By Ruba Hattar
Reel Palestine returns for its seventh edition; the annual film festival will run between January 22nd-30th 2021 in Cinema Akil, in Alserkal Avenue, in line with safety and social distancing measures.
"Reel Palestine’s 7th edition takes place in collaboration with our long term partner Cinema Akil, the GCC’s only arthouse cinema. We have been building a community in the United Arab Emirates and around the world by bringing the best of cinema from Palestine and its diaspora," the organisers stated.
'The festival is a celebration of life itself: presenting stories of love, of family, of tears, of joy and heartbreak, of breaking bread and dancing, of romance and the creative spirit of humanity,' they added
The festival showcases films by celebrated international award winning directors as well as up and coming first-time filmmakers presenting narrative and documentary features and shorts across genres ranging from sci-fi to romantic comedies. 'The Palestine in our films is real and is breathing with an artistic expression that has the ability to touch, transform and inspire.'
Over 25 of the features, documentaries and shorts in this year's festival are premiering in the UAE for the first time. The festival's schedule includes award winning films such as 200 Meters by Amin Nayfeh, Between Heaven and Earth by Najwa Najjar, Mayor by David Oset, Kamal Boullata: Stranger At Home, Light of Gaza and collections of shorts.
The festival also includes special side activities like live poetry readings, artisan workshops and an open souq.
Reel Palestine is an annual film festival in the UAE bringing Palestinian stories in the artistic form of independent and alternative cinema. First held in 2015, Reel Palestine is ever growing as a result of the labor of love driven by the community for sharing stories and heritage primarily through film. the festival operates as a social enterprise, with its aim to generate enough revenue to cover costs, and with any additional income re-invested in future festivals, pop-ups and online screenings. The people behind Reel Palestine work on a 100% volunteer basis.
Since 2016, Reel Palestine has partnered with Cinema Akil, the GCC's only arthouse cinema, as programmatic partners. In 2019, with the official opening of the Cinema Akil space in Alserkal Avenue, it has since become Reel Palestine's home.
Cinema Akil is an independent cinema platform that brings quality films from across the world to the audiences in the UAE. Showcasing directors and filmmakers across the decades, Cinema Akil aims to create awareness and interest in film and the cinematic arts. Launched in 2014 as a nomadic cinema, Cinema Akil has held more than 80 pop-up cinemas attracting over 50,000 attendees in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
