Congratulations to the winners of the Motivate Val Morgan ‘Aquaman’ Challenge.
Six participants answered all 8 questions correctly and went into a draw, out of which Merver Vergas and Kathrina Cruz emerged as winners of 2 x Reel Cinemas Movie Passes.
The correct answers were:
Stay tuned for more competitions in 2019!
Dubai Studio City – the region’s leading business community for the broadcasting, production and events sectors recently announced the launch of CineMENA, a unique platform that celebrates the art of content creation and nurtures local talent in the field.
The initiative aims to assist budding filmmakers and content creators in enhancing their skills through an annual agenda of events which include workshops, masterclasses and training sessions by industry influencers, actors and filmmakers.
Set to officially take place in February 2019, CineMENA will comprise multiple activations, an exhibition showcasing the latest technologies and trends, outdoor film screenings, and thought sessions focused on all aspects of the art and craft of content creation.
CineMENA will also introduce a new competition to recognize local and regional talent across four categories – Best Short Film, Best Short Documentary, Best Music Video, and Best Film inspired by the Founding Father of the UAE, Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Winners will be selected by a specialized jury committee.
Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Studio City, said: “In line with our core priority of nurturing a creative community through identifying, supporting and honing talent in the media and content creation industry, we are proud to announce the launch of CineMENA, our new platform that celebrates excellence in media across the MENA region.”
He added: “The media industry today features multiple platforms for different types of content creators and some of these stipulate a high number of followers as a prerequisite. In contrast, CineMENA caters to all ages and levels of expertise – from new entrants to seasoned professionals – equipping participants with the necessary skills and tools to create engaging content. Local content from the MENA region has a relatively low representation on a global level. We are keen for CineMENA to change the status quo through actively promoting locally produced content in both Arabic and English. We aspire to bring together passionate individuals to learn, generate content, and network with other members and stakeholders of the creative community.”
Jamal Al Sharif, Chairman of the Dubai Film and TV Commission, said: “For over a decade, there has been no doubt that the region has made significant strides in the content creation industry, and we intend to provide all the facilities to support our local talent. With CineMENA, we aim to build a platform where content creators can learn, inspire, network and explore new prospects. The initiative is poised to benefit all aspiring creators, whether they belong to the filmmaking, screenwriting, or pre- and post-production fields. CineMENA will provide our young people with an ideal opportunity to showcase their talent while helping develop the regional visual content creation sector and encouraging creativity.”
Over the past three years, Dubai Studio City organized diverse workshops in all aspects of film and media production that saw participation of over 2,000 amateurs and professionals from the region. In 2018, the community hosted 12 workshops in collaboration with the Emirati production house ‘Behind the Scenes’ at In5, Media Innovation Centre in Dubai Production City that supports entrepreneurs and startups in the media domain. Led by Mohammad Salam, Managing Director of Behind the Scenes, and conducted by award-winning specialists, the workshops covered topics such as Sound Recording, Cinematography, Voice and Speech, Post-production, and Directing.
Sources: Tabloid, MENA Herald and Digital Studio Middle East
Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming release Zero, directed by Aanand L. Rai witnesses the character of Bauaa – a rich but physically-challenged man struggling to find his perfect match, but his experience with an amputee (Anushka Sharma) and a superstar (Katrina Kaif) leads to many adventures which helps him complete his ‘incompleteness’ and broaden his horizons to find purpose he never knew he had.
The film has already created much buzz and excitement when Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan wished their fans “Eid Mubarak” by featuring together in the teaser trailer. Zero is set to release on 21st December 2018 – cashing in on the Christmas weekend.
Trivia:
Shah Rukh Khan enjoys more stardom than any otherBollywood actor in the Middle East. He is also the brand ambassador for Dubai Tourism in the UAE – as featured in the latest commercial #BeMyGuest. The video reached No. 3 spot on YouTube’s worldwide trending list within 48 hours of its launch and became one of the top 10 most viewed videos on the website globally in December 2017.
Don’t miss out on advertising alongside Shah Rukh Khan’s MEGA Bollywood blockbuster of the year. Contact a member of our sales team for more information on cinema advertising opportunities across UAE, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain.
Sources: Khaleej Times and IMDb
2.0 – the sequel to Enthiran (2010), will unite the best of talent from Kollywood and Bollywood – Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar. The movie is set to release in cinemas (worldwide) on 29th November and will undoubtedly be one of the biggest Indian language movie releases of 2018.
