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Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: City's Busy Schedule is Packed with Several Outdoor Movie Showings

Open Air Cinema — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:18:21 +0000

Abu Dhabi filmgoers who enjoyed last month's Cinema by the Sea might enjoy the Swiss OpenAir Cinema in Dubai until December 7. Sammy Dallal / The National

With the release of the disaster epic 2012 this month, film fans may feel as if they’ve been riding the treadmill of summer blockbusters long enough. But hope is at hand, as a number of newly announced film programmes in Dubai look set to remind us that there’s more to the movies than end-of-the-world fantasies.

In the coming weeks, a series of independent films will be screened at Reel Cinemas in Dubai Mall, a continuing programme of black-and-white art house movies will play at The Jam Jar gallery, and Swiss OpenAir Concept will show a host of films that have yet to reach UAE multiplexes. On top of all that, the Dubai International Film Festival is also set release its full line-up in the coming days.

In short, Dubai will be transformed from the land that independent cinema forgot to an adventure playground for cinephiles.

The most high-profile event is the 2,000 seat Swiss OpenAir Cinema at the Dubai Media City Amphitheater, which launched Thursday with a showing of the latest Twilight movie, New Moon, and runs until December 7. The 4,000 square-foot, six-story high screen is the largest in the world.

Audiences will also be able to catch the comedies Old Dogs and Zombieland, the animated tales Astro Boy and A Christmas Carol and the aviation biopic Amelia at the outdoor venue.

“We do this in 17 locations around the world, from Sydney up to Rio,” said Farzin Samadian, the CEO of Swiss OpenAir Concept. “All of the films are interesting, but the first film is key. We are opening with New Moon, which will be one of the best films of this year.

“Between 60 and 70 per cent of our films will be local premieres, but we are not competing with the cinemas. This is a totally different environment and more of an event.”

The OpenAir Cinema appeared in Dubai and Abu Dhabi last year. However, only a Dubai programme has been announced for 2009. Samadian said film lovers in the capital should not fret; organisers aim to return to Abu Dhabi in February for a separate series of screenings.

Another new addition to the Dubai’s film calendar will be The Picturehouse at Reel Cinemas. The Dubai Mall multiplex is dedicating one of its screens to “art house, independent and award-winning classics” and “has lined up five debate-rousing movies between now and the end of January”.

The Picturehouse is currently showing the indie romance Paper Heart, about a stand-up comedienne who embarks on a journey across America to explore the subject of love.

Also slated to appear are the political satire In The Loop, the black comedy Cold Souls, the Iranian underground rock exposé No One Knows About Persian Cats and the disaster capitalism documentary The Shock Doctrine. Each will be shown for between two and three weeks at The Picturehouse.

Coming to an end tomorrow is The Jam Jar gallery’s latest Mahmovies! series, Black and White Glory. The five-week run of Monday night screenings attracts up to 200 film lovers each week. The gallery’s latest programme aims to showcase some of the finest black and white cinematography in the history of filmmaking.

The final night will feature a screening of the Danish enfant terrible Lars von Trier’s noir-like Europa, set in post-war Frankfurt. Earlier this month audiences were treated to two early-1960s classics: the Soviet propaganda piece I am Cuba and the experimental science-fiction film La Jetée.

“We have a large screen that fills a wall of the gallery and we fill the floor with bean bags,” said Rachel Brown, the head of special projects at The Jam Jar. “We are really building a community here of film lovers in the UAE and it’s great that there are now other film nights that are starting to come about.”

Although the full line-up for DIFF has yet to be announced, details of some of its programmes have been revealed, including a Cinema for Children showcase and a focus on French cinema. The festival will run from December 9 to 16.

