Where to watch independent films in the UAE

Independent cinema platforms are multiplying in the UAE — but each has something different to offer.

With Cinema Akil reopening in Warehouse 68 last week, and Diff365@Vox launching at Mall of the Emirates in April, UAE moviegoers have more say than ever when it comes to what films they can watch on the big screen.

Butheina Kazim, co-founder of Cinema Akil, told Gulf News tabloid! these spaces complement each other.

“They all serve different purposes and they’re all going to have their specialisation. If you go to Diff365, it’s great, because you’re getting the Vox, multiplex experience still intact,” said Kazim.

While Diff365@Vox screens indie films at a dedicated theatre, cinema nine, in Mall of the Emirates, Cinema Akil is more nomadic, using a ‘pop-up’ module so that every season of programming is held in a different location. Their focus extends beyond films to the creation of alternative spaces for viewers to connect with one another.

“We consciously decided not to put Wi-Fi in the space, so that people can talk to each other and talk about the film or what they’ve seen or experienced together,” said Kazim.

“We’ve never had an HQ, we’ve never had a home base, therefore, every time you come to a Cinema Akil programme, it’s a different thing... People in Dubai and the community in the UAE are craving something different — a different type of cinema and conversation.”

Their latest programme, for example, NowPlaying presented by Cinema Akil and Alserkal Avenue, has attracted a crowd interested in “the experiential idea of a cinema inside a warehouse and the impermanence of that. People want to see what that looks like,” said Kazim.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

The phrase ‘independent cinema’ has long run the risk of scaring off the average moviegoer. It’s associated with highbrow, exclusive crowds, like art museums or posh exhibits. But Kazim is working to combat that ‘intimidating aspect’ attached to it.

“Something we’re trying to change, or reduce, is the elitism and inaccessibility of it. It shouldn’t be that way,” she said.

“Independent cinema is everything from repertory cinema, like Audrey Hepburn’s Funny Face, to a more intellectual conversations and essay films. There’s a huge range of what falls under alternative or art house cinema,” she added.

And though big-budget Hollywood flicks remain a box office success in the UAE, from Beauty and the Beast to The Fate of the Furious, anyone interested in a different experience can venture outside of their comfort zone with just the click of a button.

The Scene Club, which launched ten years ago by Emirati filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja, dropped its paid membership fee this year in favour of showing one independent film twice a month for free at Roxy Cinemas, and viewers can RSVP online to save their seat. Cinema Space in Abu Dhabi also provides free viewings via online RSVP. Diff365@VOX uses a standard cinema ticketing system and Cinema Akil ask for monetary contributions at the door.

“It’s never going to be something that is targeted to the masses. It’s never going to be droves and huge numbers. And that’s perfectly fine. That’s the beauty of it. It’s a niche type of cinema, and it will always be a niche audience — that niche is just growing now,” said Kazim.