate, he cautions against assuming the job is as glamorous as it appears. 'Once they dive into the industry, they quickly find out it's not as easy as it seems on television. On TV, it just shows the listing appointment, the open houses, and closure of deals.' The reality includes 'a lot of hard work, a lot of stress, a lot of rejection. Nine out of ten deals pretty much fall through. It's a numbers game that takes discipline to become successful.' He emphasises the fierce competition in Dubai's market. 'It's a very cutthroat industry. There's 26-27,000 registered real estate brokers. People are jumping into the industry because they think it's quick money and fast cash. It's not.' The upcoming second season will expand to 12 episodes, with Bandari once again starring alongside Riad Gohar and Rami Wahood, joined by new cast members Sara Serhan and Mai Khaled. 'The two weeks that we've filmed, I can assure you there's more drama than all of Season one,' Bandari reveals, though he's quick to clarify: 'It's not trash TV. It's arguing about real estate, it's arguing about who's listing.' Beyond the brokerage The TV exposure has supercharged Bandari's newest venture: DevCore Properties. 'We're a project sales and marketing company that works with developers from land acquisition to design to build.' DevCore functions as both the consultant and sales arm for developers navigating Dubai's complex property sector. 'We have our own in-house architects and consultants. We know all the contractors in this country. We can advise them on the right path.' The venture has already secured its first major client. 'Our first developer on board is LEOS International, a UK developer that's been on the market for about three years. We'll be handling their sales and marketing for Weybridge 5, their fifth building in Dubailand with about 190 units.' He describes the project as a 'state-of-the-art' and 'sexy' building with studios, one, two, and three-bedroom units priced at approximately $1,300 per square foot. 'The good thing about this building, which LEOS has never done, is they're selling it fully furnished at this price. It's turnkey, so once it's handed over, you can rent it out and from the rental income, you can pay the instalments.' From dropout to Dubai icon Few have observed Dubai's rise from as many vantage points as Bandari. When he arrived in 2002 with CAD 700 (approximately $510) in his pocket, Dubai had just begun its freehold revolution. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's decree allowing foreigners to buy property in designated areas was transforming the emirate from regional outpost to global luxury destination. 'Media City, Internet City didn't exist,' Bandari recalls of early Dubai. 'It was dark at night. There was really nothing there. And 70 per cent of Sheikh Zayed Road today was not around.' Born and raised in Vancouver to Iranian parents, Bandari's early career was tumultuous. 'I was a dropout, a university dropout. I came from a very strict family where you had to be a doctor or an engineer. I did retail. I was a telemarketer. I was pretty much scraping, hustling, trying to make money in Canada.' His fortunes changed when a family connection led to Dubai, where he accepted a position paying just $436 monthly. 'I was the lowest-paid Canadian on the planet. I lived in a one-bedroom with five people. It was like military – we'd wake up in the morning and all stand in line to take a shower.' The intervention What truly transformed his career's trajectory was his mother's visit to Dubai. Appalled by his living conditions, 'My mom pretty much challenged me,' he recalls. 'She started calling real estate companies herself.' This led to Better Homes, where Bandari rejected $2,726 salary for a 50/50 commission structure. In an unexpected twist, his mother joined him in real estate. 'My mom actually wanted to work as well. She's like, 'it'll be fun, and I'll show you how it's done.'' The decision paid immediate dividends. 'My first month, I sold a villa in The Meadows, all off-plan, $545,190, 2 per cent – $10,903. I made $5,451,' he recounts. 'The next month I made $10,903, the month after, my third month, I made $21,806.' By 2004-2006, Bandari was averaging over $54,519 monthly. Surviving boom and bust When the 2008 global financial crisis hit, Bandari faced devastation. 'We sold a building, literally a $190.8 million building in Waterfront. The payment was due right before everything collapsed. The developer ran off with the money.' Half of his wealth disappeared overnight. Instead of retreating, he recalibrated. This experience informed his decision to launch BenCo Real Estate during the pandemic. 'I learned my lesson in 2009, 2008. All the real estate companies that set up and started their empires today… they set up during a crisis.' Leadership philosophy Today, Bandari manages his brokerage, television career, Bandari Investment Group, and DevCore while mentoring the next generation of real estate professionals. His management style reflects his journey from shared apartment to luxury real estate empire. 'My leadership philosophy, my management philosophy is basically take care of your people and your people will take care of you,' he explains. 'I try to establish more of a friendship with the people who work at BenCo and DevCore.' This philosophy manifests in his office arrangement. 'I don't have an office for myself, so I sit with the staff. Our business model is horizontal management, not vertical. There's no hierarchy. Everyone's the same, including myself.' Despite managing 60-70 staff members across two businesses, 'I'm basically there for every single one of them. I answer their calls, I answer their messages. If they need me to meet a client, I try and take time. Juggling the two businesses, my own clients, the TV show – it's difficult, but I know this is what's going to elevate and make me successful.' Building a legacy For all his ambition and business acumen, Bandari has a surprising focus on mentoring the next generation. 'Don't think you can do it all on your own,' he advises. 'Find someone that can mentor you, even if it means working for three, four months for free or on a lower salary, just to sit by them, listen to them, listen to the way they talk, how they negotiate.' As our conversation concludes, his phone lights up with details of another potential transaction. In a city defined by ambition, Ben Bandari – once a university dropout with $510 to his name – has become as fundamental to Dubai's luxury real estate sector as the Burj Khalifa is to its skyline. 'Now the driving force for me today is not just to save money. We've already made the money,' Bandari says. 'I want to build a legacy. BenCo Real Estate – we go international, we have maybe 20 branches here, London, China, the US. This is what really turns me on right now.' In this industry, he concludes, 'you are only as relevant as your last transaction – and as effective as the people you've taught along the way.'