Oliver Good

source-http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091129/ART/711289974/1223

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Movies Shown Outdoors for Yasalam Celebrations

Open Air Cinema — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:33:11 +0000

Abu Dhabi Corniche has been transformed into a giant open-air cinema as part of Yasalam celebrations in the run up to the 2009 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“Cinema by the Sea’ on Abu Dhabi beach is another fantastic Yasalam event designed for the entire community. Whether you like cars that fly, talk or race, ‘Cinema by the Sea’ has them all.

On Thursday night, the giant screens featured free of charge all-time favourite car-themed movies ‘Herbie: Fully Loaded’ and ‘Days of Thunder’. ‘Cars’ and ‘Talladega Nights’ will be screened tonight and ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ and ‘The Italian Job’ on Saturday.

The films will also be screened on the giant screen in the F1FanZone by Mubadala.

“We’re sure everyone in Abu Dhabi, young and old, resident and visitor, will enjoy this free Yasalam event on the beach,” said John Lickrish, managing director of Flash Entertainment, organiser of Yasalam programme.

source-http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2009/October/theuae_October564.xml§ion=theuae&col=

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Outdoor Movies featured in Yasalam

Open Air Cinema — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:47:41 +0000

Popstar Beyonce and ageing rockers Aerosmith have been confirmed as part of the line-up for entertainment at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 1.

The events – collectively known as Yasalam – will also include an open-air cinema on the beach, performances from other international, regional and local artists, including hip-hop star Timbaland, and educational activities to encourage young people to take up a career in F1.

The events will run across the city, from the Corniche and beach to schools, universities, shopping malls, hotels, Abu Dhabi International Airport and Yas Island.

The programme is split into three elements – ‘Yasalam Live on the Corniche’, ‘Yasalam Live across the City’, and ‘Yasalam Live on Yas Island’.

Flash Entertainment, an Abu Dhabi-based events company, officially launched the entertainment programme yesterday in Abu Dhabi. It includes Beyonce and Aerosmith, who will be among the big names performing exclusively for race-day ticket holders on Yas Island.

John Lickrish, the managing director of Flash, said: “Yasalam has been designed to appeal to all ages, backgrounds and nationalities, so whether you’re a motorsport fan or not, from the UAE or overseas, there will be lots of exciting things for you to do.” And Ossama Khoreibi, the chairman of Flash, added: “Yasalam is more than just entertainment – it is a celebration of our diverse and beautiful city and further proof, if any were needed, that Abu Dhabi has arrived as a truly international destination for entertainment and leisure.”

‘Yasalam Live across the City’ incorporates the The Art of Racing, which will see Emirati and Arabic artists customise replica F1 cars, and Mastering Motorsport, an educational initiative focused on providing students with the chance to learn about careers in the industry.

Yasalam will finish with four nights of post-race concerts on Yas Island over the race weekend exclusively for Grand Prix ticket holders. Beyonce will open the concerts on Thursday, October 29, and Aerosmith will close on the Sunday.

Live on the Corniche
At the heart of Yasalam will be ‘Live on the Corniche’ – a free entertainment programme running on Abu Dhabi Corniche from October 16 to November 1 featuring:

* F1 Fan Zone Abu Dhabi will be open daily for two weeks and will feature motorsport-themed entertainment, including simulators, pit stop challenges, special appearances by drivers and live coverage from the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Brazil and the season finale from the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

* The Yasalam Brazilian Parade will see school children, performers and a marching band celebrate on the beach before the Brazilian Grand Prix.

* Cinema by the Sea will transform the beach into a giant outdoor cinema for three nights showing car films from modern family hits such as ‘Cars’ and ‘Herbie Fully Loaded’, to classics such as ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ and ‘The Italian Job’.

* Beats on the Beach will offer five nights of free concerts on the beach, featuring local, regional and international artists, including hip-hop star Timbaland.

* Abu Dhabi Galleria: Past and Present will be an exhibition at the Corniche Beach boardwalk showcasing F1 and Abu Dhabi photography through
the years.

* An Arabic Culture Weekend will be a celebration of traditional Arabic food, crafts and music on the beach throughout the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix race weekend.

