ABU DHABI // Two Emirati films have won four awards at a New York festival featuring works from more than 30 countries.
The films collected three gold medals and a bronze between them at the New York Festivals' 2011 Television and Film Awards.
In The Blink of an Eye, which tells the story of the country's rapid development over the past three decades, won a gold medal for cinematography in the craft and technique, education and information section. It also won a bronze medal in the business theatre group.
Dream Journey, a short film combining live action and animation depicting a young Emirati boy and a Chinese girl exploring the UAE, won gold medals in both the business theatre and public relations categories of the film and video industrial productions group.
Both were shot in the UAE in 2009 and 2010 and were specially produced for the World Expo this year in Shanghai.
The prizes were collected by Omar al Shamsi, deputy chief of mission at the UAE embassy in Washington. The UAE Pavilion at the Expo was supported by the UAE Government and organised by the National Media Council (NMC).
"The core feature of the UAE's exhibition at Expo 2010 was the three very strong media presentations," the NMC chairman, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak, said. "We are delighted that this experienced international jury has chosen to recognise these films in this way."
