Gulf Times

P6
P20
Community
Hundreds of
expatriates
from the Indian
subcontinent attended
the Aalmi Mushaira
2015 organised by India
Urdu Society-Qatar.
Community
DFI
announces
grants for
eclectic cinematic
talent, covering 30
promising projects
from 19 countries.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Rabia I 11, 1437 AH
DOHA
18°C—24°C TODAY
LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE 13
PUZZLES 14 & 15
SHOWSTOPPER: Yousef al-Jasmi, a designer from Kuwait awed the audience with a range of designs.
COVER
STORY
Élan we can
Fashion extravaganza brings the best of
GCC, Qatar and South Asia to Doha. P4-5
2
GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
ROUND & ABOUT
PRAYER TIME
Fajr
Shorooq (sunrise)
Zuhr (noon)
Asr (afternoon)
Maghreb (sunset)
Isha (night)
4.53am
6.15am
11.32am
2.30pm
4.51pm
6.21pm
USEFUL NUMBERS
Emergency
999
Worldwide Emergency Number
112
Kahramaa – Electricity and Water
991
Ooredoo Telephone Assistance
111
Local Directory
180
International Calls Enquires
150
Time
141, 140
Doha International Airport
40106666
Labor Department
44508111, 44406537
Medical Commission
44679111
Mowasalat Taxi
44588888
Qatar Airways
44496000
Weather Forecast
44656590
Hamad Medical Corporation
44392222
44393333
Qatar General Electricity and
Water Corporation
44845555
44845464
Primary Health Care Corporation
44593333
44593363
Qatar Assistive Technology
Centre
44594050
Qatar News Agency
44450205
44450333
Q-Post – General Postal
Corporation
44464444
Qatar University
44033333
ote Unquote
u
Q
The
level of our
success is limited only
by our imagination and no
act of kindness, however
small, is ever wasted.
– Aesop
Features Editor
Kamran Rehmat
e-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 44466405
Fax: 44350474
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
GENRE: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
DETAILS: Star Wars: The Force
Awakens is directed by J J Abrams from
a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan &
Abrams, and features a cast including
actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley,
Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy
Serkis, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline
Christie, Crystal Clarke, Pip Andersen,
Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow.
They will join the original stars of the
saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher,
Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter
Mayhew, and Kenny Baker.
When Marnie Was There
GENRE: Animation, Drama, Family
CAST: Sara Takatsuki, Kasumi
Arimura, Nanako Matsushima
DIRECTION: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
SYNOPSIS: The newest feature
from Japan’s famed Studio Ghibli is a
sweeping story of friendship, mystery
and discovery that delivers stirring
emotions and breathtaking animation
as only Ghibli can. When shy, artistic
Anna moves to the seaside to live with
her aunt and uncle, she stumbles
upon an old mansion surrounded by
marshes, and the mysterious young
girl, Marnie, who lives there. The
two girls instantly form a unique
connection and friendship that blurs
the lines between fantasy and reality.
As the days go by, a nearly magnetic
pull draws Anna back to the Marsh
House again and again, and she begins
to piece together the truth surrounding
her strange new friend.
Mall Cinema (1): Bajirao Mastani (Hindi)
2pm; The Good Dinosaur (2D) 4.45pm;
When Marnie Was There (2D) 6.15pm;
Loafer (Telugu) 8.15pm; Dilwale (Hindi)
10.45pm.
Mall Cinema (2): The Doraemon Movie
(2D) 2.15pm; Star Wars. Episode VII – The
Force Awakens (2D) 4pm; Star Wars.
Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2D)
6.30pm; Star Wars. Episode VII – The
Force Awakens (2D) 9pm; Star Wars.
Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2D)
11.15pm.
Mall Cinema (3): Dilwale (Hindi)
2.30pm; Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) 5.15pm;
Dilwale (Hindi) 8pm; Bajirao Mastani
(Hindi) 10.45pm.
Cinema Land Mark (1): Star Wars.
Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2D)
THEATRES: Landmark, The Mall,
Royal Plaza
THEATRES: Landmark, The Mall,
Royal Plaza
(Hindi) 7.30pm; Dilwale (Hindi) 10.30pm.
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (1): Star
Wars. Episode VII – The Force Awakens
(2D) 2pm; The Doraemon Movie (2D)
2pm; When Marnie Was There (2D)
4.30pm; The Good Dinosaur (2D) 6.15pm;
4.15pm; The Good Dinosaur (2D) 6.15pm; Bajirao Mastani (Hindi) 8pm; Dilwale
Dilwale (Hindi) 8pm; Bajirao Mastani
(Hindi) 11pm.
(Hindi) 10.45pm.
Royal Plaza Cinema Palace (2): When
Cinema Land Mark (2): The Doraemon Marinie Was There (2D) 2.15pm; Bajirao
Movie (2D) 2.15pm; Star Wars. Episode
Mastani (Hindi) 4pm; Star Wars. Episode
VII – The Force Awakens (2D) 4pm; Star
VII – The Force Awakens (2D) 6.45pm;
Wars. Episode VII – The Force Awakens
Star Wars. Episode VII – The Force
(2D) 6.15pm; Star Wars. Episode VII – The Awakens (2D) 9.15pm; Star Wars. Episode
Force Awakens (2D) 8.45pm; Star Wars.
VII – The Force Awakens (2D) 11.30pm;
Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2D)
Asian Town Cinema: Dilwale (Hindi)
11pm.
4, 5.30, 7, 8.30 & 10pm; Pathemari
Cinema Land Mark (3): Loafer (Telugu) (Malayalam) 6.30 & 11.15pm, Salt Mango
2.30pm; Star Wars. Episode VII – The
Tree (Malayalam) 8.45pm; Bajirao
Force Awakens (2D) 5pm; Bajirao Mastani Mastani (Hindi) 4, 7 & 10pm.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
2016 Ooredoo Marathon
DATE: Jan 8, 2016
TIME: 10am
Ooredoo officially opened registration for
the 2016 Ooredoo Marathon, as the company
aimed to make next year’s race the biggest and
best-ever. Now in its fourth year, the Ooredoo
Marathon will take place on Friday, January 8.
Ooredoo is working with a range of partners
across Qatar to encourage more people to
participate. In particular, the company is
looking to encourage more kids to run in the
children’s races and more people from all
walks of life to get involved in their first race.
Mangrove Kayaking
and Flamingo Beach
DATE: Dec 25- 26
TIME: All day
VENUE: Al Thakira
The holiday season is a good time to enjoy
kayaking with your family and friends,
explore the mangroves and watch the wildlife
in Thakhira Natural Reserve.
Harem Al Sultan Exhibition
DATE: Until Jan 10
VENUE: Katara Bldg 10
The Magnificent Century series has
become a television legend, a historical
soap opera on the life of the Ottoman Sultan
Suleiman the Magnificent that has now been
watched by 300mn viewers in 54 countries.
This unique exhibition brings the costumes,
sets and ambience of the series to Doha,
revealing the stories behind the life of the
Turkish conqueror and his love for the humble
and beautiful Harem Sultan. Exhibition
visitors will be transported back to the
glorious world of Suleiman the Magnificent
and see the artistry and craftsmanship that
went into creating the iconic props and decors
of the series.
The Color Run Qatar
DATE: Jan 9, 2016
VENUE: Qatar National Convention
Center
You can join the Color Run this year
and enjoy the time of your life. For team
runners (4 or more friends): registration
will cost QR160 per runner. For solo
runners: registration will cost QR170. Kids
under the age of 4 years run for free. The
Color Run is a 5km, un-timed fun run in
which thousands of runners are doused
from head to toe in different colors at the
end of each kilometre. It is open to all of
Doha’s residents regardless of age and
ability.
Drawing on Glass Workshop
DATE: Dec 24- 26
TIME: 5pm-7pm
VENUE: Katara Art Studios – Building 19
The Cultural Village Foundation – Katara
will organise Drawing on Glass Workshop
by Zeina Abbara from 5pm to 7pm. The
workshop is presented in Arabic, and targets
those aged 14 years and above. Workshop
fees: QR500. To register, please send your
name and phone number to: education@
katara.net, or call Katara Education Team on:
44080233 /44080235 /44080237.
Arabic Calligraphy
DATE: Today-Tomorrow
TIME: 5pm-8pm
VENUE: Katara
The workshop will be conducted by
calligrapher Hassan Ahmed. Limited seats
for only 15 participants and the language is
Arabic only.
Winter Camp
DATE: Until Dec 24
TIME: 7am-3:30pm
VENUE: Al Seraj Learning Center
A winter camp for learners from the ages
5–12 years old that promotes learning through
games, arts and crafts, interactive activities
and physical movement. Each day, learners
will participate in a total of four sessions with
the following themes: Looney Linguistics,
Dynamic Discovery, Math Madness, Mystery
Mayhem.
Harrods Doha
DATE: Until Jan 24
TIME: 4pm-1:55pm
VENUE: Katara Cultural Village
Harrods celebrates their inaugural launch
of the Harrods Doha Village. Be there and
experience luxury in style.
Circus Of Sound
DATE: Dec 31
TIME: 8pm
VENUE: Al Majlis Ballroom
Behold the greatest show on earth: Circus
Of Sound! Join our ringmasters and circus
party animals for an immersive experience
under the big top this New Years Eve!
Witness our spectacular circus performers
and take part in traditional carnival games
whilst bringing in the New Year in style with
the original superstar DJ Judge Jules and
Defected’s leading lady DJ RAE.
