Etihad supports showcase of Arab cinema in Australia

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will this month celebrate the contemporary Arab film industry by sponsoring the Arab Film Festival Australia.

It is the fourth year Etihad has sponsored the festival, which tours Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane throughout July.

Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer James Hogan, said: “As the national airline of the UAE, we are proud to support programs that promote the richness and diversity of modern Arabic cultural life.

“The feature films and documentaries in the Arab Film Festival Australia program showcase the extraordinary talents of their makers and give audiences insight into the lives of Arabic-speaking communities worldwide.”

The festival opened in Sydney on June 30 with the Australian premiere of Sarkhat Namla (The Cry of the Ant) by Egyptian director Sameh Abdel Aziz. The opening was attended by film-makers, international celebrities, cinema fans and sponsors.

Flying the flag for the UAE at the event were Emirati directors Nawaf Al-Janahi and Khalid Al Mahmood, and Dubai-based Talent Casting Agency founder Saro Carlwig, whom Etihad had flown to Sydney.

Carlwig said: “We are very grateful for Etihad’s support as it is essential to represent the culture of the UAE abroad. This trip to the Arab Film Festival in Sydney means a lot to Emirati filmmakers as – thanks to Etihad’s generosity – they have the opportunity to represent their films and their country in person.”