Trivia:
Both Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar have a devoted fan base across the region, with their movies being well received.
Here’s a look at movie successes starring Rajinikanth:
Kaala (2018)
Kaala was released (worldwide) on 7th June 2018 in three languages – Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. In the UAE, the film earned AED 3,403,631.
Kabali (2016)
There was a different kind of hysteria among Rajinikanth fans as Kabali was the first movie in which the action hero played a role of his own age.
In the GCC, over 200 theatres (including 100 screens in the UAE) screened the movie, and advance online bookings received overwhelming responses with many sessions running house full. According to a local distributor, there were approximately 151,000 tickets sold for in the first two days of release across the UAE.
The film had earned US$11.20 million in its first four-day weekend overseas, breaking the record previously held by Dhoom 3 (US$10.32 million) as the highest-grossing first weekend for an Indian film in overseas markets. According to International Business Times in May 2017, the film’s final overseas gross was US$15.65 million.
Enthiran (2010)
As of January 2018, Enthiran is the fourth-highest-grossing South Indian film of all time after S. S. Rajamouli’s two-part historical fiction films Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017) and Baahubali: The Beginning (2015).
According to a February 2015 report by Hindustan Times, the film has grossed approximately US$34.8 million (worldwide) in its lifetime.
Below are UAE statistics for movies featuring Akshay Kumar:
Brothers (2015) – screened for 4 weeks and did approximately 130,500 admissions
Rustom and Airlift (2016) grossed a total of AED 6,565,596 and 4,408,681 respectively
Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017) – screened for 3 weeks and did approximately 103,200 admissions
Jolly LLB 2 (2017) – screened for 5 weeks and did approximately 114,000 admissions
Padman (2018) – grossed a total of AED 3,162,845
Based on the success of previous Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar movies (as indicated above) and the fact that Indian language movie fans (in this region) are not restricted to the expat population from the subcontinent, 2.0 is guaranteed to usher in large cinema audiences.
Don’t miss out on advertising alongside one of the biggest Indian language movies of 2018.
Contact a member of our sales team for more information on cinema advertising opportunities across the GCC.
Sources: YouTube, First Post, Wikipedia, The National and Gulf News
SICFF is the first film festival for children in the country and region, dedicated to enhance the media literacy of children and young people, foster children’s creativity and showcase the very best in filmmaking for, by and about children and young people.
The sixth edition of the Sharjah International Children’s Festival (SICFF) will kick off on 14th October 2018, with 54 premiers (12 international, 34 Middle Eastern, 7 UAE, and 1 Gulf films), 138 screenings, over 40 workshops, and for the very first time, will include panel discussions.
Themed ‘Think Cinema’, the six-day event will be held at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre – with screenings also taking place at Cinemacity 06 Mall, and will showcase talent from across the globe.
Addressing a press conference on 24th September 2018, Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi, director of SICFF and FUNN Sharjah Media Arts for Youth and Children, said: “The festival will bring together an impressive galaxy of promising talents from around the world who have chosen the SICFF as a platform to showcase their work and introduce their countries’ cultures to a global audience.”
The festival will also screen a selection of short films to highlight the plight of refugees in countries such as Syria, Egypt, Jordon, Sudan and Ethiopia.
Jawaher bint Abdullah Al Qasimi added: “The SICFF’s selections this year will lay special focus on the plight of refugees. Our festival could not have seen the light of day if it weren’t for the patronage and unfailing encouragement offered by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife, Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi.
“We believe that art is key to enriching the personalities and perceptions of young people, and that the ideas presented in films are strong catalysts that fire up children’s imaginations and develop their ability to discover beauty.”
The US will have the maximum number of entries competing at this year’s SICFF Awards, followed by France and Russia.
The seven festival award categories include:
The films submitted for award categories will be judged by an independent jury featuring Arab and international film experts, critics and media personalities, renowned artists, directors and producers – Saudi documentary films producer Hana Makki, Bahraini actress Haifa Hussein, Palestinian filmmaker and producer Hani Abu Assad, film animator Brian Ferguson, movie critic Mansura Abdul Amir, and animator Simon Medard.
Below are some of the films that will screen at this year’s festival:
World Country (World Premiere)
Movie Synopsis: In this experimental film, we are taken through the impact of the current war-time violence by becoming immersed in the sights and sounds of the battlefield; looking into the faces of the very children it affects. These common experiences dissolve the boundaries that separate cultures and nations and we can only hope that these children will grow to know peace.
