15 scripts — four each from the UAE and Oman; two each from Iraq and Saudi Arabia and one each from Bahrain, Qatar and Belgium — will receive special attention as part of a brand new initiative from the Gulf Film Festival (GFF) to give greater finesse to the scriptwriting skills of regional writers and […]

15 scripts — four each from the UAE and Oman; two each from Iraq and Saudi Arabia and one each from Bahrain, Qatar and Belgium — will receive special attention as part of a brand new initiative from the Gulf Film Festival (GFF) to give greater finesse to the scriptwriting skills of regional writers and filmmakers and provide mentoring and potential production opportunities. The projects have been selected from over 99 submissions.
Celebrated Egyptian director and scriptwriter Mohamed Khan; award-winning Lebanese director, scriptwriter and film entrepreneur Michel Kammoun and accomplished Bahraini author and scriptwriter Fareed Ramadan chose the 15 scripts. With the exception of one entry from the UAE, which is in English, all of the selected scripts are in Arabic.
The selected scriptwriters will attend extensive mentoring sessions at the ongoing film festival, with GFF partnering them with directors and producers, to help turn the completed scripts into accomplished film projects.
The chosen scripts are: The 563 Dirhams by Shaikha Al Ayali, Light Goes to Bed by Yousef Ibrahim, Rain by Amal Al Dowaila and Transit by Marwan Alhammadi the only English script (all from the UAE); Cholo by Muzna Almusafer, Valley Girl by Amal Alsibaei, Al Kashaf by Samaa Isaa and Key by Huda Hamad Al Jahoori (all from Oman); Cotton by Luay Fadhil and Street Memories by Hashim Al-Efari (both from Iraq); The Clown by Hussam Alhulwah and Ghashwa by Salma Bukhamseen (both from Saudi Arabia); Life by Fathiya Nasser (Bahrain); The Crucified by Khalid Al Mahmoud (Iraq) and Baghdad Sport Club by Sahim Omar Kalifa (Belgium).
Over three days, the winners will be part of hands-on script doctoring sessions led by award-winning regional filmmakers, followed by pitch sessions to emerging and established directors, and industry networking geared towards securing partnership and production agreements. Paired with the Festivals existing US$250,000 Enjaaz annual production fund for Gulf short films, the new initiative creates a holistic, end-to-end support programme for emerging and established scriptwriters, directors, and other film talent from the region.
The lineup of movies at GFF 2012 includes 82 world premieres, 12 international premieres, 27 Middle East premieres, 11 GCC premieres and four UAE premieres. GFF is also celebrating its landmark 5th anniversary with a special weekend of festival film screenings in Abu Dhabi from April 12 to 14, 2012, at the Abu Dhabi Theatre, in partnership with the Sultan Bin Zayed Centre for Culture and Media.
GFF 2012 at Dubai Festival City has concluded and is now being hosted in Abu Dhabi from April 12 to 14 at the Abu Dhabi Theatre.