As the official representatives of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Motivate and Motivate Val Morgan are delighted to announce that seven leading creatives from the UAE have been selected as jury members for this year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
The seven leading creatives who will represent the UAE in the Awards and Shortlist jury panel under Entertainment, Design, Health & Wellness, PR, Media, Brand Experience & Activation and Direct categories include:
Awards Jury
Entertainment:
Walid Kanaan
Chief Creative Officer MENA
TBWA\RAAD
With more than 20 years of advertising experience across the Middle East and North Africa, Walid has worked on hundreds of multinational and regional brands. During his recent time as the creative leader at TBWA\RAAD, he has managed to create landmark talk-of-the-region campaigns that generated tremendous impact, including Nissan’s Camelpower, produced in conjunction with National Geographic Abu Dhabi, and the Nissan ‘She Drives’ and Louvre Abu Dhabi projects, among others.
His achievements also include esteemed international award shows such as the Cannes Lions, Clio, One Show, D&AD, Webby, Epica, New York Festivals and the London International Awards as well as Grand Prix at the Dubai Lynx, the Loeries, and many “Agency of the Year” titles.
After receiving the IAA Award for Best Advertising Diploma in Beirut, he began his professional journey with Publicis Beirut in 1992, and after four rewarding years, he joined Impact BBDO Beirut in 1997 as Creative Director.
For more than 18 years, Walid worked within the Impact BBDO network, covering numerous key MENA markets including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE, before moving back to Beirut in 2010 where he was promoted to Chief Creative Officer Levant & KSA.
In September 2015, Walid joined TBWA\RAAD as Chief Creative Officer Mena, propelling the network to win top ranks in regional award shows, culminating in TBWA\RAAD being named Agency of the Year at Dubai Lynx in 2018. He is based in Beirut and Dubai.
Design:
Ali Rez
Regional Creative Director – Middle East & Pakistan
BBDO Worldwide
Ranked amongst the top 15 creative directors and top 10 art directors in the world by the Advertising Big Won report – Ali Rez is one of the most awarded creative directors in the Middle East and South Asian region. He has won more than 150 advertising awards in his career which include Cannes Gold Lions, D&AD pencils, Gold Clios, Effies, One Show, LIA, Dubai Lynx and Asian AdStars, amongst many others.
Ali’s creative experience – shaped in the USA at Y&R and Goodby Silverstein Collaboratory, followed by a move to the Middle East – has contributed to BBDO being named Network of the Year at Cannes Lions, Effies, Dubai Lynx and AdStars, while his work led BBDO Pakistan to be named Agency of the Year by Campaign magazine in 2015 and 2016. In the UAE, Ali was part of the team that saw FP7 DXB crowned the most effective agency in the world by the Effies. Ali’s campaigns brought home the first Gold Cannes Lions, Gold Clios and D&AD pencils for Pakistan, and led the agency to Grand Prix wins at Dubai Lynx, Cristals, and AdStars.
His work has been celebrated beyond advertising shows and has been displayed in museums around the world – including the Tate UK and discussed in parliament leading to legislative change. Ali is also a recipient of a peace award by the United Nations and has been selected as a member of the jury at Clios, Effies, Spikes, Andy Awards and AdStars. Ali has spoken at TedX and several prestigious universities, including being invited to lecture on political art at the University of Oxford, London School of Economics and on advertising at Dubai Lynx.
Health & Wellness:
Alok Gadkar
General Manager & Executive Creative Director
The Classic Partnership
Graduated from the prestigious JJ School of Art and holder of a BFA Degree specializing in photography, Alok has close to 20 years of experience in the advertising industry. He has gone through the ranks of the industry and seen action with successful stints at Mudra Communications (DDB), Enterprise Nexus, Lowe Mena, Leo Burnett and currently, The Classic Partnership in Dubai.
