THE SMOVIES KICKS OFF NEW SEASON

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2017-Sep-27 — /EPR Network/ — The Smovies short film competition, conducted in partnership with VOX Cinemas and the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, has launched its new one-minute film challenge themed “Culture and Understanding.”

The Smovies competition, initiated by BrandMoxie, a leading marketing and advertising agency based the UAE, as a way to encourage budding filmmakers, students, amateurs, and professionals to create digital content that can be showcased to local and international audiences. The Smovies winning film is screened across VOX theaters in the UAE.

“This year’s theme, #CultureAndUnderstanding, was inspired by the rich cultural diversity of the UAE and it reflects the country’s welcoming spirit and its support for deepening of tolerance between nations,” said Sana Bagersh, CEO of BrandMoxie and founder of The Smovies.

As part of the competition, The Smovies will provide film workshops led by experienced directors, including Los Angeles film agency CreatorUp on how to tell a story and capture a complete idea in a one minute format.

“VOX Cinemas is proud to be part of The Smovies as an essential platform for emerging filmmakers and creatives. We look forward to seeing the submissions for this year’s competition. Supporting regional talent and bringing their winning creations to VOX Cinemas’ screens is another way in which we’re delivering on Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to creating great moments for everyone, everyday,” added Cameron Mitchell, CEO, VOX Cinemas.

Highlighting the U.S. Embassy’s ongoing partnership with The Smovies, U.S. Embassy spokesperson Nadia Ziyadeh stated that, “We are proud to have been a part of The Smovies over the last three years, and we look forward to the upcoming season of this innovative competition.”

With submissions limited to 60 seconds or list, filmmakers will have a unique opportunity to express their creativity in conveying this year’s theme, #CultureAndUnderstanding. The submissions can be made in the form of a story, a documentary-style presentation, a social commentary or a literary presentation.

The deadline for submissions is November 15, 2017. The short-listed entries will be judged by the Smovies’ jury of film experts: Emirati actor Mansoor Alfeeli (Zinzana), directors Majid Al Ansari (Zinzana), Khaled Al Mahmoud (Sabeel) and Nujoom Al Ghanem (Red, Blue, Yellow), as well as filmmaking instructors and veterans Imad DeirAtany, David Moore, Greg Unrau, Mohannad Al Bakri, Dahlia Mahmoud and Michelle Nickelson.

For more information or to participate, applicants can go to www.thesmovies.com as well as The Smovies Facebook page and group, and by emailing events@brandmoxie.com.

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