Those who have grown up with satellite TV, remotes, a crystal-clear picture and hundreds of channels will find Ahmed Zain's short drama Safia real eye-opener.
The Muhr Emirati competition entry looks back to the Emirates in the 1980s, when there was little choice, the TV signal came via a rooftop aerial and the picture quality was so poor that shows often looked like they had been shot in a snowstorm.
"The pictures weren't clear and we had a very hard time to see anything on the TV," says Zain, 38, an electromechanical engineer from Abu Dhabi. "There would be one guy holding the aerial on the roof and one guy in front of the TV.
"The guy downstairs would shout to the other guy: 'It's clear - no, go to the right, no, go to the left,' until the channel came clear. Sometimes you missed the movie or the show. You could not see it."
While Zain is keen to show younger people what TV was like before the satellite era, he adds: "For sure I don't want to go back to those days. I'm happy with TV like it is now."
Muna Al Ali is a firm believer in having a positive outlook - she goes as far as saying it is the key to happiness.
Al Ali, an artist from Sharjah, explores the theory in her short experimental film Durbeen, another Muhr Emirati contender. The title means "binoculars".
"The message is that life is the same for everyone. What makes the difference is our view of the situation and our reaction to things that happen," she says.
"For example, if something happens and you see it in a negative way, it will make you desperate and you will think that everything is bad in life. But if you see it in a positive way then you will be happy."
Safi and Durbeen will be screened along with other Muhr Emirati entries at 12.30pm tomorrow.
If the aspiring filmmakers competing in the Muhr Emirati section need any proof that it is possible to become an overnight success in the movie business, they need look no further than one of the judges.
Casting her eyes over their work will be the Indian actress Freida Pinto, who was propelled to stardom by her debut role as Latika in Slumdog Millionaire.
The DIFF organisers approached her because her appeal spanned East and West - and to their delight she agreed to take part.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
pakistan Test squad
Azhar Ali (capt), Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah, Usman Shinwari
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The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
SPECS
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Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
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The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
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What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
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