'Hello World' wins 'The Reel Dubai' Short Film Contest

Dubai-based filmmaker Kamil Roxas has been crowned the winner of ‘The Reel Dubai' Short Film Contest, a joint initiative between the Dubai International Film Festival, Samsung Gulf Electronics and the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), for his film "Hello Word". Kamil Roxas, who was mentored by acclaimed director Nayla Al Khaja to develop the film, will be attending the 68th Cannes Film Festival in May as part of the prize.

"Hello World" is a poetic narrative on the rise of a city, its cultural landscape, the people and their stories. The film will enjoy a screening at this year's Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner.

"As a filmmaker your dream is to see your film evoke emotions in people and hopefully inspire them. Kamil will have the amazing opportunity to showcase his film at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival to a very diversified international audience and gain access to many industry professionals," said mentor Nayla Al Khaja.

Mohammed Njati, mentored by Mohammad Saeed Harib, who won second place for his film "Within", and Juleus Dmello, mentored by Ali F. Mostafa, who came third with "Coming Home", were each awarded a Samsung device. The winners were picked by a panel of judges consisting of representatives from DIFF, DTCM and Samsung.

Shivani Pandya, Managing Director of DIFF, commented: "Nurturing filmmaking at the grassroots level is an integral part of developing a thriving film culture in the region. "The Reel Dubai" contest has been a hugely successful initiative, and it has been an absolute pleasure experiencing our home Dubai through each filmmaker's eyes, uncovering so much fresh talent and passion for the art of filmmaking along the way. All the films are original, moving and entertaining – I hope that audiences enjoy viewing them."

"Nothing makes technology come alive like the creativity and energy of real people. As partners in The Reel Dubai Short Film Contest, Samsung has been able to give young visionaries the technology they need to explore their crafts and to tell stories about Dubai that could otherwise go unseen and stay unknown," said Marco Vocale, Head of Corporate Marketing, Samsung Gulf Electronics. "Like the aspiring filmmakers in the Samsung SHRT FLM CNTST, the participants of The Reel Dubai used the Samsung Galaxy Note 4 to create powerful films that support unity and community, and it is gratifying to know that we played such an instrumental role in their process of discovery and celebration."

"The Reel Dubai" competition, inspired by the #MyDubai initiative, was launched in February 2015 following the success of the Samsung Short Film Contest. It invited filmmakers from all over the UAE to create short films about the city of Dubai, paying tribute to its diverse and vibrant nature.

As part of the contest, six filmmakers were invited to create their own film with the help of distinguished UAE filmmakers Ali F. Mostafa, Nayla Al Khaja and Mohammed Saeed Harib. Each of the six contestants received a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and $5,000 to fund the making of their film.

Issam Kazim CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing which supports the #MyDubai initiative, said, "The aim of the #MyDubai initiative, launched by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, in 2014, was to show life in Dubai beyond the landmarks, headline and superlatives for which the city is known. It has been hugely popular as witnessed by the huge number of contributions since its launch. We are delighted to be involved in competitions such as ‘The Reel Dubai' which really capture the passion and creativity in our emirate – something which is synonymous with #MyDubai and essentially what is at the core of what we do at Dubai Tourism. The winners were able to work with some of the best UAE filmmakers to create their own films and in bringing these ideas to life, they were able to create great stories for Dubai inspired by the initiative itself."

All six films created for "The Reel Dubai" contest will be screened at The Pop-Up Cinema at Dubai World Trade Centre as part of World Art Dubai, between 4:00 pm and 9:00 pm on Thursday, April 9 and 12:00 pm and 9:00 pm on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11.
Source: WAM