Arab News
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Image Nation Abu Dhabi, Timur Bekmambetov pick eight UAE stories to lead screenlife rollout
ABU DHABI: Ben Ross, CEO of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, joined Kazakh-Russian film director and producer Timur Bekmambetov on Tuesday at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi to discuss screenlife, a pioneering format developed by Bekmambetov that is coming to the region for the first time. Screenlife is a style of filmmaking where the entire story takes place on a digital screen — through text messages, video calls, social media and other everyday apps — reflecting how people communicate in today's tech-driven world. Notable examples include the horror film 'Unfriended' (2014) and the mystery thriller 'Searching' (2018). Ben Ross (L) and Timur Bekmambetov (R) at the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi. (AN Photo by Mohamed Fawzy) In the session, Ross and Bekmambetov announced that they have selected eight stories from UAE filmmakers to bring to life after the launch of the Screenlife Program in June 2024, which aims to help UAE citizens and residents master this new format and create authentic narratives with global resonance. 'We were drawn to it because it is so innovative and so forward-thinking,' Ross told Arab News. 'We enjoyed the screenlife movies, and it just felt like a natural step to evolve it into this region.' Bekmambetov emphasized the universality of digital communication. 'The digital world is the same universally. There is a different cultural element … but every family has a WhatsApp chat with hundreds of people on it. My family in Kazakhstan have one, and the internet in Abu Dhabi is the same,' he told Arab News. He said that the format is 'socially very impactful' and can give voice to those often left out of traditional cinema. 'Because it costs nothing, you can tell stories about your individual life with no money. It will help us to engage very different storytellers.' Ross noted that the selected projects reflect a wide range of stories. 'Every story that we have chosen ... stood out in its own way. There's a huge variety being told — it's not formulaic.' Bekmambetov also noted that Muslim women lead very different lifestyles, saying, 'maybe screenlife will bring their stories to life,' to which Ross added that some of the stories currently in development already do.
Broadcast Pro
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
Image Nation AD and Timur Bekmambetov reveal winners of Screenlife Accelerator Programme
The winning projects reflect a diverse range of voices and genres, unified by a format that is redefining modern storytelling. Image Nation Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Hollywood filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov and his production company Bazelevs, has announced the winners of the UAE's first-ever Screenlife Accelerator Programme. The initiative, launched in June 2024, focused on training local and resident filmmakers in the screenlife storytelling format, where entire narratives unfold through digital interfaces like smartphones and computer screens. Over a rigorous 12-week period, participants were mentored in the craft of screenlife filmmaking, culminating in the selection of 13 finalists chosen to develop pilots of their concepts. From these, eight projects were awarded further support to advance their scripts and prepare for the next phase of production. Among the winners is Disappearance by Emirati director Abdulbaset Qayed, a supernatural thriller centred on two vloggers investigating a mysterious vanishing in the Omani mountains. Turkish filmmakers Gorkem Sifael and Ozgur Akyuz were recognised for Stalker, a psychological drama about a woman whose AI search tool, created to locate her missing mother, is hijacked by a sinister stalker. Other standout projects include Hidden Melody by Emirati filmmaker Afra Al Marar, a suspenseful tale about a composer haunted by a song and a singer's untimely death; and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by French expat Julie Sanchez, which delves into the psychological complexities of an online therapist and her clients. Dana Ittani, an American-Lebanese filmmaker, presented Just My Type, a gripping cybercrime drama inspired by real-life romance scams. Dubai-based Ekta Saran and British writer Danielle Arden's Mother Scammer offers a darkly satirical look at high society and digital deception. Emirati Aisha Al Aqel was honoured for Closure, a sci-fi horror exploring grief and AI resurrection, while Yemeni director Tammam Assi's The Link examines the dangers of online manipulation and viral identity fraud. Ben Ross, CEO of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, said: 'As Abu Dhabi and the UAE continue to establish its position as a leader in the creative industries, our partnership on screenlife reflects our commitment to innovation in filmmaking, empowering emerging storytellers with the latest tools, and showcasing the UAE's unique identity through globally resonant stories. We were overwhelmed with the level of talent we saw during the programme – and look forward to bringing these projects to life.' Timur Bekmambetov, pioneer of the screenlife format, added: 'Screenlife isn't just a new storytelling language, it's a real tool for social impact. It democratises access to cinema through technology and changes the idea that cinema belongs only to those with big connections and big budgets. Instead, screenlife makes cinema a platform for new voices and untold stories coming from emerging regions and underserved communities. All our best screenlife films were made by first-time filmmakers. And we hope this accelerator's finalist will soon be next.' Bekmambetov is the pioneer of screenlife films in which the action is set from the point of view of smartphones and computer screens as characters utilise their devices that drive the narrative forward. His debut screenlife production – a teen horror pic Unfriended (2015) – was picked up by Universal and went on to gross more than $65m against a budget of $1m. His next screenlife production, Searching (2018) starring John Cho, became a sensation at the Sundance Film Festival, grossing over $7m.
