Silver award for Emirati film boosting EXPO 2020 bid

Abu Dhabi: A short film starring young Emirati actor Ahmed Al Dahouri has won a 'Silver Dolphin' award at the annual Cannes Corporate Media and TV Awards in Cannes, southern France. The film stars Ahmed, a 10-year old schoolboy from Ra's al-Khaimah, as the main character, Ali, looking back at how Dubai was when his grandfather was growing up. Recalling the days of fishing for pearls, he then tells audiences that he wants to show them "My Dubai". A roller-coaster tour of the city and country reveals a nation ready to host one of the world's greatest events. "The UAE is like one big incredible EXPO" says Ali in his personalised video. The short promotional film, along with several other films for the Dubai bid, was made by the same UAE-based production team responsible for ‘The Turtle' - a multi award-winning film featuring in the UAE Pavilion at the EXPO in Yeosu, Korea in 2012. Ahmed Al Dahouri also played ‘Ali' in that film and he has appeared in other recent films promoting the UAE. Ahmed's younger sister, Sarah, now hopes to follow her brother in developing an acting career. The Cannes Corporate Media and TV Awards is one of the world's most important awards competitions honouring excellence in the corporate audiovisual industry. Winners were revealed last Thursday. This year's competition received a record number of 719 submissions from 40 countries. Titled ‘Ali's film', it was originally made to promote Dubai's bid to host the World EXPO 2020. It was first screened at the General Assembly of the BIE, the world body responsible for EXPOs, in June 2012 and has subsequently been watched by millions of viewers on the Internet and by passengers of Emirates Airline, where it is the main film introducing Dubai's EXPO bid. ‘Ali's film' can be watched at: http://expo2020dubai.ae/en/multimedia/video/alis_film. – Emirates New Agency, WAM