Career development workshop
DATE: Dec 30
TIME: 5pm-8pm
VENUE: Katara
The Bedaya Center for Entrepreneurship
and Career Development is a partnership
between the Qatar Development Bank and
Silatech that is closely aligned to their
respective visions. Activities are designed
to address the needs of youth (aged 18 - 30)
wishing to develop their skills and capabilities
as entrepreneurs, or their employability and
work-based skills.
3
COMMUNITY
ROUND & ABOUT
EVENTS
GULF TIMES
IAID Winter Workshop
DATE: Until Dec 31
TIME: 8am
VENUE: Al Tadamoun Signal, Al Hilal
Street
IAID Winter Workshop 2015 offers an
exciting range of courses for Dance, Music,
Arts and Fitness for ages 3-18 years. Your kids
will surely enjoy each class with our highlyprofessional Instructors and facilities. Classes
will run from 19-31 December 2015, so hurry
and enroll now.
Contemporary Traditional
DATE: Until Jan 5
TIME: 7pm
VENUE: Katara
This exhibition is the result of Johnatan
Machado’s experience in Qatar, who has
produced a series of works inspired by Qatari
traditional art forms. In this production,
the artist utilises traditional local materials
such as Sedu — Bedouin’s fabrics — and
transforms them into great contemporary
pieces, creating new patterns and building a
bridge between past and modern times.
Operation Keep Syrian Children
Warm
DATE: Until Dec 31
TIME: All day
VENUE: Al Suhail St, Al Mansoura
All For One, a community service
organization, gives you the motivation you
need to clean out your closets for a good
cause. Participate anytime throughout the
year by donating any items for winter in
the aid of Syrian children refugees! This
campaign runs year round so anytime you
fancy a clear out, bring in a bagful and help
beat the cold of the winter for our Syrian
children sooner.
Pottery workshop for kids
DATE: Every Monday
TIME: 5pm-6pm
Kids will learn a new hand building
technique for creating and finishing artworks
in clay. For more, call 44865201.
Sketching with pencil and charcoal
DATE: Sunday and Wednesday
TIME: 5pm-6:30pm
If you can hold a pencil, you can draw
… Discover techniques to make your
drawing more realistic. Every Saturday
and Wednesday from 5pm-6:30pm. For
reservation: [email protected].
Works from Mathaf Collection
DATE: Until February 14, 2016
TIME: 11am to 6pm
VENUE: Arab Museum of Modern Art
The artworks collection to be exhibited
will reflect a number of important defining
moments in Arab history and artistic
innovations in the region.
Hip Hop for kids
DATE: Every Sunday
TIME: 5-6pm
VENUE: Hilton
Join our Hip Hop classes instructed by
Beats and Bytes every Sunday at 5pm @
Hilton Hotel, Efora Spa. For more info, call
on 33003839
www.salsancandela.com
Salsa Beginners
DATE: Tuesday, Friday
TIME: 8-9pm
VENUE: Hilton Hotel
Whether you’ve danced salsa before or
not, you will find what you want. Different
salsa classes with different levels at your
service, taught by the best instructors in
Doha at Eforea Spa, Hilton Hotel. No need
for a partner, no need for reservation, come
as you are. Prices are QR60 per person per
lesson. Visit: www.salsancandela.com
Ladies day at Beach
DATE: Every Monday
TIME: 9am-7pm
VENUE: Sheraton Doha
For all the ladies in Doha! Do you feel like
taking some time off for yourself? Come join
us at the Sheraton Resort for an all-dayaccess to the beach and pool, along with
aqua gym aerobics for free. Nestled on the
edge of Qatar’s West Bay with an unbeatable
and uninterrupted views of the blue sea. Our
pool and beach adds a tempting and exciting
experience to enhance your senses of
relaxation. Enjoy only for QR100 per person.
Swimming lessons for kids
DATE: Saturday to Thursday
TIME: 10am-6pm
VENUE: H2O Swim club
The Swim Club’s goal offers a variety
of swimming programmes for adults and
kids. They run the following programmes
from competitive squads, leisure swimming
for kids, up to adult swimming. Operating
hours: Saturday to Thursday between 10am
and 6pm
To find out more, please visit their
website:
http://www.h2oswimclub.com.
Fitness Training
DATE: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday
TIME: 6pm-7pm
VENUE: MIA Park
There are fitness classes in the park on
Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday nights
between 6 and 7pm. Open to all levels of
fitness, Bootcamp is an intensive and fun
way to train and also meet new people in the
open and friendly group atmosphere. More
information from Bootcamp Qatar or info@
bootcampqatar.com
The Hunt: Princely Pursuits In
Islamic Lands
DATE: Until January 9, 2016
VENUE: MIA
The act of hunting, rich with symbolism
and pageantry, was — and in some places
continues to be — an essential element in
the lifestyle of rulers throughout the Islamic
world. As such, images of the hunt are
commonly found in Islamic art, whether
in lavishly illustrated manuscripts, inlaid
metalwork or colourful ceramics.
Join in our Walk-in Weekends
DATE: Every Saturday
VENUE: MIA Atrium
MIA art education and calligraphy teams
offer walk in workshops in MIA’s atrium
every Saturday. These walk in workshops are
for open for all family members.
Qajar Women
DATE: Until January 30, 2016
VENUE: MIA
This exhibition demonstrates the
centrality of women in the artistic
expression of 19th-century Iran and how it
continues to inspire contemporary artists.
The most popular representations of the
Qajar era have been of male sovereigns,
whose life-size portraits exaggerate
masculinity to depict power. Yet this era
also saw a period of artistic modernisation
in Iran, particularly in paintings and
photography, in which depictions of women
became essential elements of the scenes.
This exhibition explores rarely
told narratives of the Qajar artistic
tradition.
FOODIE CHOICE
RESTAURANT: Choices
LOCATION: Oryx Rotana,
The evening sees all-day dining spot
Choices throw a Christmas dinner with an
Indian twist, as this night usually features
sub-continent cuisine. Don’t worry, the
turkey and carving station also make an
appearance. The price will fit all pockets,
just at QR180 (food only), and QR260 with
beverages.
Compiled by Nausheen Shaikh. E-mail: [email protected], Events and timings subject to change
4
GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
COVER STORY
Glitz, glam on the ramp
The show featured Yousef al-Jasmi and Thaher from Kuwait; Reishma
Couture from Britain; Shaima Royal from Bahrain; Manal Al Sharhan from UAE;
Umer Sayeed from Pakistan; Gazal Mishra from India; and Sckali Design, Brism
Couture, Angel Line Abaya and others from Qatar, writes Umer Nangiana
M
ercedes Benz
Fashion Week Doha
(MBFWD), the twoday extravaganza,
gathered some of
the biggest names in the industry
from the Gulf Co-operation
Council (GCC) countries and South
Asia besides showcasing Qatari
brands.
Attracting a large multicultural
audience for an array of designer
wear, the show featured names such
as Yousef al-Jasmi from Kuwait,
Thaher from Kuwait, Reishma
Couture from London, Shaima
Royal from Bahrain, Manal Al
Sharhan (Dubai), Gazal Mishra from
India, Umer Sayeed from Pakistan
and designers from Qatar such
as Sckali Design, Brism Couture,
Angel Line Abaya and others.
Yousef al-Jasmi, the Kuwaiti
designer was the show-stopper.
With his grande finale on the
second and final day, al-Jasmi
awed the audience with a range of
designs.
“Our perseverance and efforts
in contributing to Qatar’s evolving
fashion and design landscape
is beginning to
manifest itself now and we consider
ourselves very lucky to have made a
difference only in our second year,”
Khalid Shaaban General Manager
Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles
(NBK), the Mercedes official dealer
in Qatar, told Community.
“We had a great turnout at
the event and the response from
the community has been very
encouraging. The appreciation
we have received so far is very
motivating,” he added.
Originally from Kuwait, owner
of Yousef Al-Jasmi Haute Couture,
began designing at the age of 17.
Yousef has dressed Lady Gaga,
Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Jessie
J, Dita Von Teese, Sharon Stone,
Nicole Scherzinger, Kristina Bazan,
Kesha and Paris Hilton.
Yousef also boasts a long list
of famous Arab celebrities that
includes Shirine Abdulwahab,
Nawal Alzuhgbi, Madiline Matar,
Haleema Boland, Diana Karazone,
Hind Bahrinya, Viviane Murad,
May Hariri, Amal al-Awadhi, Hessa
al-Loghani.
Celebrated for
his natural
ability, the
Kuwait-based
designer is
renowned for
his creativity
atari
n by Q
desig
le in a
visib
e was
y them
nal Da
io
t
a
N
ali.
The
er Sck
design
Qatari designer Angel Line Abaya’s collection.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
5
COMMUNITY
COVER STORY
to transcend everyday trends into
vintage works of art.
Yousef Haute Couture’s signature
flair, using an enchanting mix of
rich textures and lavish materials
with a heavy emphasis on luxurious
detailing and embellishment,
reflects elegance, aesthetics and
energy in equal measure.
“This season’s show pulled an
even bigger an audience and people
came in good numbers on both
days. The house remained packed
and this is bigger an audience
then we were expecting,” Rahat
Mansoor, the CEO of MBFWD, said
at the conclusion of the show.
Anchored by renowned TV
host, Ayesha Sana, the show
brought before the Doha audience
celebrities from the showbiz
industry, alongside top models
walking the ramp for the grand
finale of the show.
Pakistan’s top designer Umer
Sayeed opened the show on the
first day while designer La Boutique
Blanche collection closed day one.
