Imagenation Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Film Commission have jointly launched an internship programme, Mawaheb, which offers Emirati student filmmakers the chance to gain hands-on experience overseas.
Mawaheb, which means talents in English, will offer a mix of internships including appointments at Imagenation’s joint venture offices in Los Angeles and New York City, as well as placements on the films sets of productions across the US and India. Imagenation has joint ventures with companies such as Participant Media, National Geographic Films and Hyde Park Entertainment.
The internships will last between one and three months and include practical experience in areas such as development, production, distribution, sales and marketing, as well as seminars with leading film institutions in LA. The programme is looking for current students or recent graduates of business, film or broadcast, as well as young professionals working in the media.
“The key to developing a sustainable film industry in the UAE is to nurture our homegrown talent,” said H.E. Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, chairman of Imagenation Abu Dhabi.
“We have a generation of creative and gifted young Emiratis whose careers can only benefit from exposure to the best in the international film business. Our hope is that through our internship program, we can identify high-potential talent that can play a role in the future of film in this region.”
“One of our main goals is to find new talent and nurture them to help build the future of the film & TV industry in the UAE,” said David Shepheard, director of Abu Dhabi Film Commission. “This unique programme by Imagenation Abu Dhabi will provide the Emirati filmmakers a great opportunity to develop their skills at an international level.”
Imagenation recently announced a slate of Emirati productions including coming-of-age drama Sea Shadow, to be directed by Nawaf Al-Janahi.
The application process for Mawaheb opens on July 1. More information can be found at www.imagenation.ae.
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