The winner of a new competition dubbed The Reel Dubai will be awarded a trip to the 68th Cannes Film Festival in May and have the chance to screen their film at the festival’s Short Film Corner.
The Reel Dubai, a collaborative effort between Samsung, the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) and the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), is inspired by the ongoing social media initiative, #MyDubai, which encourages people to use the #MyDubai hashtag on photos and videos that express the beauty of Dubai.
To enter The Reel Dubai, participants — who must reside in Dubai and be 12 years or older — should submit existing examples of their work to diff.ae/reeldubai by February 28. Six contenders will then be chosen to create short films inspired by #MyDubai that showcase what the city has to offer.
“Through the #MyDubai initiative we have already seen the inspiring creativity, energy and passion for Dubai that exists among its residents, and The Reel Dubai is a further opportunity to showcase these in front of a global audience,” said Issam Kazim, CEO of DTCM, in a press release.
The short-listed individuals will be given a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and $5,000 (Dh18,364) to help kick start their projects. UAE filmmakers Ali Mustafa, Nayla Al Khaja and Mohammad Saeed Hareb will each mentor two of the six participants and guide their projects to completion.
While the first place winner will go to Cannes and have the chance to show their film, the two runners-up will receive Samsung devices.
