UAE film industry suffers from a shortage of qualified production teams
Variety Arabia – by Cherbel Gabro – PDF
Nayla Al-Khaja is an Emirati director who has proven herself in the local and regional arena, and was named one of the 50 most powerful personalities in Arab cinema. She is the first Emirati director and film producer to win the International Prize for Young Entrepreneurs from the British Council. She has also been recognised with other awards, including the Best Script Award at the Gulf International Film Festival and the Muhr Emirati Gold Award from Dubai International Film Festival for her film “Malal” (Bored). Al-Khaja is the first female film producer from the United Arab Emirates and is the CEO of D-SEVEN Motion Pictures.
Variety Arabia met with Al-Khaja at her office in Dubai Media City to talk about local talent, expectations, Emirati cinema and future plans.
Do you think that regional film festivals (Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai) have succeeded in supporting young and independent directors?
“Yes sure, regional film festivals have set the grounds for creating a cinematic movement in the UAE and the region. If not for those festivals, we wouldn’t have managed to see independent films from all over the world, and would not be able to communicate with and learn from international films professionals. Add to that the promotional and cultural role of those festivals, as they give a great boost and media coverage to films and directors. Regionally, film festivals have helped in the emergence of new institutions supporting the film industry, such as Abu Dhabi Film Commission and Imagenation Abu Dhabi. The developments we are witnessing today are a result of those film festivals, and they kicked off the cinematic movement in the Gulf.”
But isn’t the number of these festivals not commensurate with the presence of a real film industry in the region?
“I think you have mentioned a very important point, as creating a film industry such as the one we have in Egypt or in other countries around the world has taken a long time. The opening of Studio Misr, for example, was in 1935 and the age of the film industry in Hollywood and Bollywood has exceeded a hundred years. I still recall the Indian films I used to watch when I was five years-old. What I want to say is that we are in need of governmental support, what we are lacking today as filmmakers is a material portfolio to support the creation of a film industry. The cost of film production is very high. It could cost 1m AED to 1.5m AED because of the large number of production teams and the frequent travelling between shooting locations. So, how can a fresh filmmaker find his way and produce his first film? Who will trust his product and give him the first opportunity?”
So, what should be done?
“Governmental agencies should choose a set of film texts and give them the backup and the support they need to implement these films. Commercially, Dubai International Film Festival’s artistic director Masoud Amralla Al Ali has always suggested that we allocate 10 per cent of the proceeds of tickets to support the industry in the UAE. It is a great idea. The government should also grant appropriate incentives to attract the attention of producers to the possibility of film production in the region, such as cuts on the cost of hotel accommodation and aviation tickets. In the UAE, we have many factors that can help us in creating a film production industry – the good climate, high beautiful buildings, desert, vast mountains and valleys – but at the same time, we lack the infrastructure in terms of qualified production teams. The government can improve that by bringing specialists to train the Emirati personnel. As an example of the success of the UAE in this context, we saw that Cruise decided to produce his film in the UAE. We have the potential.”
What are your plans for next year?
“I am now searching for Arab screenwriters, as I am preparing to shoot my first feature film. The film revolves around a true story of a girl who was lost in the desert and encountered a criminal who was running from a murder he had carried out. Directing a feature film is my dream that I have been waiting a long time to achieve. I do not want to be the film producer because I prefer to focus on the film; I was looking for a qualifying producer, and finally did find him.”
Do you think there is a hunger in young Emirati directors to “find themselves culturally?”
“Well, although film festivals have helped in shaping a regional film culture, we still need to give real financial access to filmmakers to reach higher grounds. For example, the director Nadine Labaki has put Lebanon in a prominent place through one film, and recently her second film ‘Where Do We Go Now?’ has been nominated for an Oscar. We saw the Palestinian film, ‘Paradise Now’ reach the Oscars as well, so we need to aim high.”
What issues most interest you personally and how would you like to highlight them in your films?
“I like shedding light on human relations in my films and I like to focus on the subject of racism because I hate it so much, especially religious racism.”
How did you feel about being chosen to represent the UAE in Tropfest Arabia’s judging panel?
“I was surprised, and I had an overwhelming feeling of happiness. It is a great honour for me to be among other judging members who represent big and bright names in cinema. I will try to learn from their experiences but, at the same time, I will try to add Emirati character to the festival.”