Through the years, Alok has hauled an impressive collection of metals in Gold, Silver, Bronze and Grand Prix from the Cannes Lions, D&AD, D&AD Impact, One Show, Clio, The Global Awards, Dubai Lynx, Mena Cristal, Abby and AAAi Awards. A defined all-rounder; Alok has spearheaded work for local fashion brands, Splash and Iconic; for healthcare leaders, Aster and Medcare; and for shakers, Times of India and Economic Times.
A strong believer that the future of communication is integration and horizontality is the new vertical, Alok has sat on the Grand Jury panel of New York Festivals, Global Awards and KYIV Festival and has been a guest speaker at Dubai Lynx and MENA Cristal.
Shortlist Jury
PR:
Alex Malouf
Corporate Communications Manager for the Arabian Peninsula
Procter & Gamble
The first ever recipient of the Holmes Report Innovator Award in the Middle East, Alex Malouf has carved out a niche as a lively voice in the Middle East’s burgeoning media scene, combining razor-sharp observations with a keen understanding of the forces that underpin the region’s digital transformation. Much of which, no doubt, is informed by Alex’s day job at Procter & Gamble, where he manages reputational affairs for the Middle East’s largest FMCG.
Alex’s is also a highly visible advocate for modern public relations, serving in senior roles on numerous industry organizations, including the Middle East Public Relations Association, the International Association of Business Communicators and the Global Alliance. Malouf is also considered the first Gulf-based communicator who holds a Chartered Practitioner certification from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and an IABC Communications Management Professional.
Alex has previously served on a number of juries, including for the MEPRA Awards, the IABC Gold Quill Awards, the Global Alliance Comm Prix Awards, the Holmes Report Sabres, and the MENA Effie Awards.
Media:
Ravi Rao
CEO MENA Region
Mindshare
A management graduate with a career of 25+ years in advertising & media for Unilever, PepsiCo, P&G, Henkel, Mars, Wrigley, FedEx, Dubai Holding, Ravi Rao comes back for a second stint in the MENA region. Rao has a reputable track record in marketing, account management and media. He was earlier with Mindshare India managing South Asia and is now the CEO for Mindshare MENA.
He loves to paint, yearns to be an archaeologist in the far future, but continues to be fascinated with developments in new media.
Rao has been part of the jury for the prestigious honors below:
Brand Experience & Activation:
Juliana Paracencio
Regional Creative Director
Memac Ogilvy Dubai
Juliana is currently a Regional Creative Director at Memac Ogilvy and Mather in the Middle East and North Africa region, and is leading 15 offices from her hub in Dubai, working for clients such as IKEA, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Arab Bank, Burger King, GSK, Pfizer and many others.
At Ogilvy, she got to grips with an important piece of business in a challenging market in a remarkably short space of time. Her work for the business won 3 Golds, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze at the Cannes Lions, 5 Pencil at D&AD, leading it to be considered the ‘The 5th Most-Awarded Print/OOH campaign in the world by Gunn Report 2016’. This work also led to Ogilvy Jeddah and IKEA Saudi Arabia winning its first awards, and Ogilvy to win Cannes Lions Network of the Year. The campaign stood out especially for its Craft in Design, which led Juliana to be considered as one of the most-awarded art directors in 2016. In 2017, it wasn’t different. Juliana led Ogilvy Jeddah and IKEA Saudi Arabia to win at Cannes for the second time in a row. In the same year, she was recognized as Top 3 Best Art Directors by Lürzer’s Archive.
In São Paulo, she had the chance to learn from remarkable Brazilian art directors, that made and still make history in Cannes. It was an iconic start, of an award-winning art director’s career in 3 countries (Brazil, Germany and United Arab Emirates), 1 independent agency and 3 networks (Jung von Matt, Leo Burnett, Y&R, and Ogilvy).
Direct:
Kapil Bhimekar
Associate Creative Director
Y&R Dubai
Kapil has been in advertising for over 12 years now. He started in Mumbai, India after graduating in applied arts. He worked with Leo Burnett Mumbai for 3 years before moving to Dubai in 2009. His work has been awarded at shows like D&AD, Cannes Lions, One show, Clio, New York Festivals, LIA, Fab Awards London, Dubai Lynx, Loeries and Adfest Asia Pacific.
