Sarah Abu Abdallah, Abraaj Group Art Prize Exhibition, 2017, Courtesy of Photo Solutions

Exploring the intersection between art and film, Moving Images aims to increase access to, and the understanding of, artists’ films; support artists and filmmakers from the Arab world through new opportunities; and debate existing and future models for funding and distribution through the UAE and beyond. The programme marks the first such initiative in the Arab world. More information about Moving Images is available here.

December 2017: “Short Cuts: From Theatre to Art Gallery” explored the challenges and possibilities of working with short formats and the creative process behind video art at the 2017 Dubai International Film Festival. Artist, Sarah Abu Abdallah, was in conversation with Filmmaker, Yassmina Karajah, about how today’s exhibition space for moving image work extends far beyond the theatre to art galleries, urban rooftops and even building facades. The discussion touched on models of funding and distribution as well as ways the language of the medium changes from one setting to the next.

March 2017: A tribute to Abbas Kiarostami. A selection of films by and about Abbas Kiarostami were shown at Art Dubai in March as well as the Sharjah Art Foundation as part of Sharjah Biennial 13’.

• Seifollah Samadian, 76 Minutes and 15 Seconds, 2016, 76 mis 15 secs. Courtesy of Seifollah Samadian, Mohammed Atebbai and Iranian Independents, with special thanks to the Kiarostami Foundation and Meem Gallery.
• Abbas Kiarostami, Take Me Home, 2016, 15 mins. Courtesy of the Kiarostami Foundation and Iranian Independents, with special thanks to Meem Gallery.