Such an impressive work from Team Y&R Dubai for the newly launched Ford Flex, personally I liked the approach, but the thing is that the car is more of a family vehicle, and the approach seems to target the youth, but anyway it’s amazing. I guess they shouldn’t endorsed aliens in the TVCs, since everything is real but meant to look like as if it’s coming from out space, I mean keep it real. Here are two teasers, followed by the revealer TVC.
The Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF) faced some criticism for totally ignoring the Arabic language, the Syrian actor Abed Fahed lead the criticism, and I agree with him, yes English is the universal language, but you can’t totally ignore Arabic, have an Arabic interface for the website, circulate an Arabic schedule beside the English one, translate the speeches since you are doing it an Arab country. According to Fahed, Cannes Festival runs in French, Berlin Festival is in German, and so on, which means Arabic should be an integral part of this festival.
Anyways, some numbers, and the list of winners:
The awards were the culmination of ten action-packed days of cinema, with 152 movies and 186 screenings shown in five Abu Dhabi venues. A total of 76 feature films and 34 short films from over 35 countries competed for the MEIFF 2008 Black Pearl Awards.
Winners of the US$1 million MEIFF 2008 Black Pearl Awards were announced at the festival’s closing night ceremony, directed and choreographed by Otis Sallid.
MEIFF 2008 Black Pearl Award Winners:-
The Black Pearl for Best Narrative Film - $200,000 Disgrace | Director: Steve Jacobs. Producers: Anna Maria Monticelli, Emile Sherman, Steve Jacobs
The Black Pearl for Best Documentary – $150,000 Stranded | Director: Gonzalo Arijon. Producer: Marc Silvera
The Black Pearl Special Jury Prize- $125,000 Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love | Director and Producer: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
The Black Pearl for Best Actress - $75,000 Fawzia: A Special Blend | Actress: Ilham Shaheen
The Black Pearl for Best Actor - $75,000 Wild Blood | Actor: Luca Zingaretti
The Black Pearl for Best Artistic Contribution - $75,000 Laila’s Birthday | Screenwriter: Rashid Masharawi
The Black Pearl Audience Choice Award Saving Luna | Co-Directors: Suzanne Chisholm & Michael Parfit. Producer: Suzanne Chisholm
The Black Pearl for Best Narrative - Short Film- $75,000 The View | Co-Directors: Hazim Bitar & Rifqi Assaf. Producer: Amman Filmmaker Cooperative
The Black Pearl for Best Documentary – Short Film- $75,000 Breadmakers | Director: Yasmin Fedda. Producers: Jim Hickey & Robin Mitchell
The Black Pearl for Best Animation- Shot Film- $75,000 Jacinta | Director: Karla Casteneda. Producer: Luis Tellez
Best Advertisement – Cultural Category - $25,000 Anti Slavery | Director: Eric Lynne. Producer: Partizan Films – Midi Minuit
Best Advertisement – Consumer Category - $25,000 Battle | Director: Traktor. Producer: Partizan Films – Midi Minuit
Best Advertisement – Artistic Contribution - $25,000 Great Pretender | Director: Patrick Bergh. Producer: Partizan Films – Midi Minuit
The Black Pearl for Best Narrative – Student Films – $25,000 Illusion | Director: Burhan Qurbani. Producer: Fabian Gasmia
The Black Pearl for Best Emerging Filmmaker – Student Films- $25,000 Lullaby | Director: Serena Abi Aad. Producer: IESAV
The Black Pearl for Best Animation – Student Films – $25,000 Adherent | Director: Julian Nazario Vargas. Producer: Rube Baggerud
An interesting list from Arabian Business highlighting the top 50 publicly traded real estate companies in the Middle East, not surprisingly Emaar Properties from the UAE came first. Few companies weren’t in the list such as Tameer, Nakheel, Hydra and Damac, I’m not sure why, but it could be because they are totally private companies.