Director: Mohammad Borzouei
Country: Iran
Duration: 4 Minutes
Growing Alice (Middle East Premiere)
Movie Synopsis: People often ask, what would happen if walls could talk? What would they say about our lives… our upbringing? In this dazzling short, we become the quiet observers of little girl’s coming of age journey from the perspective of her mirror on the wall. Reflected back to us is the beautiful transition of a girl to a young woman: from the quiet moments of bonding between mother and baby, the tiny arguments and conflicts of adolescence, to the final journey and separation to adulthood.
Director: Danilo Zambrano
Country: Ireland
Duration: 4 minutes
The Guest: Aleppo – Istanbul
Movie Synopsis: The film follows the journey of Lena and Meryem during their escape from the war in Syria. Lena is a ten-year-old girl who has lost her family in the war. She finds herself forced to make her way to Turkey with her baby sister and their neighbor Meryem, along with the other refugees. Lena wants to return home, while Meryem’s hope is reach Europe. While showing Meryem and Lena overcoming the hurdles of a big city in a foreign country and becoming heroines of their story, the film enables people to have a better understanding of Syrian refugees’ feelings and the harsh reality they face every day.
Director: Andaç Haznederoglu
Country: Turkey, Jordan
Duration: 83 minutes
Labyrinth of the Heart (World Premiere)
Movie Synopsis: Where do you go to find your heart? In this animated piece, a young girl wanders to the Lost and Found at the Carnival in search of her heart. Listening closely to the beat, she follows it deep in the recesses of a nightmarish cavernous world. The quest proves to be evasive, and takes on a life of its own, as she presses on through treacherous worlds of fiery furnaces and dark forests.
Director: Mariam Khayat
Country: Saudi Arabia
Duration: 3 minutes
If You Fall
Movie Synopsis: 8-year-old Lila is learning how to ride a two-wheeled bicycle with the help of her father, an artist who sells his paintings every day at the market. They practice regularly together, with the promise that he will not let her fall when he lets go of her bicycle. When it becomes increasingly difficult for her father to make a living selling his paintings, things grow tense at home, and many responsibilities are shifted onto Lila’s mother, a reporter. The family works together through the role reversal, telling a story of unconditional love and support for one another.
Director: Tisha Deb Pillai
Country: Canada / India
Duration: 6 minutes
Vision
Movie Synopsis: It is the late 1940s in the United Arab Emirates. Two girls, Maryoom and Owaish sit together, relaxing on the beach one afternoon. Owaish muses about what her grandma expects will happen in the future as society and technology advance — that everything in life will become simpler. Entertaining the fantasy, Maryoom opens her eyes and is suddenly transported to present day. Dubai and life are unrecognizable. She is soon overwhelmed by the sights, lights, sounds, and enormous skyscrapers of the city. The premonition appears to have come true, but is the vision of the future as bright as Maryoom dreamed?
Director: Jawaher Alharmoodi
Country: UAE
Duration: 13 Minutes
The Chocolate Soldier (Middle East Premiere)
Movie Synopsis: It is 1945 and although Germany is now free from the Nazis, is remains occupied by allied troops. The future feels unstable for many, including 10-year-old girl Maria and her family. Her parents are distrustful of the American military presence in their small town, and they lament the sparse food rations. One day, Maria notices an American soldier just outside her window, enjoying a piece of chocolate as a snack. Her parents forbid her from speaking with him, until just the right rehearsed set of English words rebuild the trust and kindness that the war had torn away.
Director: Jackson Smith
Country: USA
Duration: 12 minutes
For more information on the workshops offered at this year’s festival, visit www.sicff.ae/sicff-workshops-2018/
Sources: Gulf News, Khaleej Times and SICFF
Access the world’s best ideas and campaigns with ‘The Work’.
The best creative work deserves its own space, and that’s what Cannes Lions has given it:
Share ideas. Remind yourself of the best – so you can do better. Research a sector or brand – fast. Or just to explore for inspiration, to crack that uncrackable brief.
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Source: Cannes Lions
Kibsons International – The No.1 online home delivery service in fresh produce category in the UAE, recently booked a cinema campaign through Motivate Val Morgan.