In 2015, the American Garden campaign he worked on (Little books of big consequences), was named the 10th Best Design Campaign by the Big Won Rankings. He also won the coveted D&AD Yellow Pencil for the same work. In 2017, he was Ranked No. 3 Art Director by The Loeries Awards.
Kapil has passion for illustration. His unique style has been recognized by world renowned designer Stefan Sagmeister. He has undertaken numerous art projects, leaving his unique black & white imprint across the city of Dubai; a passion he practices on weekends and after office hours.
Please Note: Shortlist jury members will conduct the first round of judging in advance of the festival – from the UAE, and will be invited to attend the Festival with a complimentary pass. Awards Jury members will join the jury committee in Cannes, France and will get complimentary hotel accommodation and registration to the Festival.
Judging at Cannes Lions
Each year, much interest is focused on the winners of Cannes Lions. The global campaigns, agencies, clients, networks and countries that have been successful are given a worldwide platform.
But before there are winners, there’s judging.
Enormous consideration is given to who will judge the work and how. The high calibre of our juries is matched by the high standards that we hold them to and the rigorous processes they undertake.
This is what sets Cannes Lions apart and ensures it continues to be the most respected creative accolade.
How the Judging Works
Judging consists of three rounds involving viewing, voting, discussion and awarding of Lions.
In the first round, judges consider and score each entry on a scale of one to nine based on whether they consider it a shortlist candidate. The second round is a review where judges will consider whether entries on this provisional Shortlist are worthy of being Shortlisted only, a possible winner or a definite winner. Typically about 10% of entries will make it to this stage.
In the final round, guided by the Jury President, judges review and debate entries before voting on whether they consider each a Gold, Silver or Bronze Lion winner, or Shortlist only. It takes a two-thirds majority vote to claim a Lion and only about 3% of entries will do so.
After voting, results are read out and juries confirm the decisions. Candidates for Grand Prix, selected from among Gold Lion winners, are also identified and further discussion follows before a last vote to determine the Grand Prix winner. Entries for public awareness messages, non-profit organisations and charities aren’t eligible in their category, but will be considered for the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Good and Lions Health and United Nations Foundation Grand Prix for Good. As the Film Craft and Innovation awards are judged on the merit of the craft/ technology behind the idea, they are an exception to this rule. All Gold Lion winners from the Film Craft and Innovation Awards are eligible to win the Grand Prix within their own Lion.
This year’s Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will run from 18th – 22nd June 2018
We at Motivate and Motivate Val Morgan warmly congratulate the seven judges who will represent the UAE as awards and shortlist jury members at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, and wish them all the very best with the judging ahead of them.
Source: Cannes Lions
With just two weeks under its belt, Avengers: Infinity War just can’t seem to stop breaking box office records. The 2018 superhero team-up film – directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and based on a script by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely – is undoubtedly one of the biggest Hollywood movies ever to grace the silver screen.
The super mashup shattered a number of records, in its worldwide debut over the first weekend, less than three months after Marvel’s Black Panther began its own historic run.
Let us take a look at the movie’s box office achievements so far:
Avengers: Infinity War earned $258.2 million in its first weekend, surpassing fellow Disney title Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($248 million), to make the biggest domestic opening of all time.
Globally, Avengers: Infinity War has now grossed over $1.2 billion and has become the first film ever to cross the $1 billion mark in 11 days of release, and it has yet to release in China.
Avengers: Infinity War scored the biggest opening of all time in numerous international markets, achieving the highest debut ever in South Korea ($39.2 million), Mexico ($25.1 million), Brazil ($18.8 million), the Philippines ($12.5 million), Thailand ($10 million), Indonesia ($9.6 million) and Malaysia ($8.4 million). In India ($18.6 million), it was the biggest bow for a Western title ever and has already surpassed the entire runs of The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War.
