helmed documentary on an Emirati adventurer was among the first films announced as part of a Gulf-wide student competition. Saudi independent filmmaker Tareq Al Dakheelallah's documentary “Snapshot: A Trekking Man” chronicles a day in the miles-long trek of the 25-year-old Jalal Bin Thaneya, who set out to raise money for the Dubai Center for Special Needs. Bin Thaneya went on a 2,000 km journey on foot from Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, UAE, to Makkah for more than 51 days. Al Dakheelallah documented spending a day with Bin Thaneya to learn about what motivated him to embark on this journey and why he is still on the go. According to Bin Thaneya, his journey aimed to bring society closer to and show solidarity with the special needs community, educate the public about humanitarian work and its value to society, and create experiences that highlight the plight of individuals struggling to integrate into society. He also wanted to bridge the gap between people using humanitarian means and raising awareness through physical activities and sacrifice. The documentary will make its world premiere at the 5th Gulf Film Festival, which hosts controversial, innovative and modern cinema from the Arabian Peninsula. The festival, which saw an increase in non-competitive material this year, will be held from April 10-16 under the patronage of Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (DCAA). The festival entries fall under the fiction and non-fiction genres in the form of short films. It has multiple non-competitive segments including a children's cinema showcase, master classes, nightly industry discussions and other special events. Masoud Amralla Al Ali, the festival director, considers the student competition of the Gulf Film Festival to be one of the most popular aspects of the festival, highlighting young people's concern about the world they are living in. “The clarity and purity of their vision and their creativity is worth seeing,” he said. The Gulf Student Competition competition features many talents from within the region, including student filmmakers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Yemen and Iraq. Emirates Airlines is the festival's official carrier, supported by the DCAA and held in association with Dubai Studio City. Winners will receive more than half a million dirhams in prize money. — SG __
