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Its been a big month for film in the UAE, with James Cameron jetting in for the Abu Dhabi Media Summit, while veteran horror master Tobe Hooper is ensconced in Dubai’s Studio City Shooting the latest Imagenation Production, Djinn.
While it’s clearly a great coup for the region to be attracting such top names, it’s to be hoped that the maximum benefit is reaped from such luminaries presence in the region – their presence cannot be seen as an end in itself.
With such a young movie industry locally, the lessons that can be learned from such names, and the advanced pace of knowledge advancement their presence facilitates, should not be underestimated.
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The summit seemed to have the right idea. Arranging for Cameron to be more than a trophy headline name, and actually present a masterclass on storytelling to the local industry was a smart move, and hopefully the attendees will have taken plenty from the experience.
Likewise, the fact that Nayla Al Khaja is acting as cultural advisor on Djinn should allow her to pick up up a host of information from the experienced director behind Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist, at the same time as Hooper will hopefully receive plenty of wisdom on Emirati culture in return.
However, the relationship works both ways. Local culture can be fiercely independent, unsurprising considering the challenges – historical, political and environmental – the Arab world has faced over the years.
It’s vital, though, that this should not manifest itself as an unwillingness to take advice from others.
Opportunities to learn from such giants don’t come around very often, and there are doubtless many countries filled with aspiring film makers that would love to have the clout to attract such names to enrich their industries. So next time you’re getting tips from one of the biggest names in world cinema – remember to make sure you take them on board!
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