Sayeed has been on the
Pakistan fashion radar for the
last 20 years and has managed to
enrich the scene through years of
extraordinary passion for style.
The MBFWD is a platform for
discovering global excellence in
fashion design. The organisers have
had a clear vision from the start,
to make this the premiere fashion
showcase in Qatar which brings
together established and emerging
talents from the region and beyond,
said Shaaban.
“We have kept the focus on
the local and regional design
community to start with as we
feel it’s important to promote
their design aesthetics to a global
audience. With each edition, the
event is only going to grow stronger
and will feature designers that
audiences in Qatar know of, but
also new names that are making
a splash internationally,” said
the NBK GM, adding that at the
heart of the fashion week is the
promotion of new talent.
Gazal Mishra from India
showcased a variety of her
Rajasthani designs. Initiating
her first label in 2012 in pink
GULF TIMES
city Jaipur, Gazal showed her
love for Rajasthani designs, fine
embroidery, vivid colours and
various fusions in clothing.
She assembles the ethnic
clothing which includes traditional
silhouettes in some fantastic new
shapes. She combines signature
material like Bandhej, Kota Doria,
Chanderi, Laheria, art of block
prints and many more with ideal
blend of vibrant colours.
The revolutionary fusion of
traditional crafts and contemporary
haute, mix of vibrant colours and
taste of Rajasthani fabric generates
an alluring; one-of-a-kind
handwork which is the signature of
Gazal Mishra.
Asma Sckali, Qatari clothing
fashion designer based in Doha,
started in January 2011 promising
a high quality of fabric and
material into designed into elegant
pieces mixed between luxury and
modernity and oriental culture.
Sckali has succeeded to upgrade
her fame by her creations to become
more than a professional fashion
designer.
The 18 participating designers
showcased Designers’ Prét, Haute
Couture, Kaftan, Abaya and readyto-wears collection. Some of the
prominent designers participating
were Umer Sayeed (Pakistan),
Sckali Design (Qatar), S. Signature
(Qatar), Gazal Mishra (India),
Sakba Mohammed (Kuwait), Jo
Lamode (Qatar), Abaya Lounge
(Kuwait) and finale by La Boutique
Blanche (Qatar).
On the second day, Shaima
Royal (Bahrain), Manal Al Sharhan
(Dubai), Hamsa Couture (Kuwait),
Reishma Couture (London), Les
Amis Boutique (Qatar), Thaher
(Kuwait), Brism Couture (Qatar),
Angel Line Abaya (Qatar) and
Yousef al-Jasmi presented their
collections.
Fashion as an industry offers
tremendous opportunities
in Qatar and the future is
definitely very promising. The
Government of Qatar has made
strategic investments within
the international fashion space
including acquisition of the
Valentino couture house and stakes
Models adorning Pakistani designer Umer Sayeed’s collection.
Models presenting Raishma Couture.
Host Ayesha Sana, second from left, and Rahat Mansoor, CEO of MBFWD,
second from right.
in LVMH and Tiffany Jewelry
among others, said Shaaban.
In addition to the business side of
it, he added, Qatar also offers a range
of academic programmes targeting
the fashion and design sectors.
“We have seen a growing number
of young homegrown talents who
are confidently making a mark
for themselves locally and within
the region,” said Shaaban, adding
that this trend will continue to
evolve beyond the short term and
strengthen the foundation for a
strong and sustainable industry,
which has expanded greatly in
terms of fashion, merchandising,
buying etc.
“More people are open to
shopping at fashion stores for
brands and the customer has
become more discerning and
educated compared to a few years
ago,” said NBK Manager.
FashionTV was the official media
partner of the two-day show. Blue
Brush as the official hairstylist,
while Nara saloon was the beauty
partner. The Mercedes Benz
Fashion Week Doha was sponsored
& partnered by Damac Properties,
Zai Fashions, The Luxury Network,
VLCC, Evian, Nazih Qatar, Century
Talent Qatar and What’s going
on Qatar & Nasser Bin Khalid
(Mercedes-Benz Qatar).
6
GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
The best of Urdu poetry
LAUNCH: Poets along with the chief guest and IUS officials at the launch of IUS magazine at the start of mushaira.
By Umer Nangiana
M
ere Maalik teri azmat ka pata
deta hai
Sari duniya ke muqabil
mera tenha hona
(My Lord, your greatness
reflects in that I have been able to stand alone
against the whole world)
If you were looking for a perfect conclusion
to a picture-perfect evening of poetry, it was
provided by Professor Waseem Barelvi, as
promised by his presence among a galaxy of
Urdu poets.
A packed house at the recently concluded
Aalmi Mushaira 2015 (poetry symposium)
organised by India Urdu Society Qatar, which
coincided with Qatar National Day, was
swayed by Barelvi presenting some of his
never-heard-before ghazals (a popular genre
of Urdu poetry) in Taranum (a style where the
poet sings the verses).
Barelvi, one of the most eminent
contemporary Urdu poets, was handed the
responsibility to end the symposium on the
same poetic note it started with. And the
creator of couplets like ‘Atay atay mera naam
sa reh gaya, Us ke honton pe kuch kanpta reh
gaya’ (She was about to utter my name and
her lips just quivered) did not disappoint an
audience of more than a thousand people.
The Giwana Hall at Radisson Blu was
jam packed with people, with dozens seen
standing up or sitting on the floor as they
gathered for the love of Urdu poetry, delivered
to them by an array of poets from India and
Pakistan.
“It was the first time that people in so
huge numbers attended a mushaira in Qatar,
as it was planned to coincide with Qatar’s
National Day. Hundreds attended the
hours-long symposium and it shows how
big a success it was,” Ateeq Anzar, founding
president of India Urdu Society-Qatar (IUS)
told Community.
Advisor to Qatar’s Ministry of Arts, Culture
and Heritage, Moosa Zainal Moosa, was the
guest of honour and he spoke in Arabic about
Qatar’s brief history and the National Day.
His speech was translated for the audience at
the spot.
Barelvi, who presided over the mushaira,
has been to Qatar before as well, however, this
was by far the largest audience he received
INTEREST: A large number of expatriates from the Indian sub-continent attended the mushaira.
here. Born in Bareilly Uttar Pradesh in 1940,
Barelvi completed his MA in Urdu literature
from Agra University in 1958 and started his
career as an Assistant Professor and later
became an Associate Professor and Head of
Urdu Dept Bareilly college, Bareilly. He has
also served as the Vice Chairman of National
Council for Promotion of Urdu Language,
Ministry of Human Resource Development
in India.
Winner of several national and
international awards, Barelvi’s poetry has
been published in scores of literary magazines
in India, Pakistan and other countries. His
ghazals and other compositions have been
sung by prominent singers in India. He has
published more than six collections of poetry
in Urdu and two in Hindi.
Some of his important books are
Tabassum-e-Gham (Urdu), Aansu Mere
Daman Tera (Hindi), Mizaj (Urdu), Aankh
Aansu Hui (Urdu), Mera Kya (Hindi, Urdu),
Aankhon Aankhon Rahe (Urdu), and Mausam
Andar Bahar Ke (Urdu).
Celebrated names in Urdu poetry, Rahat
Indori and Dr Majid Deobandi were the guests
of honour from India. Poet Abbas Tabish was
the guest of honour from Pakistan.
Indori, born in 1950 in Indore, India,
went to Nutan School Indore from where
he completed his Higher Secondary. He
completed his graduation from Islamia
Karimia College Indore in 1973 and passed
his MA in Urdu literature from Barkatullah
University Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) in 1975.
Equally competent in prose and
poetry, Rahat was awarded a PhD in Urdu
literature from the Bhoj University of Madhya
Pradesh in 1985 for his thesis titled ‘Urdu
Main Mushaira.’
He started teaching Urdu literature in
IK College, Indore. He became very busy
with mushairas and started receiving
invitations from all over India and abroad.
He quickly became a well-known figure in
the world of Urdu literature. He recited his
first couplet in his college days when he was
only 19. In those days his style of writing was
surprising, advanced and had a freshness to
it.
Other poets at the symposium included Dr
Tabish Mehdi, Dr Naseem Nikhat, Abrar
Kashif, Sohail Usmani, Rashid Alam, Ateeq
Anzar, Shad Akolvi, Jaleel Nizami, Mahtab
Alam, Hasan Kazmi, Dr Tarannum Riyaz and
Bedhadak Madrasi.
CAPTIVATING: Waseem Barelvi reciting his poetry.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
GULF TIMES
7
COMMUNITY
Throwing light on
Qatari-British relations
By Anand Holla
I
n light of the recent Qatar
National Day, the Qatar Digital
Library (QDL) published an
article on the exchanges that
took place between Britain and
Qatar over the last three centuries.
The article, based on East India
Company’s archives, talks about
Zubarah’s prominence back in the
day and how the discovery of oil
forged the relationship between
Qatar and the British empire.
QDL (www.qdl.qa) is a portal
that is a result of partnership that
started in 2012 between Qatar
Foundation for Education, Science
and Community Development,
and British Library, and QNL. The
free-for-all, bilingual (English
and Arabic) digital information
storehouse covers modern history
and culture of the Gulf and wider
region, available online for the first
time ever.
In his piece titled “Qatari
History: Pivotal Moments Revealed
in India Office Records”, Dr Mark
Hobbs, Gulf History Specialist at
British Library, draws attention to
fascinating nuggets of forgotten
history.
