[Magnus]

Day five of the Middle East International Film Festival was taken up almost completely by the press conference to announce the winners of the Hayah Film Competition.



The press conference was scheduled for 3:30pm but we didn’t get started until almost 4pm because of some last minute delays. All in all it went smoothly, we announced the winners and gave out the prizes.



Unfortunately I had come down with a cold yesterday and today it was worse. Coughing, runny nose, and generally feeling bad, is not a good recipe for having an important press conference. I did make it through though, on medicine, cough drops, and adrenalin, I think



I can report that iDubai did a great job in the press conference. He did EmiratesMac very proud. If you didn’t know it he was the judge representing all of us in the Hayah Film Competition. Thank you iDubai for your service to EmiratesMac Apple User Group!





The winners of the Hayah Film Competition have been announced:


Fatima Al Shamsi (Student category)

Judges’ decision:

The first winning film is a wonderful example of a short film that carries a simple story line full circle. It focuses on the holy month of Ramadan, and the rituals, practices, and meanings it carries for millions of Muslims around the world. With close-up shots and simple symbolic language, the filmmaker paints a picture of Ramadan as a time when individuals should reflect on their life, their family, and their faith.

Kamil Roxas (Amateur category)


Judges’ decision:

With his film, the filmmaker shows us that sound is not necessarily a requirement in the small format. With ingenuity and creativity, he combines old cinematic elements, with new and exciting ones, fitting it all within the restrictions of the new format. The theme about the importance to smile to other people is truly carried throughout the film. We’re sure that people who watch this film will do so with a big smile across their faces.

Ziad Oakes (Professional category)


Judges’ decision:

The third winning film moves us with a portrait of an aging man reminiscing about his two brothers and how close they used to be. It’s a simple story with straightforward but effective cinematics, further enhanced by a compelling soundtrack. With images of the older man, as well as the younger brethren running along the waterline, this film is sure to move anyone who views it.

Each winner receives a $5000 cash prize donated by Abu Dhabi Women's College, a one year scholarship to study at the New York Film Academy (NYFA) in Abu Dhabi donated by the NYFA, and an iPod nano donated by iStyle.

There was also a fourth award given to Fatima Al Muhairi. This special award was selected by the NYFA in Abu Dhabi. Fatima will receive a one year scholarship to study at the NYFA in Abu Dhabi.

NYFA’s decision:

The fourth winning film is an example of a short story animation set in a visually striking setting. With a good choice of color and movement, it tells a tale of a character who gets into a little bit of trouble. It’s indeed a short film, but it makes good use of the time, and shows the promise of a great future career in filmmaking.

Congratulations to the winners and to all participants. We hope to be back next year again with another Hayah Film Competition, bigger, better, but still for iPod.

Thank you also to our partners in this venture: Abu Dhabi Women’s College, Middle East International Film Festival, and New York Film Academy. We couldn’t done it without you!

As I write this, the voting for the People’s Choice Award has closed and the votes are being counted. The final winner in the Hayah Film Competition will be announced at Friday evening’s Closing Ceremony.

For those who are interested, here’s my press conference speech:

Thank you for coming, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to take this opportunity to give you some background information regarding the Hayah Film Competition and the EmiratesMac Apple User Group. This competition came up in discussions within our user group about activities that we could do that would support our members and the wider community. Since we are an Apple User Group, it seemed natural to focus on films in a small format, especially made for the iPod form factor. We have members ranging from professionals in advertising and media, to teachers, architects, photography, and more. All of them have in common the elements of creativity and originality, which are also key elements for success in this competition.

EmiratesMac was started as a web site in 2005 and is the only registered Apple User Group in the United Arab Emirates. EmiratesMac arranges monthly meetings for its members, where we get together to share experience and knowledge. EmiratesMac also publishes a monthly newsletter called Shuffle, which is the only publication in the Middle East that is dedicated to all things Apple. Shuffle is distributed around the Middle East and has content in English as well as Arabic.

