Gulf Film Festival 'bytes' into filmmaking

On 15 April 2008 at 11 am, filmmakers will hear three industry guests' viewpoints on digital video, a platform that allows emerging filmmakers unprecedented advantages.

The panel will cover the budgetary benefits of the platform, which cuts down on stock processing costs and equipment rentals, and is far more portable, allowing particularly documentarians unparalleled ease of use.

Furthermore, simple video editing programs are now widely available for home users, meaning that virtually anyone can be a filmmaker if they have the patience, story-telling acumen and a moderate level of technical know-how.

Masoud Amralla al Ali, the festival's Director, expanded on the reason for including digital filmmaking in the festival's offerings: "A major goal of the festival is to help emerging talent in the region make the leap into feature filmmaking. Digital formats are still being explored as an art form, and they offer an exciting new frontier for emerging filmmakers. We want to see these young artists make a film, and there is no longer any need to wait for a 35 mm budget. Digital is the future of independent film, and the GFF is the future of Khaleeji cinema".

The panel will be comprised of Bahraini director Bassam Al-Thawadi, producer and director of the first feature film Al Hajiz (The Barrier) in Bahrain, and Mohammed Rouda, DIFF'S Muhr Awards Manager and film critic from Lebanon.

Both Al-Thawadi and Rouda will present the artistic point of view on digital cinema.

Gianluca Chacra, Managing Director of Front Row Filmed Entertainment LLC, will take on business aspects of the digital platform, including the use of the internet as a marketing and sales tool.

The sessions will be moderated by Ziad Abdullah, Editor, Cinema Pages at Emarat Al Youm and founder of Oxygen Culture Web Magazine.

The inaugural edition of the GFF will be held from April 13 to 18 at the Dubai Cultural And Theatre Arts Centre at Mall of the Emirates.