Dubai, UAE – Women in Film and TV (WIFT) took the spotlight today at the 6th Edition of META Cinema Forum, the largest and most influential cinema convention in emerging markets at the prestigious Grand Hyatt in Dubai.
The day started with female panelists in a round table discussion on the business side of the film industry titled ‘Beyond the Glitz’. Panelists include Nancy Paton, Founder, Desert Rose Films and President of WIFTGCC, Charlotte Louise Sutcliffe, Entertainment Lawyer, Associate at CWB and Head of Events at WIFTGCC, Ozge Conduroglu, Acquisition & Distribution Lead, The Plot Pictures MENA and Ashleigh Potts, Marketing Director, Studio Distribution, Majid Al Futtaim LLC.
The ‘My Story My Voice’ panel with rising Female Emirati Filmmakers featured Emirati filmmakers Zainab Shaheen, Maitha Al Awadi, Eman Al Sayed and Sarraa Al Shehhi as panelists sharing their experiences.
This was followed by the WIFT MENA AWARDS sponsored by Rotana that celebrated the achievements of Women in Cinema after which, Nayla Al Khaja, Emirati Film Director talked about her journey and unveiling her new feature film.
During her speech, Nayla Al Khaja expressed her gratefulness for the unwavering support she received on her journey as a pioneer filmmaker. “It’s the encouragement and belief from those around me that have fueled my passion and determination to break barriers and tell stories that matter. Today’s award is not just a recognition of my work; it is a testament to the strength of our collective vision for more diverse voices to shine in the world of film and television.”
The afternoon saw Charlotte Jones, Senior Principal Analyst: Cinema & Movies at OMDIA do a presentation on MENA Cinema in the global theatrical landscape highlighting key trends and opportunities in 2023 and beyond. Tanya Easterman, Founder, Daiku UK also did a case study presentation on learning from proven pricing and promotional strategies to increase audience.
Over the years, META Cinema Forum has evolved into a pivotal gathering for cinema industry leaders, expanding its reach to encompass more regions, projects, and partnerships. It stands as the premier platform for the exchange of ideas, strategies, and innovations that are shaping the cinema sector in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the CIS region.
The Forum’s program was extensive, featuring a tradeshow, conference sessions, product presentations, special screenings, premieres, workshops, masterclasses, a Black-tie awards ceremony, networking reception, meetings areas, and content and cinema construction breakout sessions.
The theme for the 2023 edition “Growing the region’s cinema share,” reflected a commitment to foster growth and innovation in the industry. Topics covered included Regional Content Production and International Collaboration, Cinemas of the Future, and an in-depth look at emerging cinema trends and technologies with key cinema statistics and case studies on Rewarding Patrons and Effective Pricing Strategies.
Organized by GM Events, the META Cinema Forum was a two-day immersion in priceless knowledge, networking prospects, and a sneak peek into the future of cinema.
INFORMATION – META Cinema Forum
Now in its 6th edition,theMETA Cinema Forum is the largest cinema convention, covering the emerging markets. The event has grown over the years to include more regions, more projects, more partners and has become the single most important regional gathering for the cinema sector. The 6th edition will bring in a diverse set of cinema stakeholders from across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and CIS region with studios and solution providers from across the globe. The convention will also host several post-event receptions and parties that will allow for fun-filled casual networking for all stakeholders.
Below are the recipients of the prestigious WIFT MENA Awards:
| WIFTMENA Film & TV Business Owner of the Year Award | Nahalie Habib |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Film and TV Communications Award | Ashliegh Potts |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Film and TV Mentorship Award | Abir Alsayed |
| WIFTMENA Excellence Film and TV Leadership Award | Malgorzata Golda |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Entertainment Law Award | Charlotte Sutcliffe |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in TV Presenting Award | Haya Yasmeen |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Factual Reporting Award | Najwan Simri Diab |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Production Designer | Pranali Diwadkar |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Art Direction Award | Yulia Verigina |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Costume Design Award | Shrouk Hodroj |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in MakeUp Award | Samantha Ayoub |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Editing Award | Eugenia Vichikova |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Special Effects Award | Diana Lombardic |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Animation Award | Lama Marakshi |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Sound Design Award | Rana Eid |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Screenwriter Award | Sarra Alshehhi |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Music Supervision | Yvette Ndobe |
| WIFTMENA Rising Star in Directing Award | Zeinab Shaheen |
| WIFTMENA Excellence in Producing Award | Nadia Eliewat |
| WIFTMENA Excellency in Cinema Honorary Award | Nayla Al Khaja |