As part of the cinema campaign, Kibsons International booked an on screen commercial and a sampling activity at two leading cinema locations in the Dubai.
On Screen Commercial
Commercial Duration: 30 sec.
Booking Type: Follow a Movie (Avengers: Infinity War)
Cinema Locations: VOX Cinemas – Mall of the Emirates and Reel Cinemas – the Dubai Mall
Watch the commercial below:
Sampling Activity
The sampling activity was executed in two bursts.
VOX Cinemas – Mall of the Emirates
Dates: 26th, 27th and 28th April 2018
Description: A box filled with fruits and vegetables were left on the seats of the Top 3 screens of the cinema screening Avengers: Infinity War.
Watch the video interviews with moviegoers who received the Kibsons goodie box at VOX Cinemas – Mall of the Emirates:
Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall
Dates: 3rd, 4th and 5th May 2018
Description: Boxes filled with fruits and vegetables were distributed to moviegoers entering the Top 3 Screens of the cinema to watch Avengers: Infinity War.
Interested in running a similar cinema campaign in UAE, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, Qatar or Bahrain?
Contact a member of our sales team for more information.
Motivate Val Morgan is the official representative of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in the UAE.
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has released the remaining names of the 2018 Jury Presidents.
A total of 26 Presidents will guide specialist juries within the nine ‘Awards Tracks’. In addition to creative leaders drawn from across the spectrum of creative services, this year’s President line-up includes Fernando Machado, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Burger King and Mark D’Arcy, VP and Chief Creative Officer at Facebook.
For the first time in Festival history, Apple will participate in the juries with Tor Myhren, VP Marketing Communications appointed as Innovation President.
Jose Papa, Managing Director of Cannes Lions, said, “This year’s Jury Presidents represent a mix of world-renowned creative leaders as well as some incredibly well-respected names from the brand and technology worlds. It’s a real honour to welcome each of this year’s Presidents to the Festival community.”
Jury Presidents for Lions within the REACH, CRAFT, EXPERIENCE and INNOVATION tracks are as follows:
REACH – The insight, strategy and planning enabling brands to effectively engage consumers, at scale, and be heard amid the ongoing battle for attention.
CRAFT – Focusing on the artistry, skill, talent and flair required to deliver beautifully executed ideas with the power to cut through and bring the creative idea to life.
EXPERIENCE – Focussing on the powerful brand currency of intelligent customer journeys and immersive experiences – captivating new audiences at every touch point.
INNOVATION – Showcasing the conception and application of product development, business transformation and the new data-driven, tech-enabled creativity re-shaping the conversation between brand and consumer.
Presidents in the COMMUNICATIONS, IMPACT, GOOD, ENTERTAINMENT and HEALTH tracks for 2018 were announced in a previous article, which can be accessed here.
The Festival opened for entries on 18 January with a first deadline of 22 March. Final entry deadline is 20 April. The 2018 edition of Cannes Lions runs 18-22 June.
Source: Cannes Lions
The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched events on US television, so it’s not a surprise that movie studios consider it a prime time to premiere trailers for upcoming blockbusters.
This year’s Super Bowl was no exception. Trailers and teasers for Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Cloverfield Paradox , Mission: Impossible — Fallout, Avengers: Infinity War, and more all premiered during the big game.
Here are the trailers that aired during the game for your viewing pleasure:
Solo: A Star Wars Story
A troubled production (the original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were removed late in the game and replaced with Ron Howard) has meant that the publicity machine for the Han Solo origin adventure has started up at a rather late stage. But this first, impressive spot suggests that we might have been worrying for nothing. Tthis tease gives us a brief look at the stellar cast, including Woody Harrelson and Donald Glover, and some splashy action.
Releasing on 21 June 2018 across cinemas in UAE, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar and Bahrain. Releasing on 20 June 2018 across cinemas in Egypt.
Skyscraper
Can someone go check on Dwayne Johnson? Is he eating all right, sleeping all right, gym-ing all right? The mega-star is coming off a schedule that has him top-lining three major movies in the space of seven months, making him a completely justified candidate for the oft-used celebrity affliction of “exhaustion”. The third (after Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and video game-inspired actioner Rampage) is the oddly dated-looking Skyscraper, a film that would have starred Arnie or Sly back in the late 80s. That final stunt does look like quite the doozy though. Tom Cruise will be furious.
