Free documentaries ahead of film festivals

Across the region, film lovers are gearing up for a busy few months. The Abu Dhabi Film Festival begins on October 13 for 10 days and shortly after that, red carpets will be rolled out once again in anticipation of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) in December.

This year, however, thanks to a joint venture between DIFF organisers and the American Mission to the UAE, the season will be kicking off early. Eight award-winning documentaries selected from the American Documentary Showcase are due to be screened in the UAE - for free.

Courtesy of independent filmmakers and through a diverse range of subject matter, the documentaries offer an insight into lesser explored areas of American society. The film screenings include Louder Than a Bomb, which follows different groups of teenagers as they prepare to compete in the world's largest youth poetry slam; One Lucky Elephant whichchronicles a circus leader's quest to find his star elephant a suitable retirement home; Corner Plot tells the tale of an elderly farmer intent on growing his own produce and maintaining self-sufficiency while living inside the Washington DC Beltway and We Still Live Here highlights the importance of language as a means of maintaining cultural identity, as experienced by the Wampanoag people of Southern Massachusetts.

Screenings will be held at Abu Dhabi Mall on September 30 and October 1 and in Dubai's Mall of the Emirates from October 6 to 8.