This week, Abu Dhabi has hosted its first ever film festival. The Middle East International Film Festival featuring 80 films from 38 countries began on Sunday, October 14, 2007 and will end on Friday, October 19, 2007.
Abu Dhabi will soon come up with proper infrastructural backup required for shooting films. Some scenes of Hollywood movie “The Kingdom” were shot in Abu Dhabi lately. Moreover, Abu Dhabi will soon plunge into the movie production sector in order to finance films through a special fund. Warner Brothers have signed a deal to develop a theme park in Abu Dhabi. As part of the deal concluded between Warner Brothers, Abu Dhabi Media Company and real estate developers ALDAR, a hotel, a number of multiplex cinemas, and a joint film and computer game development fund will be set up in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi is the wealthiest emirate in the UAE and also the capital of the emirates. Naturally, a cinema festival held here has a great potential for the regional film industry. Close neighbour Dubai, with claims to be a commercial and holiday hub, has already been hosting its own international film festival since the last three years. With plans in the offing for opening a branch of New York Film Academy, Abu Dhabi is on its way to become a regional cinema hub.
