As well as the pageantry, car parades and the festooning of streets with lights and flags, some of the UAE’s top filmmakers have just finished their own tribute to mark the country’s 42nd National Day.
Abu Dhabi’s media and entertainment hub twofour54, in conjunction with Abu Dhabi Media and the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, commissioned a reworking of the country’s national anthem Ishy Bilady (Long Live My Nation) and a special short film to accompany the tune.
The person chosen to produce this video was Ali F Mostafa, the renowned director who’s best known for his 2009 debut feature City of Life, which examined the interactions between the various cultures that exist in Dubai.
Mostafa has been busy preparing for his latest feature film From A to B, but when twofour54 approached him to make the National Day video, he made time to accommodate the project.
“I was very honoured to have been asked by twofour54 to direct what I understand is the official film for the national anthem,” he says. “I have so much pride that they asked me to do this project. But I’m also excited because I don’t think people will have seen our country portrayed in this way before.”
Mostafa was even more enthused to take part when twofour54 promised him plenty of creative leeway.
“They gave me the freedom to do something different. We are used to seeing stuff on TV that is shot in a very traditional way, or a corporate way. We have seen this kind of thing again, again and again,” he says.
“We are trying to do it in a very stylistic way. We are shooting the same things, but differently.”
Mostafa chose to create the video in the style of the renowned advertising filmmaker Bruno Aveillan. The French director is known for highly stylised commercials and his clients include Shangri-La hotels, Louis Vuitton and Coca-Cola. Aveillan’s most famous work is the award-winning short film L’ Odyssee de Cartier, which recounts the history of the jewellery House of Cartier through the journeys of a panther.
“Aveillan does very artistic work and I really admire his style. So when I heard they wanted to do something like this for the UAE and they wanted it to be original, I thought why not do it in that style?” says Mostafa.
So, in this film, we follow the story of the nation, from the signing of the declaration of union on December 2, 1971, to meetings of the GCC council and beyond.
The team traversed the country, taking in locations such as Masdar City and the Grand Mosque. Mostafa insists these places will be portrayed in a new, interesting fashion.
“We’re deliberately not doing the big landscapes. It’s more about the people as well as some really cool re-enactments,” he explains.
“For example, we do this one scene – without showing his face – of the moment when Sheikh Zayed signed the union of the Emirates in 1971.
“We also show a shot of Sheikh Khalifa stepping into the GCC summit. We then cut to the actual footage, so it’s very innovative. We try to go into that moment, then snap out of that moment, then we see people watching it on TV.”
Assisting on the set have been aspiring filmmakers from twofour54’s Creative Lab, the organisation that offers financial and technical support to those wanting to pursue a career in the media.
One of these helpers is Shaima Al Ammari, a 21-year-old recent graduate from Zayed University, who helped out in the wardrobe department, choosing abayas and kanduras for the cast members.
“It’s been an amazing experience,” she enthuses. “I am really proud to be on this project, because National Day is a really important day for us Emiratis.
“As it will be on TV, a lot of people will hopefully see it and I can say I helped out for the project.”
Another assistant, Mariam Khanji, 22, was also full of patriotic pride at her involvement in the filmmaking process.
“As Emiratis, we should be involved in this kind of project. It makes me feel very excited. It’s not like being on a shoot for a normal advert or film, you feel a great sense of pride that you are creating a part of the history of the nation,” she says.
Mohammed Al Khoori, 22, took time off from his job as an account manager for the advertising agency TWBARaad to work on the film.
“It’s been very inspiring to me,” he says. “Ali was very friendly and not scary at all to work with – I’ve worked with scary directors – and he is very calm and helpful,” he says.
Waheeda Al Hadramu, 21, says being involved in the project had inspired her to look at filmmaking as a possible career.
“This is the first time I have had the chance to see how a film crew works. It’s very interesting. Filmmaking might be a career one day for me, who knows.”
• Ishy Bilady premieres on November 25 on ADM channels
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
Biography
Favourite Meal: Chicken Caesar salad
Hobbies: Travelling, going to the gym
Inspiration: Father, who was a captain in the UAE army
Favourite read: Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
Favourite film: The Founder, about the establishment of McDonald's
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
About RuPay
A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards
It has grown rapidly in India and competes with global payment network firms like MasterCard and Visa.
In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments
The name blends two words rupee and payment
Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs
Racecard
6pm: Mina Hamriya – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.10pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,900m
7.45pm: Blue Point Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,000m
8.20pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (T) 2,810m
8.55pm: Mina Rashid – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (T) 1,600m
Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950
Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company%20profile
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If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
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THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Top tips
Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”
MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, May 3
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
Results
5pm: Reem Island – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Farasah, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi
5.30pm: Sir Baniyas Island – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: SSR Ghazwan, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Astral Del Sol, Sean Kirrane, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Al Maryah Island – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Toumadher, Dane O’Neill, Jaber Bittar
7pm: Yas Island – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Saadiyat Island – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 2,400m; Winner: Celestial Spheres, Gary Sanchez, Ismail Mohammed
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Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
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