“Extending round a shallow bay
on the sheltered western shores
of the Qatar peninsula, Zubarah
occupies a special place in Qatari
memory, thanks to its status as one
of the earliest and most important
trading and pearl fishing ports on
the Gulf,” Hobbs writes, “Very little
remains of Zubarah now, having
been long since abandoned, but its
relevance to the history of the region
has been recognised by Unesco,
which has designated the town as
Qatar’s first World Heritage site.”
Documents contained in the
archives of the East India Company
reaffirm Zubarah’s prominent
position in the Gulf at the end of
the eighteenth century, he further
points out. “Moreover, they offer
us a rich insight into Qatar’s
development since that time,” he
says.
As for Qatar’s coastline,
throughout the 1820s, Hobbs points
out, Britain’s Indian Navy carried
out the most comprehensive survey
of the Gulf’s coastal waters to
date, using modern trigonometric
surveying methods. He, then,
explores the 1868 agreement
between Qatar and the British,
before emphasising on how the
discovery of oil changed dynamics.
“The discovery of oil across the
Middle East and Gulf region saw
Britain forge closer ties with Qatar.
In 1935, Shaikh Abdullah bin Jasim
al-Thani signed an exploratory oil
concession with the Anglo-Persian
Oil Company. Four years later, the
first significant evidence of oil
deposits in Qatar were found at
rig number one in the west of the
country,” Hobbs writes.
His piece cites a telegram from
the Bahrain Political Agent, to
the Political Resident, dated
11 October 1939, which read
‘Petroleum Development Qatar
have had slight show of oil in their
test well near Zekrit. Drilling
continues’. Later, on 14 January
1940, the Bahrain Political Agent
wrote to Shaikh Abdullah to
personally congratulate him on the
discovery of oil in Qatar, stating
that he ‘earnestly hoped that
future drilling will prove that Qatar
possesses a valuable oil field’. That
would turn out to be true.
QDL includes archives, maps,
manuscripts, sound recordings,
photographs and much more,
complete with contextualised
explanatory notes and links,
in both English and Arabic. It
showcases everything from Arabic
Scientific Manuscripts from the
British Library’s Manuscripts
Collections, covering topics
such as medicine, mathematics,
astronomy and engineering, to
500 maps, charts and plans of the
Persian Gulf and the wider region.
Its sweep spans from a selection
of photographs, postcards
and other printed objects as
well as sketches, drawings and
watercolours; etchings, engravings
and illustrations, to a selection
of audio collection materials
including 200 shellac discs
recorded in Bahrain, Kuwait and
Iraq between 1920 and 1940.
Letter from the Political Agent, Bahrain, to Shaikh Abdullah bin Jasim al-Thani,
dated 14 January 1940.
Photo: QDL
AMUAAQ honours Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
By Umer Nangiana
T
he Aligarh Muslim
University Alumni
Association (AMUAAQ)
Qatar celebrated the 198th
Birth anniversary of Sir
Syed Ahmed Khan, a prominent
scholar from Indian sub-continent,
recently.
In a ceremony held on December
12 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Sir
Syed’s anniversary was celebrated
with great spirit and enthusiasm.
More than 150 members of AMU
Alumni Association, well-wishers
of AMU, and prominent dignitaries
from Doha were present besides the
President IBPN, President of DPSMIS, Group Director of Radisson Blu,
President AMUHQ, President Goa
Association, President World Bihar
Organization, school principals, and
many top businessmen.
Tariq Anwar, Member Parliament
and General Secretary of NCP-India,
was the chief guest. The programme
was held under the patronage of M S
The Executive Committee of AMUAAQ at the event.
Bukhari, Chairman of AMUAAQ. Dr
Ibrahim Saleh al-Naimi, President
Qatar Community College, and
Mohd Habibun Nabi, Chief Patron
AMUAA, were the guests of honour.
The programme was conducted by
Aqueel Ahmad and he also delivered a
speech on the life of Sir Syed Ahmad
Khan, founder of Aligarh Muslim
University.
Mahir Nadeem, President of AMU
Association, shared his thoughts on
Sir Syed’s contribution to the society,
while Aqueel Ahmed delivered a
speech on Sir Syed’s life, his mission
and vision.
Others applauded Sir Syed’s vision
for a modern education for society.
Bukhari, in his speech, said Sir
Syed was a great reformer, who
truly believed in educating and
empowering the Muslim community
and was successful to a great extent
in implementing it despite strong
opposition from a section of the
Muslim community that hated the
British and their language.
He added: “Today we can see
the products of the Aligarh Muslim
University excelling in every field
of activities not only in India also in
developed countries like USA, UK,
Middle East.”
They have earned a name for the
community and the country, he said,
urging all present to play a role in
bettering education in the society.
Chief guest Tariq Anwar talked
about the Aligarh movement and
stated the benefits of education.
A short mushaira session (Urdu
poetic session) followed, featuring
renowned Qatar-based poets such as
Nadeem Mahir, Aziz Nabil, Ahmad
Ashfaq, Anwar Kareem and Amjad
Ali Sarwar. The programme ended
with the singing of the university’s
famous anthem.
8
GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
Education Fiesta among multiple activities at TNG Qatar on National Day
The Next Generation School held an elaborate event over two
days to celebrate the Qatar National Day.
On December 17, students in all the four campuses of the
school turned up in the traditional dresses, Qatari flag mufflers,
hats and flags. The students gave speeches about the
important landmarks of Qatar. There was also a quiz on Qatar’s
history.
On December 18, the primary and preparatory grade students
went to the Al Wakrah Stadium to participate in the associated
activities organised by the Ministry of Interior. The event
began with a colourful parade performance. TNG students
held the flag of Qatar high up in discipline and showcased
models depicting the rich Qatari culture, customs, tradition and
heritage. The children performed on two songs at the stadium.
An Education Fiesta was also organised by the school
management at the TNG Ain Khaled campus in the evening
featuring food, fashion, traditional clothes and fun-filled games.
Injaz Qatar, The Little Engineers, Learning Time, Abu Karbal
Bookshop and Smart It Lego Education participated in the
event. A photo booth allowed children to take photos with the
traditional items of Qatar.
Defence Attache Commodore Masud Akram with TNG school director Riyaz Ahmed Bakali and the principal.
CELEBRATIONS: The United Bank Limited (UBL) in Doha celebrated Qatar National Day with the cutting of a cake. Seen here is UBL General Manager Shahid Amin Sheikh cutting the cake along with
UBL employees.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
GULF TIMES
9
COMMUNITY
MES wins championship in Qatar National Day celebrations
The MES Indian School emerged as the overall champions in the Qatar National Day school level
competitions organised for communities at the Asian Town. They scored 35 points, securing their
third win in as many years. Around 700 students participated in the competitions and MES Indian
School won the highest score in the cultural performances such as ceremonial parade, thematic
song, general dance, general song and thematic show depicting the rich cultural heritage and
the bond between expatriate communities and Qatar. In addition, the MES Indian School became
champions in the sports competitions as well by winning the football match and clinching first
three positions in the 400 metres race conducted as part of the celebration.
CAKE CUTTING: Warwick Doha Hotel celebrated the Qatar National Day with a cake-cutting ceremony and multiple promotions offering guests the chance to taste “real Arabic and Qatari hospitality”.
10 GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
Indian, Sri Lankan communities celebrate National Day
A large number of Indian and Sri Lankan expats attended the
Qatar National Day celebrations at Asian Town organised by
the Ministry of Interior. The Indian Cultural Centre along with
its 101 affiliate organisations supported the celebrations with a
number of activities.
The celebrations on December 17 featured a three-hour-long
cultural show featuring 22 individual and group performances.
The event also featured a Qawwali performance by Sabri
Brothers from Rajasthan in India.
On December 18, the Qatar National Day, maroon dominated
at Asian Town, with participants in the multiple activities
celebrating Qatar dressed in its favourite colour. MoI had
announced various prizes to ignite the competitive spirit of
the performers. This resulted in spectacular performances by
various schools and organisations.
The morning performances included a thematic parade by
Indian community organisations and Indian schools. Other
communities also performed. The afternoon programme
started at 2pm and kept the audience members entertained till
11pm.
The celebrations ended with a prize distribution ceremony.
The prizes were handed over by Brigadier Abdullah Khalifa
al-Muftah, Capt. Nasser al-Suwaidi, and ICC President Girish
Kumar.
The prize winners included Incas, Sanskriti, Traq, KCC, TJSV,
Thirumuttam, Bangiya Parishad, Maharashtra Mandal and
wonderful performances by QTS, PSV, TKS, and Bharathi.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
GULF TIMES
11
COMMUNITY
Schoolchildren clad in traditional Nepalese dresses perform at the event.
COMPETITION: A tug-of-war match in progress.
The Dubai-based Rekha Ghimire performing at the event.
A traditional Nepali dance.
Over 4,000 Nepalese attend
National Day celebrations
By Usha Wagle Gautam
M
ore than 4,000 Nepalese
expats attended the Qatar
National Day celebrations at
Barwa Workers Recreation
Complex Industrial Area in Al
Khor. The programme was organised by the
Ministry of Interior.
The celebrations included a cultural
programme, football, tug-of-war, volleyball
and a cricket competition. The organisers had
also set up a free health check-up camp.
The first performance at the cultural
show was by Maharashtra Mandal, a dance
sequence with an Arabic twist.
Rajeev Chandi performed a Hindi song.
Musical band Singing Birds performed hit
Hindi, Nepalese, Bhojpuri, Punjabi and
Arabic songs. Singers Neharshi and Subash
performed a melodious song. Child artiste
Bishal Nehatma performed an Arabic dance.
The Al Khor International School
presented five performances.