Apart from ranking as the second biggest debut of all time in Australia ($23 million), behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the superhero blockbuster notched the best start for a superhero pic in France ($17.7 million), Germany ($14.7 million) and Spain ($8.3 million). It was the second-best superhero epic showing in Italy ($11 million).
Leading all foreign markets with $42.2 million was the U.K./Ireland, where Avengers: Infinity War now boasts the third-biggest launch of all time, including the biggest Saturday ever.
The movie recorded the biggest three-day opening in the UAE, raking in a gross total of Dh15.4 million at the box office. According to UAE distributor Italia Film, the Marvel superhero adventure recorded 3,900 admissions in its opening weekend (between Thursday to Saturday) and is still running to packed houses.
Avengers: Infinity War is the 19th film in the so-called Marvel Cinematic Universe, combining a whooping nine franchises and a cast list that reads like a who’s who of Hollywood’s A-list.
Still to watch this MEGA superhero blockbuster?
Don’t miss out. Book your tickets now at Motivate Val Morgan serviced cinema operators – VOX Cinemas (UAE, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia), Reel Cinemas (UAE), Roxy Cinemas (UAE), Oscar Cinema (UAE), Cine Royal Cinema (UAE) and Cinemacity (UAE).
Sources: Gulf News (Tabloid), The Hollywood Reporter and TIME
Each year, Motivate and Motivate Val Morgan, the official UAE representatives of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, nominate one student to attend the Roger Hatchuel Academy – which runs under the auspices of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
This year, Lina Ibrahim – a third year student of the American University in Dubai (AUD) who is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts in Visual Communication (majoring in Advertising) has been selected to represent the UAE at the prestigious Roger Hatchuel Academy.
The five-day training course will be held in Cannes, France, from 18th – 22nd June 2018.
This programme is carefully designed to offer students of advertising, communications and other creative disciplines, the head-start they need to secure a role within the competitive creative industry post-graduation.
Students can expect a programme tailored to the current industry landscape, one which combines classroom sessions and a selection of official Festival content.
Academy students get full access to the Cannes Lions Festival, including the five Award Shows and the Young Lions Party. They will also have exclusive access to the Jury rooms – which are closed to all other attendees of the Festival. This is a unique way to navigate the world’s most important discussion of creativity in communications, and an unrivalled opportunity to network with other future Lions-winners.
Creative leaders that have previously lectured at the Academy are – Bob Greenberg, Bob Isherwood, Neil French, David Droga, Jim Stengel, Michael Conrad and Tham Khai Meng, to name a few.
Commenting on being selected, Lina Ibrahim stated, “For the past three years in AUD, I have enjoyed learning, experiencing and achieving any opportunity that has come my way. I have made friends and built connections with people from all over the world. Within these few years, I have accumulated tools and skills that will help me better myself, my understanding and knowledge, my experience and my connection with anyone I may cross paths with. I have learned how to identify problems and create solutions, to think and execute ideas creatively, and to work and share ideas with my peers. Although some challenges were difficult to face, I can proudly say that I have handled those challenges with the up-most pride and positivity. A special thank you to Professor Dina Faour who has constantly been supportive, encouraging and a huge push in the right direction. I am so very thankful for you and all the help and encouragement you have provided for me and other students. Lastly, I am honored, proud and excited to be part of this year’s selected students for the Roger Hatchuel Academy in Cannes. I am more than grateful to be representing the UAE, the MENA region and AUD as a Visual Communication student. I will try my absolute best to make everyone proud. Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity.”
Dina Faour – Academic Coordinator and Associate Professor of Advertising at AUD, said, “Everyone here at AUD is proud and excited for Lina. We are certain that the Roger Hatchuel Academy at Cannes Lions will equip Lina with the creative inspiration, the global insight and the personal incentive that will boost her performance when she comes back to continue her coursework. The advertising industry in this region is definitely booming with young talent, determined to make a difference. We want to thank Motivate Val Morgan for helping such talent sharpen their skills and shine. This is an opportunity that remains unmatched.”
