Interview with Samya Ayish about Arab Cinema in the UAE and Gulf Region

In this episode Wael Hattar and Hind Mezaina sit with author and journalist Samya Ayish to discuss the state of Arab Cinema, specifically in the UAE and the Gulf region.

The discussion includes film education; the role film festivals, especially the importance of Dubai International Film Festival (ended in 2018 after 14 years) for filmmakers, film enthusiasts and cinephiles; the calibre of film critique, film journalism and film discussions on social media in the region; lack of film marketing, short lived film screening initiatives.

You can follow Samya Ayish on Twitter https://twitter.com/sayish.

Films mentioned in this episode:
Musk (dir. Humaid Alsuwaidi)
Rashid and Rajab (dir. Mohammed Saeed Harib)
Shabab Shayeb (dir. Yasir Al-Yasiri)
Sea Shadow (dir. Nawaf Al Janahi)
Al Mamar / The Passage (dir. Sherif Arafah)
Fan of Amoory (dir. Salmeen AlMurry Amer)
Leil Kharji / EXT. Night (dir. Ahmad Abdalla)

Key venues to watch films in the UAE:

- Multiplexes found across the UAE:
Cine Royal Cinemas
Cinema City
Cinemax Cinemas
Novo Cinemas
Oscar Cinema
Reel Cinemas
Roxy Cinemas
Star Cinemas
Vox Cinema

- Independently run cinemas + institutions/cultural spaces that screen films frequently:

In Abu Dhabi
Cinema Space, Manarat Saadiyat
Korean Cultural Center
Louvre Abu Dhabi
NYUAD Arts Center
Sorbonne University
Warehouse 421

In Al Ain
Al Ain Community Cinema

In Dubai:
Alliance Francaise Theatre
Cinema Akil
Dubai Opera
Jameel Arts Centre
thejamjar
Warehouse Four

In Sharjah
Africa Hall, The Africa Institute, Sharjah
Mirage Cinema, Sharjah Art Foundation