Members of the Nepalese community
presented more than 10 performances at the
programme.
The first performance was by
schoolchildren clad in traditional Nepalese
dresses. The Nepalese Magar Society
performed an ethnic dance called Kauda.
NCC artists performed played a patriotic
number on their traditional Nepalese
instruments, supporting vocalists Birendra
Shrestha, Ashish Rijal and Krishna Upreti.
Dhankuta Service Society artiste Saruk
Sundas performed a contemporary song.
Iman Singh Thakuri caricatured birds,
animals and machines. After that, NCC
artistes performed the traditional Jhyaure
dance. Miteri Films artiste Puspa BC danced
on a Nepalese film song. Struggle Band
performed a number of hit songs. Nawa
Sangeetik performed a thematic show.
Another bunch of NCC artistes performed a
fusion Nepalese and Arabic dance. Kirat Rai
Yokha Sakha performed Sakela and Chandi
dances.
Kirat Yakthung Chumlung (KYC)
performed Chambung and Bijuwo folk
dances. KYC artists also performed to
the tunes of Dholak, an ethnic percussion
instrument. UNI dance group performed a
dance on a remixed song, Tamang Society
artistes performed a Tamang dance, artiste
Rama Aryal sang Nepalese anthem and her
daughter Rubina Aryal performed a Hindi
movie dance.
A significant draw of the event was
performances by Nepalese film actress
Rupa Lama and Dubai-based singer Rekha
Ghimire.
The thematic parade was won by the Al
Khor Community organisation. They also
won in the general song category. In the
general show category, Al Khor International
School stood first. In thematic show category,
the Nepalese community came first.
The volleyball tournament was by
KMCC. The tug-of-war competition was
won by IFITNA Qatari Company. The
football tournament was won by Med Gulf.
The cricket tournament was won by Royal
Tigers.
12 GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
INFOGRAPHIC
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
GULF TIMES
13
COMMUNITY
LIFESTYLE/HOROSCOPE
Discover the power of a
smartphone with these 5 tips
A
s with all technology,
mobile phones have
come a long way in a
short amount of time.
Gone are the days of
big, bulky phones. Today, phones
are sleek and slender and, in most
cases, smart, allowing users to
surf the Internet, watch movies
and keep in touch with friends and
family.
The potential downside of
smartphones is the assumption that
they are difficult to use. However,
with a few simple tips, smartphones
can be easier to operate than
older cell phone models. Once
the basics are mastered, users can
easily take advantage of all the
features, giving them a new way
to communicate with friends and
family — particularly younger
family members.
If you’re ready to upgrade to a
smartphone, or already have one
but just want to better understand
it, here are five tips that can help:
Communicate easier with
family members
Text messaging has become one
of the most widely used forms of
communication. Many seniors
report once they start texting,
they are able to communicate with
grandchildren more frequently.
A unique “text” language has
also developed, and many find it
enjoyable to send emojis (small
cartoonish pictures) or abbreviated
phrases such as “idk” (I don’t know)
or “omg” (oh my gosh!).
Learn to type faster
On first use, typing on the small
touch screen can seem clumsy. The
best way to become accustomed to
typing on a smartphone is to hold
the phone horizontally in landscape
mode. Next, learn to love predictive
text. While you’re typing out a
word, the phone will offer several
options, or predictions, of what
word you want. If the word you’re
typing appears, simply tap on it and
ARIES
March 21 — April 19
You could stumble across something today that surprises you —
which isn’t an easy thing to do. However, as long as you take it in
your stride Aries you will be prepped to handle whatever comes
your way.
CANCER
June 21 — July 22
If you feel as if you are being pushed to your absolute limit today,
push back Cancers. If you let other people boss you around, they will
continue doing so. Making sure you do what you want to do without
too much interference from others at this time.
LIBRA
September 23 — October 22
Being honest with yourself is one of the hardest things to do —
because it’s not always easy to admit you’re wrong or you did
something which wasn’t the nicest thing to do. Make amends today
Librans as only you can.
CAPRICORN
December 22 — January 19
You are close to achieving one of your goals Capricorns. If you have
one more piece of the puzzle to complete, get it done quickly and
move on with your next 2015 plan. Time is of the essence! 2015 is
nearly over.
move on. Once you get used to this
you’ll be amazed how fast you can
type.
Access the Internet on the go
Being able to access the Internet
from almost anywhere is one of the
most useful smartphone features.
Access to the Internet allows you
to check and send e-mail, view
local news, shop online or visit your
favourite website. Connecting to
Wi-Fi, which is available at many
establishments, allows you to surf
the Internet without using your
cellular data plan.
Share your experience with
pictures
Smartphones come with a
powerful camera that takes high
quality pictures that can rival
most digital cameras. With the
capabilities of sending photos as
texts, you can instantly share your
photos and experiences with loved
ones.
Find your way and discover
more with maps
Stopping to ask for directions is a
thing of the past. You can easily find
your way with the highly accurate
maps smartphones can connect to,
as well as discover new places to
visit. For example, if you’re in an
TAURUS
April 20 — May 20
While you enjoy being busy, you definitely need to put your feet up
now and then. There’s only so much you can do to make sure you
help everyone around you before you decide enough is enough and
take some time for yourself. The holiday season can be fun but very
stressful as well.
LEO
July 23 — August 22
Persevere today Leos — even if you feel you might be barking up
the wrong tree — you are very stubborn and won’t be happy until
you have made sure it’s the wrong tree. That’s one of your best
characteristics — your unbelievable optimism and self-assurance.
SCORPIO
October 23 — November 21
While it’s been great how willing your friends and family have been
lately to help you, a lot of empty promises may have been made as
well Scorpios. People could suddenly turn into space cadets and
totally forget a promise they had made you.
AQUARIUS
January 20 — February 18
There is nothing better than feeling as if you have beaten someone
at their own game, is there, Aquarians? And that’s precisely how
many of you feel right now as you realise that your tenacity and
street smarts won the day!
unfamiliar area and in need of a cup
of coffee, all you need to do is type
“coffee” in your map’s search bar,
and you’ll see the locations to all
the nearby coffee shops. You’ll even
get directions on how to get there!
©Brandpoint
GEMINI
May 21 — June 20
What are you thinking when you have time to let your mind unwind?
The dishes waiting in the sink for you? Your dirty clothes chucked
everywhere that aren’t going to wash themselves? Hopefully you’re
thinking about more exciting and important things Gemini’s.
VIRGO
August 23 — September 22
However great your desire to play the boss, lay down the law and
be in charge, save it for another day Virgos. Jupiter the planet of
opportunity and good luck in your sign will bring all the good stuff
your way. Into September of 2016 too.
SAGITTARIUS
November 22 — December 21
You could have had quite the dust up with a partner — professional
or personal — and more than likely it will be about money. If you do
feel you need to sit down with your accountant or business partner,
make sure you do it.
PISCES
February 19 — March 20
Don’t avoid someone or something today if you know you need to
fix things between you or the task ahead. Now is a great time for you
to play catch up and redo those things you missed out on or pick up
on opportunity you missed out on before.
14 GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
Wordsearch
Adam
Pooch Cafe
Law and Order
ALIBI
ATTORNEY
BAILIFF
COURT
CRIME
CUSTODY
DEPUTY
EVIDENCE
FELONY
FINE
JAIL
JUDGE
JURY
MAGISTRATE
MARSHAL
PENALTY
PLEA
POLICE
PRISON
SENTENCE
SHERIFF
WARRANT
WITNESS
WRIT
Codeword
Puzzles courtesy: Puzzlechoice.com
Every letter of the alphabet is used at least once.
Squares with the same number in have the same letter
in. Work out which number represents which letter.
Garfield
Sudoku
Bound And Gagged
Sudoku is a puzzle based
on a 9x9 grid. The grid is
also divided into nine (3x3)
boxes. You are given a
selection of values and to
complete the puzzle, you
must fill the grid so that
every column, every anone
is repeated.
PUZZLES/CARTOONS
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
PUZZLES
Quick Clues
Across
7. Be united (5,8)
8. Chaos (8)
9. Damp (4)
10. Sagacity (6)
12. Flight (6)
14. Appalled (6)
16. Accompany (6)
18. Flutter (4)
20. Dead (8)
22. Exaggeration (13)
GULF TIMES
Colouring
Down
1. Impressive (8)
2. Wrap (6)
3. Boss (4)
4. Distress (8)
5. Atelier (6)
6. Slender (4)
11. Deform (8)
13. Revolt (8)
15. Yearn (6)
17. Pillar (6)
19. Dwell (4)
21. Destiny (4)
Cryptic Clues
Answers
Wordsearch
Across
7. View of one who should know better?
(6,7)
8. A mad rush to make a message
unintelligible (8)
9. Press club (4)
10. Master changed for selected pupils (6)
12. Fashionable team in prison (6)
14. Returning Titian paintings for a dealer
(6)
16. Join up tinsel, perhaps (6)
18. Drink that’s left (4)
20. Guide to palmistry? (8)
22. He tries to sell old stock (7,6)
Down
1. He has the will to settle things (8)
2. Threaten males with one (6)
3. Saint joins sailor in an attempt (4)
4. A quiet little desire to eat (8)
5. Releases or unites, somehow (6)
6. A singular performance! (4)
11. Hurt film could be jolly (8)
13. Find the record has finished (8)
15. Delay by putting the date in incorrectly
(6)
17. North African finding nail by resort (6)
19. Has moved the snow (4)
21. Out of clothes? (4)
Codeword
Yesterday’s Solutions
QUICK
Across: 1 Lout; 8 Invincible; 9 Distinct; 10 Corn;
12 Devote; 14 Levity; 15
Patent; 17 Sorrow; 18 Less; 19 Recovery; 21
Ambassador; 22 Beer.