Motivate and Motivate Val Morgan would like to wish Lina Ibrahim the best of luck and we hope her enrollment at the Roger Hatchuel Academy will create a positive impact – in both her professional and personal life.
Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, has lit up for many special events previously, but for a movie? Now, that’s a first!
Avengers: Infinity War will release across cinemas in the UAE on Thursday 26th April 2018, and Burj Khalifa is joining Avengers fans in hype for this highly anticipated and star-studded movie.
“An unprecedented cinematic journey ten years in the making and spanning the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War brings to the screen the ultimate, deadliest showdown of all time,” says Marvel.
The Burj Khalifa will count down to the release of the new film every day at 7:50pm until Thursday 26th April 2018.
Downtown Dubai shared a picture on social media of the Avenger-themed lighting covering Burj Khalifa.
The picture was captioned with the hashtag #InfinityWarWithEmaar, inviting people to use the hashtag and post their pictures for a chance to win tickets to watch the movie.
People are now sharing all kinds of thoughts and feelings about the Avengers’ movie, as well as posts about the Burj Khalifa countdown, expressing their amusement and astonishment.
Here’s what some posted:
“This level of magnificence!!!! Dubai took architect extraordinaire, Adrian Smith’s [Burj Khalifa’s architect] genius to another level… This is why I now love Dubai,” someone commented on the picture.
Kim Lesplingard Marketing Manager in the Middle East & North Africa at the Walt Disney Company posted: “A Guinness World Record Mickey Mouse was one of the highlights in my career, but having a countdown to the biggest movie on the tallest building in the world is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!”
Twitter had its share as well with posts like “OMG how cool is the #InfinityWarWithEmaar in Dubai, cannot wait for this film next weekend!!”
A record-breaking light show
On New Year’s Eve, Burj Khalifa earned itself a new Guinness World Record with its New Year’s Eve laser and light show titled “Light Up 2018”, “the largest laser, light and sound show on a single structure”.
In a video shared by Burj Khalifa’s media team, Bashar Kassab, Technical Services Director of the world’s tallest building, explained the challenges that his team faces when installing and maintaining the structure’s LED exterior.
“We use more than 110 kilometres of rope access, 72 kilometres of cabling and 10,000 connectors to cover a total area of 33,000 square meters,” Kassab says.
So if the Burj Khalifa can host the largest laser light and sound show, promoting a movie is clearly a simple act.
Source: AMEinfo
Reel Cinemas – the dynamic cinema brand under Emaar Entertainment, has teamed up with international superstar chef Guy Fieri to launch the first stand-alone Dine-In Cinema featuring his highly acclaimed American Kitchen concept at Jebel Ali Recreation Club.
Truly unique, Guy Fieri’s Kitchen & Bar and Dine-in Cinema by Reel Cinemas at Jebel Ali Recreation Club features 4 screens with a seating capacity of over 140 seats, and redefines the cinematic experience in the region. Restaurant-prepared meals from Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen will be delivered to the tables of cine-goers, as they unwind and enjoy blockbusters with Dolby Atmos and Barco Flagship Laser projection that assure exceptional audio-visual quality.
The Guy Fieri cuisine will also be available at two other locations of Reel Cinemas in the near future – The Dubai Mall and The Pointe in The Palm Jumeirah.
Combined, the theaters will have 14 dine-in screens, with session tickets covering not just the film but also a sumptuous meal comprising of an appetiser and main course. The Guy Fieri cuisine adds an extra flair of excitement to cinema outings, with the focus being on the food. For a change, none of the Dine-In Cinemas will serve popcorn.
The Guy Fieri menu will reflect his signature style, taking inspiration from his most renowned dishes, such as his signature Mac & Cheese Burger, Trash Can Nachos, New York marbled Cheesecake and more.