Source: http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=84495%20%20%20%20&page=local%20news&title=Stars%20on%20and%20off%20the%20track

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Revival of Outdoor Movies

Open Air Cinema — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:00:23 +0000

Film fans in the UAE have much to look forward to this autumn. Abu Dhabi is gearing up for the Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF) from October 8, and its hundreds of screenings from over 80 countries; Dubai Mall’s 22-screen Reel Cinemas operation is now up and running, with its art-house screen, The Picturehouse, -expected to be opened before the end of the year, and post-Eid entertainment programmes are in full swing at several other of the country’s movie spots. And now, with the weather finally beginning to cool down, the week before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will see the Corniche transformed into a giant open-air cinema. -Beanbags, popcorn and candyfloss will be deployed for Cinema by the Sea, which runs from October 22-24.

Each night will feature a double bill of motoring movies, starting with Herbie Fully Loaded, featuring Lindsay Lohan, and Days of Thunder, which brought together Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The second day will feature Pixar’s animated Cars and then Will Ferrell’s Nascar-racing comedy Talladega Nights. Cinema by the Sea will close with the family classic Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the vintage British crime caper The Italian Job.

The open-air cinema is one of several events taking place on the newly opened Corniche in the run-up to the Grand Prix, including live music, art exhibitions and community projects. Organisers say it will be able to hold up to 30,000 people.

For an evocative film experience, there are now plenty of balmy outdoors options. Recall that scene in Grease? Young couples sit in open-topped cars neatly lined up row by row, speakers hooked over the door, while watching the flickering screen in front of their windscreen and chewing on a hot dog. How superior to sitting in a musty, darkened room with sticky bits of popcorn rolling around at your feet and somebody unwrapping sweets in the row behind while the person next to you shrieks into their iPhone.

Outdoor movie screens like these enjoyed their heyday in the 1950s. In America, there were over 5,000 screens across the country then, a number which has now dwindled to 383, according to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association. But in recent years, the more communal, outdoor cinema experience has revived itself as a summer phenomenon across the world.

In London, Somerset House just wrapped up its fifth popular summer series of outdoor film throughout August. Across the Thames on the South Bank, films were projected on to the tower of the National Theatre, physically enmeshing themselves as part of the cultural fabric of the city. Tilda Swinton and a volunteer team spent part of August hauling a mobile cinema around Scotland in a great, participatory cinema experiment. “Cinema is for everybody and for everywhere,” she told the BBC. In Sydney, the St George Open Air Cinema regularly plays host to thousands of filmgoers against a backdrop of the harbour and tickets for screenings of films sell out within hours. In Paris, an abundance of outdoor film festivals, including the Clair de Lune event which shows films at the locations that they were shot, delight cinephiles, and last month New York’s Central Park held a free five-day series of films.

Given that sunshine is something that the UAE has in abundance, there are not only outdoor cinema screens here but some which come with the added bonus of a swimming pool to float about in while watching. At Dubai Polo and Equestrian Club, Cine-Splash takes place every Thursday and Friday night, a weekly ritual that started at the club in June. Attendees are offered inflatable chairs, or if they so wish, they can bring their own. Family-friendly screenings kick off from 7.30pm, those for more mature viewers from 9.30pm. Up this week are films such as Robots, The Bourne Identity and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. “Thursdays are generally more popular than Fridays, because Fridays are more of a family day,” explains Ershad Ahmed, a manager at the club. “So to avoid fighting for a sunbed it’s better to book.”

The Desert Palm offers a similar deal with Movies and Munchies every Wednesday night. The “munchies” part of the cinema-going experience is provided by a barbecue, although it is possibly not advisable to take -marinated chicken wings into the pool with you. Again, one can hop on to an inflatable chair and watch away, with the happy bonus that a bowl of popcorn and towel is included in the entrance fee of Dh30 per person. The running format is similar here too, with child-friendly flicks on at 7pm and those for the more mature viewer being screened at 9pm.