Down: 2 Obliterate; 3 Tilt; 4 Evince; 5 Instil; 6
Discover; 7 Mean; 11
Retrograde; 13 Overseas; 16 Thrust; 17 Secede;
18 Lead; 20 Verb.
CRYPTIC
Across: 1 Both; 8 All keyed up; 9 Co-driver;
10 Imps; 12 Colour; 14 Madcap; 15 Adhere; 17
Pirate; 18 Arms; 19 Turn tail; 21 Take action; 22
Task.
Down: 2 Out of order; 3 Hair; 4 Clever; 5
Megrim; 6 Bewilder; 7 Opus; 11 Play
tricks; 13 Overseer; 16 Entice; 17 Permit; 18 Asti;
20 Tint.
15
16 GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
POP SPOT
in
brief
Brian Fallon
The Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon has
used the opportunity offered by his band taking a
break from the music scene to create his own solo
album. “Painkillers” is scheduled for release on
March 11.
Available now though is the lead single, A
Wonderful Life. The song can be heard at www.
youtube.com/watch?v=W9f5PrL7uvA
The single, and forthcoming album, will be 35-yearold Brian’s first material released under his own
name. Aged just 17, he issued a cassette entitled
“The Coffeehouse Sessions.” But it was credited to
No Release.
All of his subsequent work has been under a band
name. Only his 2004 release, “The American Music
EP,” featured his name in the credits as Brian Fallon
— Cincinnati Rail Tie.
The various band names have been entirely
appropriate as Brian always had other musicians
performing on his songs. But the same is true
again now for his solo album. He is joined by
bassist Catherine Popper, drummer Mark Stepro
and guitarist Butch Walker, who also produced
“Painkillers,” so it is a little surprising that no band
name has been chosen.
City and Colour
SUCCESSFUL: Christopher is currently enjoying a UK top three hit as the featured vocalist on Sigala’s track.
Bullied Bryn Christopher
has the last laugh
By Geoffrey Rowlands
I
sn’t it great when someone has the
last laugh on people who have bullied
them. Step forward English singer/
songwriter Bryn Christopher. He is
currently enjoying a UK top three hit
as the featured vocalist on Sigala’s track,
Sweet Lovin’. But life was anything but
sweet when Birmingham-born Bryn was
bullied at school.
“I was different from the other kids, the
classic candidate for a bullying victim.
I was stick-thin and had long eyelashes
which made me look a bit like a girl. I was
also much more interested in theatre than
football.”
Ironically, it was Bryn’s enjoyment of
theatre which turned his life around. At
12, he joined a youth theatre company and
gained confidence from being with likeminded peers who respected his talent. He
also discovered the kind of music he wanted
to perform and wrote his first songs as part
of his GCSE music course.
“It’s amazing to think what the youth
theatre did for me. I couldn’t have got up
and spoken in class because I knew how
the bullies would react. But being on stage
was different. For most people, it would
probably be completely the opposite. But
I found it really easy to get up on stage and
actually sing in front of the kids who bullied
me.
“It felt like being in another world when
I was singing. All the stupid negativity
disappeared. I suppose it was all about
confidence. I knew I could sing and the
bullies couldn’t so this was something they
couldn’t tease me about.”
Changing schools following his GCSEs
saw Bryn enter a far better environment.
His new school had a soul band whose
members were delighted to be joined by this
newcomer with the superb voice. It was
while watching a theatrical production with
his schoolmates that Bryn found his musical
hero.
“I’d sung The Commitments’ version
of Try a Little Tenderness with the band at
school but heard this other amazing version
as part of the play. I discovered the singer
was Otis Redding. This started me off on
trying to hear every song Otis had recorded.
“Listening to his music also led me to
other artists such as Al Green, Sam Cooke
and Nina Simone. I was on a voyage of
discovery finding wonderful songs from the
1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s. I admired these artists
so much and wanted to try to become as
good as them.”
A friend at stage school in London
encouraged Bryn to follow in her footsteps.
“I already had a management deal but
nothing was happening so going to London
seemed like a good idea. As it turned out, I
hated stage school and left after my second
year. But my management had been pushing
my interests and I got a meeting with Colin
Barlow at Polydor Records. He put me in the
studio to work with some great songwriters
and then gave me a record deal about six
months later.”
Despite having released no material,
Bryn secured the supporting act slot on
Amy Winehouse’s 2007 UK concert tour.
A similar spot on Mary J. Blige’s 2008
European tour exposed his music to another
audience. Aided by this promotion, Bryn’s
2008 debut album, “My World,” reached
number 18 on the UK chart. His singles, The
Quest and Smilin’, also became hits.
It seemed like a second album would
truly establish him on the UK soul scene.
But instead of building upon a good start
to his recording career, Bryn effectively
disappeared. His second album has still to
be released.
“I got into other aspects of the business.
I’ve written some songs for other artists and
joined the Pegasus production duo to create
drum and bass dance music as Monsta, or
I See Monstas as we now call ourselves. As
well as our own stuff, we also produce and
remix songs for other performers.”
2015 has finally seen Bryn recording
again under his own name. There was just a
taste last year when he was the uncredited
vocalist on Knife Party’s Superstar. This
year has seen Bryn record with Kill The
Noise and Culture Shock in addition to his
work with I See Monstas. But it is his track
with Sigala which has given him by far his
biggest hit to date.
“I’ve really enjoyed collaborating with
other artists and it’s terrific that Sweet
Lovin’ has become such a big hit. I’m signed
to Geffen Records now so maybe it’s time
I made a solo album for them. A lot more
people know about me now so perhaps it
won’t be too long before I finally release my
second album.”
Canadian singer/songwriter Dallas Green is another
artist who prefers to release his material under a
band name. He chose City and Colour from his own
name, the city of Dallas and the colour green.
His fifth studio album, “If I Should Go Before You,”
was released in October and became City and
Colour’s third Canadian chart-topper. Three tracks
have so far been released as singles with the last
two, Wasted Love and Lover Come Back, covering
both sides of the same break-up story.
Wasted Love features lyrics from the perspective
of the person whose heart has been broken. Lover
Come Back is sung from the viewpoint of the
heartbreaker who didn’t realise how good things
had been until it was too late and now wants to
rekindle the relationship.
The video for Wasted Love is at www.youtube.com/
watch?v=8kKx8PneuR8 while the Lover Come
Back video can be seen at www.youtube.com/
watch?v=DwYaFkHe-5U.
If I Should Go Before You is available to hear in full
at www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E7gOluzpo0
Justin Bieber
If Adele isn’t setting some new chart record then it
has to be Justin Bieber.
The Canadian heart-throb singer has set a new
mark on the UK singles chart. He recently achieved
the rare feat of replacing himself in pole position
when Love Yourself ousted Sorry from top spot.
The former chart-topper slipped to number two
with both songs remaining in the same positions
on the chart for the following week.
Replacing yourself at number one has been
achieved on several previous occasions. But Justin
became the first artist to knock himself down to
number two and then have both songs hold the
first and second spots for two consecutive weeks.
Jean Deaux
Jean Deaux has gradually been making a name
for herself on the music scene. The Chicagobased rapper/singer has collaborated on critically
acclaimed tracks by a number of other artists but is
ready to find fame in her own right.
She recently released the three-song “Outer
Body EP.” This, along with more of her work,
can be heard at (no www.) soundcloud.com/
thatsjeandeaux
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Reality tales: Indian
stories with universal
appeal go globe-trotting
I
t has been a big year for small budget,
independent as well as regional
films, with stories rooted in Indian
culture but with universal appeal,
going on a global trail. The growing
understanding of Indian cinema beyond
Bollywood has been the game-changer, say
industry experts, adding that the road ahead
will only get “better” with time.
“Powerful” content stirred up with Indian
“flavours” can pave a path to success, but
the idea should be to indulge in “global
cinematic language”, believe film experts like
Taran Adarsh and Anupama Chopra.
“At international film fests, names
of stars don’t really matter as much as
powerful content. It has to have a lot of
Indian flavour to make a mark,” Adarsh told
IANS.
You never learn acting
till you die: Shah Rukh
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who
has been entertaining fans with his versatile
roles in films for over two decades now, says
there is no specific “formula” to be an actor.
He feels one never learns acting “till you die”.
In a live interaction with his fans on
Twitter, the 50-year-old, whose latest film
Dilwale raked in Rs.21 crore in India on its
opening day on Friday, was asked when he
will learn acting.
Shah Rukh replied: “You never learn acting
till you die. It’s not multiples and formulae.”
Also, he feels that being an actor, one
should be open to do roles in different genres.
“As an actor or star, I like doing all kind of
17
COMMUNITY
BOLLYWOOD
By Sugandha Rawal
GULF TIMES
And so, independent cinema fom the
country grabbed the spotlight at places like
Busan, Rome, Cannes, Toronto, Venice and
Warsaw.
Titli, Dhanak, Parched, Masaan, Angry
Indian Goddesses, Zubaan and Island City
are some of the films that made a mark at
foreign shores. While Neeraj Ghaywan’s
Masaan bagged two awards at the Cannes
gala, Mozez Singh was feted for his musical
drama Zubaan at the Busan fest.
It was double whammy for Nagesh
Kukunoor’s Dhanak, a story about an
eight-year-old visually challenged boy’s
journey to find light, as it won at the Berlin
International Film Festival and Warsaw.