Damien Latham, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Entertainment, the operator of Reel Cinemas, said: “Reel Cinemas is setting new benchmarks in providing moviegoers with unprecedented entertainment experiences. We are diversifying our portfolio to surpass the existing cinematic choices, even beyond what is on offer in international markets. The new concept delivers more than just a big screen; comfort, entertainment and a unique F&B offering are at the heart of what we deliver at Reel Cinemas. Guy Fieri represents the latest in strategic partnerships that underlines our commitment to pioneering innovative trends for the cinema industry in the Arab world.”
This is the first partnership in the Middle East by Emmy Award-winning chef, restaurateur, TV personality and New York Times bestselling author, Guy Fieri. With 45 restaurants located across the United States and Mexico, and forthcoming restaurants in South Africa, this marks the next step in Fieri’s international expansion.
“We are bringing the best of my American restaurants to Reel Cinema’s best-in-class theatres, the concepts that we are building are truly a first of their kind venture for both of us. I know how to give guests a real-deal food experience and I know that Reel Cinemas has the expertise to apply it to the theatre space – so it’s a great partnership. We’ve been working hard on this, with my team coming back and forth from the US regularly and we’ll be on site to make sure that these restaurants are impeccable from day-one, giving guests an all-round good time in this first-for-the-region experience – people are going to dig it!” said Guy Fieri, Restaurateur.
Reel Cinemas has already set a new standard for cinema experience in the region with its flagship megaplex at The Dubai Mall having re-launched following a dramatic transformation. The all-new cinema reflects the forward-thinking nature of Reel Cinemas, redefining the customer journey as the first cinema to have a digitally focused pre-cinema experience, as well as Dolby Atmos and Barco Laser projection in every theatre for a truly immersive experience.
For more information, visit www.reelcinemas.ae. Motivate Val Morgan is the official cinema advertising partner of Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall and Jebel Ali Recreation Club. Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities at Reel Cinemas.
Source: Reel Cinemas
Motivate and Motivate Val Morgan – the official UAE representative of Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, hosted the 16th UAE Young Lions Digital Competition on 21st April 2018 at Motivate Offices in Dubai Media City. The Judging and Awards Ceremony took place on 23rd April 2018 at In5 Media Innovation Centre in Dubai Production City.
A jury panel comprising Executive Creative Directors and Creative Directors from Dubai’s leading advertising agencies selected Sumer Kotwal (Art Director) and Gaurav Maitreya (Copywriter) – who entered as a freelance team, as the Gold winners of this year’s competition. The wining team was selected from 17 participating teams, and will be flown on an all-expense paid trip to Cannes to represent the UAE at the International Young Lions Digital Competition, which will be held in June 2018.
Maram Ashour (Art Director) and Rohit Venkatesh (Copywriter) from Ogilvy One came in second to win Silver, while Felipe Menezes (Art Director) and Waleed Bachnak (Copywriter) who entered a freelance team bagged Bronze.
Other participating agencies at this year’s competition included: FP7, JWT, Saatchi and Saatchi Dubai, Impact BBDO, Serviceplan Middle East, Momentum MENA, Socialize, TBWA, Science & Sunshine, Memac Ogilvy and DDB.
SNIFF – a rescue group for abandoned dogs and cats that actively promotes fostering and adoption of mixed breed animals in the UAE, was this year’s partner not-for-profit organization.
This year’s UAE Young Lions Digital Competition was held in association with our long-standing partner, Dubai Media City, and was supported by Getty Images and Xerox Emirates.
