Ibda'a finalists showcase their work

Khalil Ibrahim Al Abdooli, from the Dubai Men's College, has a made a five-and-a-half minute documentary that captures an exciting sport in Fujairah, which not even residents of that emirate have heard about.

The short film titled The Raging Bulls of Fujairah brings to light a sport, which was popular many years ago and is making a comeback only now.

"It's an interesting subject. You know about bull fighting in Spain, but bull fighting in Fujairah?" he asked, laughing.

Nearby, at the same stall showcasing documentaries made by UAE boys, Ali Khalfi said his short dubbed The Race Home is all about the fast and furious sport of pigeon racing in Dubai.

"Did you know that the birds can cost between $5,000 to $50,000 each?" he asked. A really fast pigeon has been clocked in at 70 kmph.

At the stall featuring Ibda'a finalists from the journalism section, Hamad Saif Al Reyami's piece The Debt Overload highlighted the problem of how people fall inadvertently into the debt trap.

"When people see the UAE, they only see the Mercedes Benzes on the roads and all the other trappings of luxury living. People don't realise that many youngsters are deep in debt," said Reyami, who is from Abu Dhabi's Higher College of Technology.

These are just three of the shortlisted entries from the UAE who are showcasing their works at the Dubai Media City. The others are from India, Iran, South Africa, Lebanon and Egypt.

Ibda'a was launched by Dubai Media City in June last year. It means "creativity" in Arabic and seeks to promote the talent of media students from the Middle East to the Indian subcontinent, South Africa to Central Asia.

Ibda'a this year drew 1,427 entries from 18 countries, including 336 from the UAE. Abdul Hamid Juma, CEO of the Dubai Media City, told journalists that there are 31 finalists. Most of the work was so good that the judges were treating the works as if they were produced by professionals. Ten students from the UAE were shortlisted for this award.

Juma said the Ibda'a awards has put Dubai on the media map.

"It's not easy to attract talent here, and this is one way of doing it," he said, adding that while the focus is on the GCC countries, three more countries – Sri Lanka, Iran and Turkey – have been added.

The CEO called on media companies to come and see the works of the finalists to see the type of talent that is available.

The categories include advertising, animation, filmmaking and TV documentary, photography, radio, graphic design and journalism.

The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony to be held tomorrow. The winners will get internship opportunities at international media companies giving them a chance to work with professionals and also possible career opportunities. Gulf News is one of the co-sponsors of the awards.