Releasing on 12 July 2018 across cinemas in UAE, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar and Bahrain. Releasing on 11 July 2018 across cinemas in Egypt.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout
After his failed Dark Universe non-starter The Mummy, Tom Cruise is feeling the need, the need for the Mission: Impossible franchise to return like never before. The series continues to be a reliable money-maker (the most recent entry brought in $682m worldwide) and for the sixth instalment, Cruise is hoping his high-octane showing off will at least temporarily catapult him back to the top. The first trailer looks like more of the same, with some new recruits (hello, Angela Bassett and Henry Cavill) but the final stunt, typically what sells each film, doesn’t look quite as incredible as in previous attempts. But maybe they’re saving it for later sneak peeks.
Releasing on 26 July 2018 across cinemas in UAE, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar and Bahrain. Releasing on 25 July 2018 across cinemas in Egypt.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
After the first trailer teased bigger dino action than ever before, this flashy new Super Bowl spot gives us a more horror-based look at the summer sequel. Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are returning along with an island full of unwanted beasts and for those who worried the last preview focused on just the bigger action scenes, this one has some of the more intimate creepy sequences that made the original film so successful. The new spot also teases a new dinosaur created by scientists that looks rather nasty and also incredibly hateful of children.
Releasing on 7 June 2018 across cinemas in UAE, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar and Bahrain. Releasing on 13 June 2018 across cinemas in Egypt.
Red Sparrow
Coming off the back of the divisive Darren Aronofsky horror/comedy/drama/satire/experiment Mother!, Jennifer Lawrence is shifting gears yet again for this spy thriller from her Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence. Trailers have previously shown off her surprisingly effective Russian accent and what looks to be a dark, sexual tone and tonight’s new spot doesn’t add a whole lot more but suggests another unusual role for Lawrence.
Releasing on 22 March 2018 across cinemas in UAE, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain. Releasing on 1 March 2018 across cinemas in Lebanon and 28 February 2018 across cinemas in Egypt.
The Avengers: Infinity War
One of the night’s most anticipated trailers offered up a look at the overdose of superheroes that will be teaming up in the next Avengers movie. Black Panther! Doctor Strange! Spider-Man! The Guardians lot! It’s a dream for anyone who thought that Captain America: Civil War could have done with a few more major Marvel characters.
Releasing on 26 April 2018 across cinemas in UAE, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar and Bahrain. Releasing on 25 April 2018 across cinemas in Egypt.
A Quiet Place
The night also saw a new look at the John Krasinski-directed horror film that stars himself and his off-screen wife, Emily Blunt, as a couple protecting their kids from monsters that use sound to attack. Like the first, longer trailer, this suggests great things with a creepy gimmick that could make this a hugely unsettling watch.
Releasing on 5 April 2018 across cinemas in UAE, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar and Bahrain. Releasing on 4 April 2018 across cinemas in Egypt.
Don’t miss out on advertising alongside these blockbusters – guaranteed to be crowd puller across cinemas in the UAE, Oman, Lebanon, Egypt, Qatar and Bahrain.
Contact a member of our sales team for information on cinema advertising opportunities.
Sources: The Guardian and USA Today
City Cinema was the first cinema chain to launch in the Sultanate of Oman – owned by Oman Arab Company LLC (which belongs to Jawad Sultan Group of Companies). City Cinema started its operation in 1971 by setting up its first cinema known as Al Nasr – which was later renamed as City Cinema Ruwi in 2008.
It was the first cinema chain to introduce luxury VIP seating and MX4D technology in Oman and had 9 locations in total: Shatti, Ruwi, Azaiba, MGM, Panorama, Sohar, Sur, Salalah and Buraimi.
Following the joint venture between Oman Arab Company and VOX Cinemas in August 2016, the City Cinema chain remained under its existing brand, but was powered by VOX Cinemas.
As of January 25 2018, all City Cinema locations will operate under the VOX Cinemas brand where cinemagoers will continue to get the best movie-watching experience.
Together with the two existing VOX Cinemas locations – City Centre Muscat and City Centre Qurum, the cinema chain will now operate 11 cinemas in the Sultanate of Oman.
As the official cinema advertising partner of VOX Cinemas, Motivate Val Morgan presently represents 90% of the cinema market in Oman.
Visit the VOX Cinemas Oman website to book movie tickets, and contact us for cinema advertising opportunities across all VOX locations in Oman.
