The first Emirates Film Competition for fiction and documentary films dealing with local themes will be held by the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation from April 17 to 20.

Mohammed Ahmed Al Suwaidi, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, Masoud Amrallah, Director of Artistic Production at the Foundation, and Juma Al Qubaisi, Head of the Foundation's Library, announced the competition yesterday.

The competition will take place during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair from April 17 to 20. An award ceremony will conclude the event.

There are three categories – short fiction film, short documentary film and student's works, with prizes of Dh 15,000 for the fiction and documentary categories and Dh 10,000 for student's work.

UAE residents are eligible to enter. The films must deal with a local theme or involve a local element.

Expected entries to the competition will be from university and college students in the UAE. The awards will be presented to the film's director.

Works that do not represent local themes will be rejected by the organisers but they may be shown out of the competition.

Films should not exceed 60 minutes in length, and should be a complete unit, that is, not an episode of a TV serial.

Films produced before May 2001 will not be accepted. The deadline for submission of applications is March 30.

Entries are to be submitted by completing the application form which must be accompanied by a copy of the film.

The Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation will have the right to publish the titles of all submitted works and use extracts of the films in its programmes and other media. It will also have the right to keep a copy in its own archive.

The jury has not yet been selected. At least four of the members will be qualified in visual arts and literature. There will also be a Dh15,000 Special Jury's Prize.