I-Film Festival to open in Abu Dhabi on April 10
3-day event organised by Innovative Film Academy to celebrate Emirati cinema
Abu Dhabi: The third edition of the I-Film Festival is set to open tomorrow in Abu Dhabi, celebrating Emirati cinema and its creators over three days at Yas Creative Hub, twofour54 on Yas Island.
Running from April 10 to 12, the festival will present a diverse programme of Emirati, Arab and Indian films. It will open with the Emirati film “Bab”, directed by Emirati filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja, and conclude with “Samson of the Arabs” by Emirati director Nasser Al Dhaheri.
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Organised by the Innovative Film Academy (IFA), with support from Abu Dhabi University and the Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute, the festival will honour Emirati actor Mansoor Al Feeli and Egyptian actress Elham Shaheen with lifetime achievement awards. Prominent Emirati Director and producer Nasser Al Dhaheri will also receive an honorary award in recognition of his distinguished career and significant contributions to cinema regionally and globally.
The opening will feature the premiere of the short film “The Place U Call Home” and the musical “Light Safest”, produced by IFA Academy and Media Mania and created by academy students, in the presence of leading Gulf, Arab and international film figures, as well as a delegation from the Indian Film Federation and filmmakers from India.
The festival will also host a dialogue forum bringing together investors, producers and artistic bodies from the UAE and India to strengthen co-productions and attract international filmmaking to Abu Dhabi.
Saravana Prasad, Director of the I-Film Festival, said Abu Dhabi has established itself as a regional and global hub for the creative industries, attracting filmmakers from around the world to shoot in its diverse locations. He added that the festival proudly celebrates Emirati cinema and its achievements on both regional and international levels.
Prasad noted that the festival places strong emphasis on joint productions between the UAE, India and the Arab world, marking a milestone with the launch of the first Indo-Arab co-production, “Old Buddies”, starring Mansoor Al Feeli from the UAE and Nasser Mahboob from India.
He added that talent development remains a key priority, with the Innovative Film Academy in Abu Dhabi having trained more than 1,000 students, received 108 short film submissions and 20 AI-generated films, while sought to support more than 100 emerging filmmakers.