Margarita With A Straw, starring Kalki
Koechlin in a strong role, was honoured at
a film fest in US; while Pan Nalin’s Angry
Indian Goddesses was rewarded in Rome.
The success story got a regional twist
with Assamese film Kothanodi getting
screened in Busan; Punjabi film Chauthi
Koot, Tamil dramas Kaaka Muttai and
Visaranai also finding a spot.
Guneet Monga, who produced Zubaan,
mentions it is important to have universal
appeal for international presence.
Seconding Monga, Tenzing Sonam of
Dharamshala International Film Festival,
said it’s all about “good independent films,
and not about selling India”.
The growing visibility of Indian films on
foreign platforms, however, can be credited
to constant engagement with international
film festival organisers, said Chopra, the
festival director of the widely followed
Mumbai Film Festival.
“Indian films have been going abroad
regularly and programmers have understood
that Indian cinema is not only Bollywood,”
she said, adding that “young filmmakers
want to speak in a global cinematic
language”.
Paolo Bertolin, the Southeast and Asia
Pacific selector for the Venice International
genres,” he said. The Chennai Express star,
who is fondly called Badshah and King Khan
by his fans, says that during his childhood
days his parents never thought of giving him
a nickname.
“My parents never gave me a nickname.
Maybe, they knew I will get so many when I
grow up. So like them all,” he tweeted.
When asked by a fan as to why his lectures
at various prestigious institutes including
University of Edinburgh don’t conform to
the standards of excellence in his films, Shah
Rukh said: “My lectures are to motivate, my
films are for entertainment. The mix of the
two happens seldom.”
Dilwale, which released on Friday, also
features Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti
Sanon, among others. — IANS
TRADE SECRETS: Shah Rukh Khan
Film Festival, has also taken notice of the
change. “Indian films are gaining back the
attention which they had somehow lost
at the international scene,” Bertolin told
IANS.
Bollywood also gleamed at the foreign
film fest with Salman Khan-starrer Bajrangi
Bhaijaan and Baahubali with its stunning
visuals making an impact abroad.
Other Hindi films to find presence were
Talvar, Aligarh, Om Shanti Om and Gaur
Hari Dastan. And not to forget, actress
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan sharing the first
glimpse of her action-packed comeback
with Jazbaa in Cannes.
Adarsh said the entry of commercial films
into global fests is a “positive sign”, but
Chopra mentions that the Bollywood affair
dates back to Shah Rukh Khan’s Devdas era.
All said and done, there is also a business
spin to international film fests. “People
think a film festival is just a place to go
and get acclaim. But it also means market
because a lot of films get sold,” Ghaywan
told IANS, and pointed out how the foreign
stamp translates to good promotion.
“Had the film not gone to Cannes at all, I
would have had to spend three or four times
more amount to create buzz,” Ghaywan
added.
What remains a problem is distribution.
Chopra questioned: “How do you distribute
these movies with the budget of Rs.5 crore
or so for marketing when the entire cost of
the film is Rs.6 crore.”
But this year turned out to be a ray of
hope with the release of Masaan, Titli, Gaur
Hari Dastaan and Angry Indian Goddesses.
— IANS
18 GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
HOLLYWOOD
The big leap
Adam McKay moves beyond funny business
in The Big Short. By Nina Metz
W
hen Adam McKay
was in Chicago
recently with his
latest film, The Big
Short, I asked what
it felt like to return to town. McKay
spent the bulk of his 20s here, honing
his comedy chops on the city’s
improv scene before landing a job at
Saturday Night Live in 1995.
“It’s always weird because all
the people you knew aren’t there
anymore,” he said, stretching his legs
at the restaurant booth where we
were sitting.
“The first few times you come
back, you kind of have your hands in
your pockets, and the Welcome Back,
Kotter theme song is playing as you
walk down the street. But now it’s
just, ‘Aaah, it’s Chicago.’ It’s a great
town.”
McKay logged time onstage in
Chicago at both iO Theater and
Second City, but once he joined
SNL, his focus shifted to writing
almost exclusively, as well as
directing the show’s digital shorts.
His career since has followed a
similar trajectory, as the writerdirector of movies such as
Anchorman and Talladega Nights,
which are big, doofy comedies
peppered with jokes within jokes.
The Big Short is a departure from
that. Adapted from Michael Lewis’
nonfiction chronicle of the 2008
financial meltdown, the film’s
subject is anything but funny. And
yet.
Part absurdist caper, part true-life
horror show, the movie generates
laughs as it hitches a careening
ride with a small clutch of men —
seasoned Wall Streeters and a couple
of rogue players among them — who
saw the housing market crisis coming
and found a way to profit from it,
queasy-making as the prospect
eventually became.
McKay picked up the Lewis book
initially after hearing about it on This
American Life: “I thought, Ira Glass
is no dope — I’ll read that. And by the
end, I was like, ‘This is a movie. This
is an amazing movie.’ But of course,
I’m a comedy guy; no one’s going to
let me do it. So I kind of let it go for
a couple of years. And then, lo and
behold, my agent asked me, ‘If you
could do anything, what would you
do?’ And I said The Big Short before I
even thought about it.”
Here’s something I didn’t expect:
The movie has a lot in common with
Spotlight. Both centre on recent
events no one wants to revisit (the
housing bubble and paedophile
priests respectively), and both are
entirely watchable because they are,
at their core, procedurals — movies
that track a few key players as they
piece together clues, finding an
underground bunker’s worth of
shady business right under their
noses.
Here’s McKay: “With the
(Catholic) Church, giant coverups
were going on all over the place. But
with this housing bubble, no one
was covering it up. All the math was
right in front of you the whole time,
so it’s a cultural critique as well:
Why are these people seeing it, but
no one else is? That fascinates me to
no end.”
Before we left, I asked McKay what
kind of things have been keeping him
up at night.
“I am a maniac about climate
change, I can’t stop talking about it.
I’m going crazy right now that this
climate change conference is maybe
the biggest event in human history,
and everybody’s like, ‘Yeah, oh that
thing?’ If we don’t make any changes,
in the long term we’re going to pay
a thousand times more money, and
we’re gonna die. My wife is so bored
with me talking about it. That’s what
keeps me up at night.”
I wondered if McKay could
see himself giving The Big Short
treatment to a movie about climate
change.
“You know, we (McKay and his
company, Gary Sanchez Productions)
have talked about, maybe, these
comedies becoming more overtly
political. I think when we started
doing them, they always had a
political message hidden within
them.” (See: Talladega Nights and its
satire of American exceptionalism,
and the cinematic noogie to male
chauvinism that is Anchorman.)
“But we were being a little sly
with what we were doing with those
movies. Whereas, now I just feel
like things are so out of control,
the time for being sly and clever is
over with. I don’t think you can do a
didactic climate change movie; it’s
just not going to work. It should be
entertaining. So, yes. I have an idea
I’m kicking around for a climate
change movie that’s gut-driven and,
hopefully, a film that is — well, I’m
not sure I would call it enjoyable, but
watchable is a great way of putting
it.” — Chicago Tribune/TNS
DIRECTOR’S CUT: Adam McKay attends a premiere at Beacon Theatre in New York City.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
HOLLYWOOD
Eva Longoria takes
a tour of golden
triangle in India
“I
’m in heaven,”
Hollywood actress
Eva Longoria
has exclaimed in
reference to her India
trip! Right from relishing Indian
cuisines, exploring the wildlife
of India to falling in love with
the historical side of the nation,
the Desperate Housewives star is
smitten by the country’s culture
and beauty.
Longoria, who was in India to
celebrate her recent engagement to
television professional Jose Antonio
Baston, started her trip with Delhi,
went to Agra and then to Rajasthan,
where she visited Ranthambore
and Jaipur — thereby, completing
the golden triangle of the country’s
tourism map.
In Jaipur, the actress enjoyed the
flavours of south India by savouring
idli, dosa and uttapam. “I can’t
stop eating! #IndianBreakfast,” she
tweeted with an image.
During her sojourn in the Pink
City — a frequented spot for foreign
visitors — Longoria explored
the Hawa Mahal. She called it
“beautiful”.
Well, it’s not only the food and
ancient buildings that caught
Longoria’s fancy. She also found a
friend in an Indian elephant, and
also had goosebumps after seeing
an Indian tiger at the Ranthambore
National Park.
“My new friend! #India
#Elephants. I want to take him
home with me! #India #Reserve,”
she tweeted.
In another post she shared:
Rapper Tyga’s cheating scandal
has only made his tumultuous
relationship with reality TV star Kylie
Jenner even more volatile.
Taylor Swift visits
fan battling cancer
Less than a week ahead of
Christmas, singer Taylor Swift has
decided to spread holiday cheer by
meeting a fan battling with cancer.
While travelling home for the
holidays, Swift made it a priority
to surprise her fan Delaney
Clements. “Literally speechless
right now! My new best friend (as
I call her now ) made a special stop
from going home to Tennessee
and surprised me and gave me the
best present/hug ever!” Clements
wrote on Instagram while posing
for a photograph with Swift,
reports eonline.com.
“Thank you! I love you! Happy
holidays!” she added.
“Merry Christmas Baby @
delaneyy.bugg,” Swift wrote.
Ever since she was diagnosed
with neuroblastoma in 2010,
Clements has developed quite
the following on social media.
In fact, thousands shared
#DelaneyMeetTaylor on Twitter
to grab the Grammy winner’s
attention.
Unfortunately, Clements’s
mother Wendy Campbell
delivered a somber update
earlier this month where she told
followers that hospice care was
imminent.