Quentin Tarantino has been well represented recently with the screening of Kill Bill: Vol 1 and next week’s showing of Pulp Fiction. Meanwhile, children can splash through options such as Monsters Inc on Wednesday, or Flushed Away one week later.

The choice of films at such communal, outdoor events is often a delicate one. Ershad Ahmed says that Dubai Polo Club has a bit of everything to keep the punters happy. “Bridget Jones’s Diary, Gladiator, Four Weddings and a Funeral, it’s a mix,” he says. And, he adds, one of the -bonuses to the great outdoors, as far as cinema viewing goes, is the relaxed nature, with families and groups of friends happily milling around together. “We do tell people to turn their phones off, but if they go off it doesn’t matter,” he adds.

For those who prefer to remain undisturbed by swimming pools and barbecues, a more traditional experience can be found at the Madinat Theatre. Monday Movie Nights there are held in conjunction with Turner Classic Movies (TCM). This week’s screening is of the Marx Brothers’ A Night At The Opera; following that is The Philadelphia Story starring Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn.

Alternatively, the Ritz-Carlton is shortly to restart its themed-cinema evenings, also in partnership with TCM. Held in the hotel’s La Baie restaurant, proceedings kick off on -October 7 with a month of thrillers. First in the series is Point Blank, starring Lee Marvin and Angie Dickinson. “We wanted to create an opportunity for people to live their nostalgia with these old-time legends,” said Alan Musa, the vice-president of Turner Broadcasting. So dress up in your finest because the evening is tailor-made to the film and the chefs create an accompanying menu. Point Blank was released in 1967, so look out for Steak Diane, coronation chicken or cheese and pineapple cubes stuck into a melon.

Dubai’s artsy members’ club -Shelter and art-house cinema venue The Scene Club are two other venues that should be on the radar for film fans. Shelter regularly holds themed film months. June saw a run of Lebanese films, July was given over to Italian classics.

Similarly highbrow fare is screened at The Scene Club, founded in 2007 as Dubai’s first official film club and run under the patronage of the Dubai International Film Festival. Autumn’s screenings and programmes for both are still under wraps, but will shortly be announced.

Sophia Money-Coutts

source-http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090929/ART/909289969/1223

Cinerent and Hydra Open Air Cinema Present the First Outdoor Movie Screening in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Open Air Cinema — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:49:11 +0000

Photos: Cinerent

For 20 years now, Cinerent OpenAir AG has successfully run its Open Air Cinema concept in six countries. On November 10th, 2008 it celebrated the opening of the first outdoor cinema in the United Arab Emirates. During 24 evenings with 12 shows in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the Hydra Open Air Cinema screened a selection of premieres, previews and Hollywood blockbusters for outdoor movie events. Moreover, the programme was completed by unique thematic evenings matching the local public’s interest. It was the first time ever that an outdoor film event took place in the United Arab Emirates. Around 2000 spectators attended each screening.

Further Adaptation of the Swiss Open Air Cinema Concept

As known of Switzerland, the outdoor movie events took place at carefully chosen locations in the United Arab Emirates. Local catering partners provided a wide offer of food and beverages of high quality and thereby ensure the specific Open Air Cinema athmosphere. In Dubai the screen was set on the beach of the Hotel Madinat Jumeirah and offered a breathtaking view over the renown luxury hotel Burj Al Arab. Likewise, in Abu Dhabi, the Emirate Palace offers the adequate setting for the outdoor film event.

Over 90 tons of material, including the 400 meter screen, were shipped here from Switzerland. The screen was set up by a Cinerent OpenAir AG Team to be ready for the premiere on November 10th.

SwissOpenAir Concepts AG was responsible for the local organisation. They worked closely together with Cinerent OpenAir AG to adapt the Swiss OpenAir Cinema concept. Title sponsor was the real estate enterprise Hydra Properties.

