Star Academy Arab World to preform at Tropfest Arabia

TROPFEST Arabia today announced that starsfrom season eight of Star Academy Arab World, one of the region’s most popular reality TV shows, will performat the short film festival taking place on the Corniche in Abu Dhabion November 4, 2011.

Star Academy Arab World isthe Arabic adaptation of the French television show Star Academy. Since its launch in 2003, the Pan Arab reality TV show hasbecomea massive hit across theregion and shares the goal of supporting emerging Arabic talent with TROPFEST Arabia.

As part of the musical addition to the film line-up are performances by various Star Academy season eight favorites including the Lebanese Franco-Armenian Artist Gilbert Simon, Palestinian Lian Bazlamit known for her popular song Laylat, and Egyptian Nesma Mahghoub who trained at the age of ten at the Children’s Choir of the Cairo Opera House under the leadership of the Maestro Selim Sahab. Joining them will be Egyptian super star Ahmed Ezzat, who is best known for the beauty of his voice and unbeatable stage presence, Tunisian Oumayma Taleb and Egyptian Sarah Farah.

In its inaugural year, TROPFEST Arabia has received short film submissions of exceptionally high standard from across the Arab world, from Iraq to the UAE, Oman to Egypt. The films have been shortlisted by John Polson, founderof TROPFEST, and Ahmed Helmy, co-director of TROPFEST Arabia.

Ahmed Helmy, TROPFEST Co Director, said: “I have been amazed by the quality of the films that we received for the inaugural TROPFEST Arabia film festival. The future of the Arab film industry is in very safe hands with these young talents, and I’m sure several will have to get used to walking the red carpet very quickly. I would urge everybody who can make it to Abu Dhabi on 4^th November to come down to the beach, enjoy all the great entertainment and give these aspiring filmmakers all the support they deserve.”

The 12 finalists will be premiered and publicly screened for the first time in front of celebrity judges and the audience on the night.The judging panel includes leading UAE film director Nayla Al Khaja; Saudi film maker and actress, Ahd, and the director Mamdouh Salem; Lebanese film maker and actress, Nadine Labaki; co-founder and director of Lebanese web series Shankaboot, Amin Dora; Egyptian producer and scriptwriter, Mohammed Hefzy and TROPFEST Australia 2011 winner, Damon Gameau.The shortlisted films will also be available online, giving some of the region’s rising talent an opportunity to show their creative work to the whole world.

Part of Yasalam, Abu Dhabi’s city-wide celebrations throughout October and November, TROPFEST Arabia is set to bring some of the glamour of the movie industry to the community in the UAE.