Two Emirati short films will compete during the first ever Small Screen, Big Film festival in the GCC.
Layered Memories by Ruba Badwan and Fata Morgana by Matthew Tan will participate in the competition, which features 12 short films created on smartphones. All entries will be available to view online, on the British Council’s YouTube channel, from April 24 to May 4.
But only four filmmakers will be chosen at the end for a one-on-one mentorship programme with a British filmmaker, thanks to the London Film School.
“What’s unique about the Small Screen, Big Film Festival is that all entries are created using smartphones. This not only made it easier for more young filmmakers to share their story, but also challenged their creativity to tell a story in three minutes or less,” said Emirati filmmaker and jury member Abdullah Al Kaabi.
Small Screen, Big Film is part of the British Council’s three-year Culture and Sports programme, which aims to promote greater youth engagement, team work, diversity and inclusion.
The shortlist was chosen by a multicultural jury, from Emirati filmmakers Nahla Al Fahad and Al Kaabi to British filmmaker Asif Kapadia and English actress-writer Alice Lowe. Fans can vote for their favourite entrant online.
