15 of the UAE's Aspiring Filmmakers will screen at DIFF 2014 and compete to showcase at Cannes

Samsung and DIFF announce shortlist for the Samsung SHRT FLM CNTST 

Dubai, United Arab Emirates--November 8, 2014- Fifteen of the UAE's budding filmmakers are moving on to the final stage of the Samsung Short Film Contest. Launched on September 7th in cooperation with the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), the contest received an impressive 300 submissions, of which only the following contestants were chosen: Faisal Hashmi, Patrick Fronda, Nonidh Yadav, Philip Jamal, Aamna Jahan, Vikram Ahuja, Vasilis Blioumis, Arkus Arkus, Juleus Dmello, Kamil Roxas, Kristina Kleymenova, Amal Ahmed,Armen Grayg, Beso Tarazashuili and Anil Kumar. 

The shortlist was decided by a panel of judges consisting of representatives from DIFF, New York Film Academy and Emirati film director Nayla Al Khaja. The same panel will select the winning filmmaker, awarding him or her chance to appear at the Short Film Corner at the 68th Cannes Film Festival. 

Nayla Al Khaja has mentored the finalists since they were selected, guiding and supporting each one as they craft a short film to screen during the December festival. Samsung has also provided each of the shortlisted participants with the Galaxy Note 4 to shoot their short films.

“The number of entries we received for the Samsung Short Film Contest is a testament to the creative talent that exists in the UAE,” said Mr. Marco Vocale, Head of Corporate Marketing, Samsung Gulf Electronics. “The past few years have been exciting for the UAE film industry, with local filmmakers making an impact on the international stage. Alongside our partners at DIFF, we are delighted to be able to provide a platform to help launch up and coming filmmakers and equip them with best-in-class technology throughout the process. We would like to wish all those participating the best of luck.”

Shivani Pandya, Managing Director of the Dubai International Film Festival added, “We are excited to select the shortlisted entries with our fellow judges. This is a fantastic opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their work on both a regional and international level, and, along with Samsung, we are delighted to help provide our support and expertise in the industry to launch careers in film.”

The Samsung Short Film Contest is designed to help talented youth in the UAE to realize their passions and dreams in filmmaking. By equipping shortlisted participants with Samsung's technology and providing expert guidance on creating short films, Samsung hopes to open up a world of possibilities and discoveries. 

For further information on the contest, visit the official contest page on the Dubai Film Festival website: http://diff.ae/ samsung-contest.