Dubai

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) today facilitated a talk with Dubai-based filmmaker Ali Faisal Mustafa, as part of a community outreach initiative to demystify cinema for young people and inspire them to pursue careers in the creative arts.

The workshop was organized as a part of the activities for the Kids Press Club, Dubai Press Club’s annual summer camp for kids.

Mustafa’s short film “Under the Sun” screened at DIFF 2005 and won the Emirates Film Competition in 2006. It has been screened at the Rome, Rhode Island and San Francisco International Film Festivals.

Ali Mustafa said: “It’s great to be reaching out to a younger audience who have such a keen interest in filmmaking. When I was starting out, there were no initiatives like this, and I feel privileged to be able to share all the information and encouragement that I can. It is exciting to be a part of the rapidly evolving UAE filmmaking community.”

Abdulhamid Juma, Chairman of DIFF, said: “it is inspiring for the younger generation to speak with someone from their own community who is making his way in the film industry. Our mandate at DIFF is to facilitate Arab filmmakers’ entry into this career, and to foster the development of training, production and post-production facilities that are world-class. Growing and encouraging our own local talent is the way to start.”

Mustafa’s animated discussion with the children covered important aspects of filmmaking, including editing, writing and directing, with examples from popular Hollywood films and interactive activities