Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has launched a short filmmaking competition titled‘Dubai Creativity Short Films industry’ competition. The Authority is calling local and international amateurs and professionals in the creative field aged 15 and above to participate in the competition, which aims to encourage the talented youth and provide them with a platform to showcase their creativity. Under the competition, the participants will be urged to submit a short film characterising a purposeful concept, high quality of content and idea, and employ the best of direction skills at the lowest of costs.

This initiative has been launched in line with the new cultural vision of Dubai announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to drive the advancement of the emirate’s creative scene and establish Dubai as a global center for art and culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent. It is also supports Dubai Culture’s commitment to empower promising young talents, stimulate creative energies in the field of short film making, and employ visual and audio media in storytelling and self-expression.

Dubai Culture has also announced that the applications for the competition will be accepted from 15^thJuly to 15^th September and that the three winning entries will be announced on 15^thOctober 2020. The short film makers and professionals in cinematic art with a passion for storytelling can submit their entries with innovative ideas and execution and in one of four film categories, including: novelist, silent, comedian, and documentary. The maximum duration of the film will be 15 minutes. The competition is open to submissions that are shot using all types of media and cameras, including smart device cameras.

On this occasion, Fatma Al-Jallaf, Acting Director of Performing Arts Department at Dubai Culture, pointed out the cultural and creative importance of this initiative and said, “Dubai Creativity Short Films industry’ competition provides a valuable platform to boost the short films sector locally and regionally. The competition seeks to provide new innovative platform for young talented community members to showcase their creativity, refine their talents, and polish their passion further. The submissions will be judged by a panel of experts and will serve as a learning platform for a promising cinematic generation of filmmakers in the emirate of Dubai and the UAE, a country of cultural diversity and social cohesion that embraces people from over 200 nationalities.”

She added: “This initiative aligns with the framework of Dubai’s new cultural vision of developing a thriving integrated creative system that attracts people who are passionate in the fields of art, creativity, and culture.”

The submissions should adhere to certain guidelines and meet the set provisions of the competition. The film should not have been previously broadcast or shown on any TV channel, digital or electronic site, or a mobile phone, or any other publicly recognised medium and it should not have been submitted as an entry to any other competitions. The final version of the short film should also be presented in MP4 format and the participants must possess all intellectual property rights and the participants should agree for the film to be displayed on the Authority’s social media channels, and use it in any media or marketing campaigns related to the competition. Dubai Culture reserves the right to exclude any movie that exceeds the allowed time limit, or contains technical problems in sound and image that hinder its display, or if it contents are offensive, racist, or contrary to the customs in force in the country.

3 films will be winning the competition through a jury that its members were chosen from among the most experienced experts in this creative field, where the winning films will be shown on the Authority’s YouTube channel, and will be led to the work of an information and marketing campaign for it. In addition to giving the opportunity to the three winners to promote their business and cultivate their talents, they will also receive symbolic awards in kind which are 3 smartphones or small cameras

Participation in the competition can be done by filling in the film presentation form, and sending it with the title and profile of the movie, profile and a personal photo of the director in high quality, with a copy of the passport or personal ID, and at least 3 different pictures of the movie, by e-mail: dfytworkshops@dubaiculture.ae