Ian Fairservice, Managing Partner, Motivate Group said: “The fantastic work produced by these young creatives continues to impress me every year. This is our 16th year hosting this competition and I can confidently say that the strength of the region’s talent continues to grow at an extremely fast pace. That’s why we are pleased to be able to give them the opportunity to represent the UAE in Cannes. I wish Sumer Kotwal and Gaurav Maitreya the best of luck, and I’m sure they will be great ambassadors for creativity in our region. ”
Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Media City said: “The Young Lions Competition is a globally renowned platform for digital enthusiasts, bringing the youth together to present their creativity. We are proud to once again partner with the UAE Young Lions and Motivate and act as a platform for local talent to be recognised internationally at the Cannes Festival. At Dubai Media City, we have always focused on creating opportunities for our community to be creatively active in Dubai and beyond, with the support of in5 media as well. We would like to thank all the participants for their positive energy, passion and commitment, and our heartiest congratulations to all the winners.”
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is the world’s biggest celebration of creativity in communications. It offers five days of award ceremonies, seminars, workshops, master classes, exhibitions, screenings and networking. The 65th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity will run from 18th to 22nd June 2018 in Cannes, France.
Congratulations to the winners and a job well done to all 17 teams that participated in this year’s competition.
We look forward to receiving many more registrations next year round.
Middle East Film & Comic Con, commonly referred to as MEFCC, is a speculative fiction convention held annually in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in the month of April. The first edition was held in 2012, and ever since MEFCC has grown to become the one-stop-shop and the largest pop culture festival in the region!
Initially featuring comic books, science fiction/fantasy and film/television, MEFCC has now become a regional pop-culture centerpiece that curates almost all forms of popular arts and pop culture elements, including horror, animation, anime, manga, toys, collectible card games, video games, web comics, and fantasy novels. It also focuses on regionally created content such as Xero Error, Freej, FOBcity, Gold Ring, The Sons of Two Suns, etc.
Over its 6-year history, MEFCC has hosted some of the biggest celebrities in the world of pop-culture, including Jason Momoa, John Rhys-Davies, Gillian Anderson, William Shatner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Anthony Mackie and Liam Cunningham.
The 2018 edition of MEFCC took place from the 5th – 7th April 2018 at Dubai World Trade Center. This edition featured guests such as Ezra Miller (who played the speedster Flash in the 2017 superhero blockbuster Justice League), Kristian Nairn (who played Hodor in Game of Thrones) and Karl Urban (who has acted as Dredd and Skurge in Thor: Ragnarok). Cosplayer Alodia Gosiengfiao and voice-over trio Robbie Daymond, Ray Chase and Max Mittleman joined the panel as well, along with Jason David Frank (better known as the Green Power Ranger).
Image Credit: Clint Egbert/Gulf News
The panel discussed various topics including actors’, upcoming projects, what it’s like to keep secrets offset, empowerment and how CGI has come a long way.
When asked about whether his upcoming solo film The Flash (expected to release in 2020) would be adapted from the comic books, Miller remained coy. “It probably won’t be panel for panel,” he said.
For Nairn, who plays Hodor on Game of Thrones, acting against inanimate objects is all in a day’s work. According to him, Game of Thrones’ direwolves were initially portrayed by actual dogs, but in later seasons, were switched out for tennis balls on sticks or “a producer inside of a green sack, like an amoeba. It stretches your imagination.”
Miller, who starred as the fastest man alive in last year’s DC ensemble flick Justice League, recalled “enormous swathes of green cloth as far as you can see” on set. “I find it very fun to project images with my imagination. But that’s just me,” he said.
The cast of Lost in Space, whose series will release on Netflix on April 13, were asked about the changing landscape of geek culture in the wake of the #MeToo movement, which aims to fight back against sexual harassment in Hollywood. Mina Sundwall, who plays Penny Robinson, said it felt important to include organic moments of empowerment on their show that felt natural and normal, rather than forced.
Check out the highlights from Day 1 and Day 2 below:
Day 1
Day 2
Sources: Gulf News, MEFCC, YouTube
McDonald’s – the second-largest fast food restaurant chain by number of locations in the world, recently booked an integrated cinema campaign through Motivate Val Morgan at VOX Cinemas – The Avenues Bahrain.
The McDonald’s integrated cinema campaign included:
On Screen Advertising
A 2-week 30sec. on screen cinema ad following the kids movie Peter Rabbit.