Creating films for iPod presents a number of challenges. The most obvious one is the small screen. Filmmakers have to consider that small details will not show very well. Color and contrast are also important to emphasize shapes and movement on the small screen. The length of the film matters since people will probably not want to look at very long movies on the small screen. These types of films, especially when put on an iPod, are more likely to be viewed in locations other than a family’s living room, or a movie theater, which presents further challenges when writing the script, shooting, and when editing films for this format. Finally, it’s important to consider sound; the viewer may not have headphones while watching, so it is important that the film’s story can be carried through regardless of sound. All these challenges, taken together, make for an interesting mix in terms of creating films for the iPod format.

When we started this venture earlier this year we didn’t expect that much. We thought we would get a few entries and have a small ceremony somewhere. We partnered up with Abu Dhabi Women’s College because their Center of Excellence in Applied Media made them a natural choice. Also, the Higher Colleges of Technology system is the largest provider of higher education in the United Arab Emirates, potentially opening up this film competition to participation by many young talented students.

When we heard about the Middle East International Film Festival we got in touch with them and gradually things developed into what we’ve experienced this week. The partnership has been a strong and mutually beneficial one, and we hope that we can continue to work together in future years. EmiratesMac would like to extend our most sincere appreciation to Dr. Bradley Cook of Abu Dhabi Women’s College and Jon Fitzgerald of the Middle East International Film Festival. Without you, the Hayah Film Competition would not have been possible. I’d also like to thank Omran Al Owais, who was our representative judge from EmiratesMac for his hard work in this competition.

We have been very excited about the response to the Hayah Film Competition. With entries from across the Middle East and in all categories, we’ve seen the abundant creativity that exists in this region. We have also experienced a wide range of subject matter. From the religious and profound, to the funny and lighthearted, each entry has made us think, made us laugh, or even moved us close to tears.

This new format presents new challenges and opportunities for filmmakers. No longer have aspiring filmmakers to go through the traditional studio system. They can make technically advanced films with relatively modest equipment and distribute them for even less through web sites like YouTube, FaceBook, and others. Even setting up their own film studio-like business is conceivable with the latest technology and a strong vision. We hope that the Hayah Film Competition has contributed in some small measure to encourage budding filmmakers to start their career or to spur on those already in the industry.

And here is iDubai’s:

Thank you all for this opportunity to be a part of the Hayah Film Competition. When I first heard of this idea from Magnus I was a bit skeptic. Why would anyone want to watch a film on a small iPod screen, and why would anyone want to make a film for that format? After seeing this project progress, I was surprised to find myself getting more and more intrigued. As a member of the EmiratesMac Apple User Group I started to see opportunities for our members and others to try out something new and exciting in combination with the latest in technology. My professional experience as an architect means I have a strong interest in design. I apply this every day in my work, and I have even made short films before, so when I was asked by EmiratesMac to be their judge in the Hayah Film Competition, it was something I accepted with honor.

On behalf of the judges I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone that submitted a film to the Hayah Film Competition. The variety, quality, creativity, and dedication astounded all of us. We would also like to say congratulations to the finalists. In our mind you are all winners. It was very hard seeking out the finalists in general, and the winners in particular. From a very strong field of competitors you managed to stand out in various ways and you all deserve to win.

What we as judges were looking for were four main things: creativity, originality, technical proficiency, and suitability for the small format. And indeed all the finalists in various ways display aspects of life at the size of an iPod screen, as the tag line for the Hayah Film Competition says.

We will get to the winners in a second but if you allow me I would like to add that I am very proud that so many entries came from Emirati filmmakers. Even though I didn’t know it at the time of screening and judging, it was very moving for me to find out that many films I had watched and enjoyed, were made by people from my country. The film industry in this region is booming and more and more Emiratis are making their mark on the world stage. Hopefully, by participating in the Hayah Film Competition, these filmmakers can start a successful career in their chosen field. It is also very moving to see so many students taking part in the competition. While I was a student I would have loved to be a part of something like this, so it’s comforting to see today’s students making the most of the opportunities afforded to them. We felt this was a perfect fit for students to display as well as develop their skills and knowledge.