“We are so blessed to be
surrounded with so many
wonderful people who love and
care for us and forever grateful for
all the support we have received
over the past five years,” she
shared on Facebook.
“Our goal now is to keep
Delaney as comfortable as possible
and keep her spirits uplifted as she
travels on a journey we fought so
hard to avoid.” — IANS
Kate Moss launches
interior design career
PASSAGE TO INDIA: Eva Longoria
“Yep. That’s a tiger. Right in
front of us just chillin’ #India
#RanthambhoreTigerReserve.”
In the photographs, Longoria
can be seen sans make-up, and
she seems well covered in a black
jacket, grey tracksuit bottoms and
black buckled ankle boots to beat
the winter chill.
In a string of tweets,
she shared: “I found more
‘Mother’s Recipe’ tea! I love it!
#TasteLikeAHottyToddy #India
#FightingTheCold”; and in another
message, she wrote: “Bonfire in
India with my California Cabernet!
I’m in heaven!.
The couple is celebrating their
ON THE ROCKS: Tyga, left, and Kylie Jenner
Tyga gets mushy over
rocky bond with Kylie
GULF TIMES 19
The Hookah hitmaker broke down
in tears because of his uncertainty
over whether they’ll make it for the
long haul, reports radaronline.com.
As previously reported, this week’s
OK magazine exposed Tyga’s flirty
texts to an underage girl and now
union, so how can they not go to
the symbol of love — Taj Mahal.
The duo also visited the iconic
monument of love in Agra and
posed for some mushy images
earlier this week.
Longoria, who got engaged last
week in Dubai, announced her
arrival in India via Twitter.
She even posted images from her
visit to Harmony House India, an
NGO which takes care of the basic
needs of under-privileged children,
and wrote: “Thank you Harmony
House for letting us visit! You’re
doing amazing things.” According
to reports, Longoria will be in India
till Christmas. — IANS
an insider has revealed that their
relationship is hanging by a thread.
“He broke down in tears and
begged Kylie to tell him the truth
about where they stand ... because he
has no idea,” the source said.
“In the space of a week she’s
dumped him, got back with him, told
the world they’re getting married and
then decided to ‘cool things off’ and
threw him out of her house,” added
the source.
The insider also claimed that the
26-year-old is “really, really scared”
because the Keeping Up with the
Kardashians star funds him and he
“needs the cash bad”.
“Some of his friends, including
Blac Chyna, are convinced he’s being
toyed with for storylines on the show.
He’s in a whole world of paranoia
right now, especially after hearing
that her mom wants him out and has
been showing her pictures of other
guys to date,” the insider added. —
IANS
Supermodel Kate Moss is
launching her career in interior
design. The 41-year-old — who has
a 13-year-old daughter, Lila, with
ex-boyfriend Jefferson Hack — has
been looking for new challenges
and has now registered her new
venture with Companies House,
reports femalefirst.co.uk.
“Kate is always looking for new
projects away from modelling. She
loved doing her fashion line and
is really getting into acting after
filming for the Absolutely Fabulous
movie,” a source
said.
“But to start an interior design
company shows she’s serious. She
loves it and puts a lot of time, effort,
thought and money into design,”
she added. Moss will be advised by
her good friend Katie Grove, who
already runs her own company,
Grove Interiors, according to The
Sun newspaper. Meanwhile, the
British beauty has been thinking
about some simpler resolutions
for 2016. When asked about her
resolutions for the New Year, she
said: “Peace and love.” — IANS
NEW VISTAS: Kate Moss
Cara uses water guns to
keep paparazzi at bay
MODEL TECHNIQUE? Cara
Delevingne
Model-turned-actress Cara
Delevingne decided to use an
innovative way to keep paparazzi at
bay — water guns!
She came up with the idea after
a photographer attempted to take
inappropriate images of her.
“Some disgusting so-called
‘human’ with a camera tried to take
a picture up my skirt. Welcome
home. Any suggestions? Eggs,”
the 23-year-old had posted on her
Twitter page after the incident.
And then, after just a few days,
Delevingne seized the opportunity
and headed out with a friend, with
water pistols to attack anyone who
was trying to invade their privacy.
Announcing her victory, Delevingne
shared an image of her attack with
her followers on photo-sharing
website, Instagram, captioning it as :
“Pay back”. — IANS
20 GULF TIMES Tuesday, December 22, 2015
COMMUNITY
DFI announces grants for
eclectic cinematic talent
Apart from projects in the Middle East and Mena region, for the first time, filmmakers
from Chile, Peru and Spain will receive funding from the programme. By Anand Holla
MIXED BAG: A still from Searching for Janitou.
I
n Iraqi filmmaker Mohanad
Hayal’s Death Street, Tariq,
the sniper of Haifa Street in
Baghdad, kills Ahmed on his
wedding day. While Tariq
prevents anyone from approaching
the corpse in the street, an intimate
and telling drama unfolds.
Saudi Arabia’s Haifaa alMansour’s animation film titled
Miss Camel follows the story
of a teenaged Saudi camel that
challenges the deep-rooted
restrictions of her culture by
travelling across the kingdom to
compete in the Miss Camel beauty
pageant in Doha.
Algerian filmmaker Mohamed El
Amine Hattou’s Searching for Janitou
takes a wistful journey to unravel love
in past and contemporary Algeria by
exploring the unique phenomenon
of a Bollywood film that swept the
country in the 1980s.
These are just three of the
interesting premises among the
30 promising projects from 19
countries – comprising 16 featurelength narrative films, 10 feature
documentaries and four short films
– which will receive funding for
development, production or postproduction.
On Monday, the Doha Film
Institute (DFI) announced recipients
of the Fall 2015 session of its grants
programme following the Dubai
International Film Festival, where 15
of the Institute’s previous grantees,
four of which are world premieres,
were showcased. The Fall 2015
session marks the eleventh session
of the grants programme, which
is dedicated to supporting new
cinematic talent, with a focus on
first- and second-time filmmakers.
Twenty-four of the projects are
from the Middle East and North
Africa (Mena) region, while six are
from the rest of the world. For the
first time, filmmakers from Chile,
Peru and Spain will receive funding
from the programme.
The DFI said, “Stories of
displacement, physical or spiritual
journeys, tales of family life, the
power of nature and the importance
of protecting the environment are
highlighted in the selections this
Fall.”
Four projects from Qatar-based
filmmakers were awarded grants –
Hafiz Ali Abdullah’s The Search for
the Star Pearl, about a young pearl
diver from Doha who discovers a map
to the most valuable gem on Earth,
and sets sail with three teenaged
friends in search of it; Hamida alKawari’s To the Ends of the Earth –
the first Qatari feature documentary
to receive a grant from the Institute
– which follows a Qatari woman
on an environmental expedition
to Antarctica in search of hope; A J
al-Thani’s Kashta, a family drama
about a father who takes his sons out
into the desert to teach them about
hunting and survival; and Hend
Fakhroo’s The Waiting Room, about
an Arab and a Western family who
find themselves sharing a hospital
room.
Among the 30 projects selected
for funding, five are from Morocco –
Fyzal Boulifa’s Pagan Magic, the story
of a poor youngster working as a maid
for a middle-class family; secondtime grantee Uda Benyamina’s
Bastard, about a 15-year-old girl
who lives with her mother in a rough
Parisian suburb; Yakout Elhababi’s
Behind the Doors, which looks at
family life and childhood set high
in the Rif mountains of Morocco;
Hind Bensari’s Weight Throwers, a
documentary look at the struggles of
two young athletes as they train for
the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio
de Janeiro; and Behind The Wall, by
Karima Zoubir, a short film set in a
Casablanca slum.
To enhance the mix, there are
three animation projects – noted
filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour’s
Miss Camel; Hafiz Ali Abdullah’s
The Search for the Star Pearl; and
Mortada Gzar’s Language, about a
blind man on the streets of Baghdad
who wakes up as a giant and reads the
devastation of the city by touch.
Argentina once again emerges
with a couple of fascinating projects.
Milagros Mumenthaler’s Swiss/
A still from When Two Worlds Collide.
Argentinian film The Idea of a
Lake is about a photographer who
undergoes a personal exploration
of her past and the absence of her
father while creating a book of her
work, while Maximiliano Schonfeld’s
The Black Frost is a drama set on
a plantation where a pernicious
black frost threatens to devastate
the countryside until a mysterious
woman arrives.
Extending the environmental
theme, Heidi Brandenburg and
Mathew Orzel’s When Two Worlds
Collide is the story of an indigenous
Peruvian man and his people, and of
the fate of one of our planet’s most
valuable natural resources – the
Amazon rainforest.
Fatma al-Remaihi, CEO of the
DFI, said: “Our Fall grantees cover
a broad range of subjects and
represent some powerful new voices
in cinema, especially from Qatar and
North Africa with several projects
supported from Morocco and Algeria.
Animated films are very popular in
our region so it is very encouraging
to see an acclaimed filmmaker like
Haifaa al-Mansour turn her skills to
this important genre.”
Al-Remaihi further added, “We
have supported more than 255 films
since the inception of the grants
programme and we continue to seek
out projects with a strong directorial
vision that are challenging, creative
and thought-provoking.”
Submissions for the next funding
round open January 6 and close
January 19, 2016. Funding is available
to projects by filmmakers from
around the world, with an emphasis
on support for filmmakers from the
Mena region. Certain categories
of funding are reserved for Mena
and Qatari filmmakers. The fund is
primarily for first- and second-time
filmmakers.