ABU DHABI // Abu Dhabi Film Festival has handed out more than Dh1.8 million this year through its support fund for Arab filmmaking.
Among the eight films selected this year are Villa 69, a joint production between Egypt and the UAE. The film, directed by Ayten Amin, will be screened at this year’s festival, which begins on Thursday.
It will also compete in the festival’s New Horizon competition.
The other films to be supported are Daoud's Winter, directed by Koutaiba Al Janabi; God Protect My Daughter, directed by Leyla Bouzid; Little (Egypt), directed by Nagham Osman; A Place Under the Sun, directed by Karim Aitouna; Waiting Bench, directed by Suhaib Gasmelbari Mustafa; Sounds of the Sea, directed by Nujoom Al Ghanem; and Ghost Hunting, directed by Raed Andoni.
The fund for Arab filmmakers, Sanad - Arabic for support - was established in 2010 to help with development or post-production of their projects.
Post-production grants are up to Dh220,000 and development grants are up to Dh73,000.
The programme is supported by twofour54, Abu Dhabi’s media hub.
“Over the past four years, Sanad has given US$1.829m [Dh6.7m] in grants, supporting 93 feature films from Arab filmmakers, reflecting twofour54’s mandates of supporting talented Arabs,” said twofour54 chief executive Noura Al Kaabi.
“I am very excited that this year’s festival will screen five films supported by the Fund, showcasing the best of Arab filmmaking to international and local audiences.”
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