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Day 1 of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, although technically beginning with the opening the previous night, was a great start to the Festival.
Kicking off with an ‘Encounter’ with Clive Owen, the first full day of the programme was a full one, and popular, judging by the numbers around the cinemas.
A highlight of the day was the gala screening and world première of ‘Wrecked’ directed by Michael Greenspan (first feature film) and starring Adrien Brody, which the audience gave a standing ovation. How it fares in any mainstream release, we’ll have to wait and see.
We caught the first public screening of the ADFF, Think Global, Act Local, and also made our way to the first screening of the Emirates Competition Short Films (Narrative) to see some great, often dark in subject matter, short films from around the region.
Clever in their delivery and generally well-shot, it show-cased an increasing skill and talent base among the young film-makers in the region.
In Your Hands, Secretariat (the opening film of the festival) and of course the gala screening of Autograph, which we missed but are hoping to catch its second screening.
A packed schedule for Day 2 begins with an Encounter (Q&A Session) with Adrien Brody about his preparation for the film Wrecked, in addition to a second screening of the film at 7:15pm at Marina Mall.
The Oath, a striking documentary about two former Al Qaeda members highlights the lives of these men and their beliefs; meanwhile at the Abu Dhabi Theatre, The Mummy/The Night Of Counting The Years (Al Momia) the classic Egyptian auteur film, gets a restored screening. Definitely two highlights of the day.
The Emirates Competition continues, with a repeat of the short narratives and the first screening of the documentaries. So many others to choose from: Nostalgia for the Light, The Kingdom of Women, Silent Souls, Incendies.
Highlights tonight include the gala for West is West (9:30pm at Emirates Palace) and Cirkus Columbia (6:30pm) at the same venue.
Check out the Abu Dhabi Film Festival website and get on down. Also check out our Events section for the music programme.
If you’re one of our many readers from around the Gulf, you can watch a selection of the films at Mubi – just register and watch!