Off Screen Advertising
A 2x2m activation stand was on display at the cinema over the weekend of 29th – 31th March 2018 to promote McDonald’s Happy Meals.
Promoters at the stand also offered kids free face painting and colouring of Peter Rabbit artwork.
Cinevation
The first ever VOX Cinemas – The Avenues Bahrain Cinevation was executed from 30th – 31st March 2018 at all Peter Rabbit movie sessions. The Cinevations had a presenter interacting with the kids inside the cinemas – giving them a chance to win kids meals and Peter Rabbit toys.
While we await the official Cinevation video from McDonald’s, here’s some footage from one of the Cinevations carried out:
Interested in running a similar integrated cinema campaign in UAE, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain or Kuwait? Contact a member of our sales team for more information.
If you got what it takes, don’t miss out on participating in this year’s UAE Young Lions Digital Competition!
Requirements
Each team must consist of an art director and a copywriter, both 30 years of age or younger, i.e., born on or after 23 June 1987.
A team can be from a registered advertising agency, freelancers or from a creative team from the client side – all based in the UAE.
What’s in it for the GOLD Winning Team?
The team will be flown to Cannes for a trip of a lifetime – which includes air fare, accommodation, food expenses and 5 days registration at the Cannes Lions Festival.
The team will represent the UAE at the International Young Lions Digital Competition 2018.
Registration Details
Registration Deadline: Sunday 15th April 2018
Fee (per team): 4,000 AED (not inclusive of VAT)
Download the Registration Form
Please Note: Email registration forms to [email protected] along with passport copies by Sunday 15th April 2018.
Competition Details
Date: Saturday 21st April 2018
Time: 9am to 7pm
Venue: Motivate Offices, Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City
Awards Ceremony Details
Date: 23rd April 2018
Time: 5:00pm – 7:00PM
Venue: in5 Media Innovation Centre, Dubai Production City
Here’s a Glimpse of the UAE Young Lions Cyber Competition 2016:
Please note: the Cyber category has been renamed as Digital in 2018
Here’s an interview with the winners of the UAE Young Lions Cyber Competition 2016:
This year’s competition will be hosted by Motivate and Motivate Val Morgan – the official representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in the UAE, held in association with Dubai Media City and sponsored by Getty Images and Xerox.
Register now!
Al Ghurair Centre – Middle East’s first shopping centre and Dubai’s oldest mall, has signed an agreement with Emaar Entertainment, to operate a new 18-screen Reel Cinemas megaplex.
Spread across 75,000 sqft, the cinema will be housed in a dedicated wing, set across two floors, with a link bridge to the mall. The new project will result in a total of 1,800 seats across 18 screens, offering Platinum Movie Suites, Dine-In Cinema and Dolby Cinemas.
The cinema is set to open its doors to the public in the fourth quarter of 2018 and is part of Al Ghurair Centre’s revitalisation plan.
Sultan Al Ghurair, CEO of Al Ghurair Properties said: “We are excited to announce the recent signing that confirms our partnership with Emaar Entertainment. This announcement marks the first of several key strategies and developments for the forward-thinking and community driven vision for Al Ghurair Centre and as such, represents the first step in our new revitalisation strategy.”
Damien Latham, CEO of Emaar Entertainment, added: “The agreement to operate Reel Cinemas at this premier mall underpins the distinctive value that we bring to movie-goers and to the shopping malls where we are located.”
Al Ghurair Centre has been renovating its offerings extensively in the last few years. In 2013, it announced plans to invest Dhs2bn to almost double its retail space with an addition of up to 130 new stores. The next year, it revealed plans to invest an additional Dhs60m for further renovations to the mall.
Motivate Val Morgan is the official cinema advertising partner of Reel Cinemas, offering on-screen and off-screen cinema advertising opportunities at The Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall – and soon to have Jebel Ali Club as part of our cinema circuit.
Sources: Arabian Business and Gulf Business
