Top Hollywood names to join Circle Conference

Abu Dhabi: Top names from Hollywood, Arab film and TV and publishing industries will participate in the Circle Conference starting October 9, which will run parallel to the Middle East International Film Festival.

They will discuss producing movies in the region, location shooting in the UAE and developing stories locally for the international market.

A special Arabic-language session on "Women in Film in the Middle East" is also slated to feature successful women from the film industry who have made a change in society by presenting their stories through film.

"We are pleased to have some of the world's leading film and TV producers take centre stage at this year's Circle Conference," said Eisa Al Mazroui, Director of Special Projects at Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (Adach).

He told the media yesterday the event continues to play a key role in the efforts to establish Abu Dhabi as a global creative centre for film, television and digital media.

David Shepheard, Director of Abu Dhabi Film Commission, said: "This is an opportunity to showcase the work of the Film Commission in building new business networks and associations, and promoting the tremendous resources of Abu Dhabi through the Shasha Grant and other regional initiatives."

The Conference will incorporate the Shasha Grant Award, Abu Dhabi Film Commission's international screenwriting competition. The Shasha Grant nominees will attend the Circle Conference and pitch their ideas to a panel of producers and filmmakers.

The winning filmmaker will be announced during the closing ceremony and will receive a $100,000 development grant and a first-look deal with Imagenation Abu Dhabi.