Arts grants awarded to 25 UAE filmmakers and men of letters

Abu Dhabi, July 20, 2008 (WAM) - Twenty-five Emirati writers and artistes have been awarded grants under the arts grants programme, according to an announcement made by the Emirates Foundation yesterday.

The programme supports the work of talented artistes throughout the UAE through financial grants in the visual arts, theatre, music, literature and film.

"Not only are we delighted to recognise artists who are well-established in their careers, but we also take seriously our role in acknowledging newly discovered artistes.

The opportunity for funding often makes the difference
as to whether these artistes can fulfil their artistic visions," said Ahmed Al Sayegh, the foundation's managing director.

The twenty-five recipients in the latest round of awards include filmmakers, writers and poets.

They include Mohamed Hasan Ahmed for the docudrama Stadium Memories, Amer Al-Kindi for the documentary The Children of Pottuvil, Hana Al-Shatari for the short film Ibn Batuta's Family, Ibrahim Omar for the feature film Yogurt River,

Shaikha Awad Al-Ayali for the documentary, Heat the Beat, Mohammed Abdullah Al-Hammadi for the short film Pleasant Seasons, Hanan Abdullah Al-Muhairi for the documentary Arabyana, Nayla Al-Khaja for the short film Once, Khaled Salem Al-Jaberi for the graphic novel, The Time Machine, Mohammed Rashed Al-Mazroui for the second volume of his short stories, Khaled Al-Budoor for his poetry book, Ahmed Zain Alawi for the short film Fordus Khamis, Ibrahim Yousef for the short film Circumcision, Huda Saeed Saif for the book Five Dimensions, Lamis Fares Al Marzouqi for the novel Little Mira's Daily Life, Abdallah Bastaki for the feature film Dardamis, Stories from the Emirates, Juma Al-Sahli for the short film Paradise Night, Saleh Karama for the documentary The Al-Ahal Art, Taha Taleb Al Ajmi for the music
video The Emirates, Hamama Al-Mansouri for the novel Chance, Manal Bin Amro for the short film Unsustainable Cages, Lamya Gargash for the photography book Presence, Amal Abdulaziz Murad for her abaya designs, Saeed Salmeen Al Merri for film equipment for his production studio, Amal Hussain Al-Duwailah for a filmmaking workshop.