Event homepage: www.hydraopenair.com

Source: Official Cinerent Press Release. Read full article at: http://cinerent.ch/pages/index.php?s=32&n=54&lng=2#54.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Hydra Open Air Cinema's First Outdoor Movie Screening in Abu Dhabi

Open Air Cinema — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:22:29 +0000

Following the success of Hydra Open Air Cinema’s first ever Middle Eastern appearance, the world’s largest outdoor movie experience began in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 1st, with a screening of the latest Bond film, Quantum of Solace.

Over 1800 people a night witnessed the spectacle of Hydra Open Air Cinema as it was showcased in Dubai, where they enjoyed the latest movies in one of the world’s most beautiful and iconic locations – on the beach at Mina A’salam, in the shadow of the Burj Al Arab.

“Dubai has been one of the most successful first-time outdoor movie screenings for the Open Air Cinema and we’re expecting to continue this in Abu Dhabi with around 2000 people each night,” said Swiss Open Air CEO Farzin Samadian. “With the cinema on show at the majestic Emirates Palace, its location rivals anything in the world and gives the experience an atmosphere of romance and excitement. Tonight’s show will open with a large laser show which we’re very much looking forward to sharing this with the residents of Abu Dhabi.”

One of the highlights of the 12 night outdoor movie event which ends on December 12, is a charity dinner for the Donate a Brick fundraising initiative for Special Care Centre, being held on Friday 5 in conjunction with the screening of Bolt, under the patronage of H. H. Sheikha Shamma Bin Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Special Care Centre (SCC) is an Abu Dhabi-based, self-funded institution that relies on donations and volunteers. For the last 18 years, the SCC has successfully run an educational facility for students with special needs in Abu Dhabi.

Hydra Open Air Cinema will celebrate National Day with the screening of Captain Hima, two weeks before its UAE cinematic release.

Also, Niko – The Way to the Stars and Genghis Khan are being showcased two weeks ahead of their UAE release dates.

“Most of the programs are UAE premiers and there is even one world premier, The Punisher 2, which is showing here, two weeks before its world release,” Samadian said.

Hydra Open Air Cinema is sponsored by Hydra Properties and supported by Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) and Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF)

For detailed movie listings, timings and ticket information, please visit www.hydraopenair.com

Read full article at: http://www.albawaba.com/en/countries/UAE/238260

Abu Dhabi, UAE: Outdoor Movies Presented by Switzerland's Open Air Cinema

Open Air Cinema — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:24:39 +0000

UAE residents will be treated with the region’s largest outdoor movie screen playing favorite films every night to relaxed crowds of movie lovers this November.

Hydra Properties will be the title sponsor of the giant outdoor movie screen, which rises six stories high and is accompanied by a 32-speaker digital surround sound system, playing Bollywood, Arabic and Hollywood blockbusters.

Charisma Events is the exclusive representative for the Swiss-based global entertainment giant Swiss OpenAir concept in the UAE.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi will each host 12 nights of Hydra Open Air Cinema, taking place from November 4 to 15 at Madinat Jumeirah Dubai and from the November 25 to December 6 at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

“At nightfall, the unforgettable show experience begins,” says Farzin Samadian, the CEO of Swiss OpenAir Concept. “Swiss Open Air offers so much more than mere outdoor movie screenings, the most important part of the Swiss Open Air concept is our careful selection of a first-class site with an outstandingly attractive atmosphere. Another key ingredient for an unforgettable Swiss Open Air evening is the catering we provide.”

“The high-quality cuisine, with selected beverages to suit, is so attractive that many guests arrive hours before screening time in order to relish the atmosphere with their friends.”

The outdoor movie screen lies unobtrusively across the water or land during daylight hours and at nightfall is hydraulically raised in under five minutes to stand six stores high.

“In only five minutes, our giant outdoor movie screen arises from its ‘sleeping’ position ready for the show,” Samadian says.

“This is an exciting musical prelude, full of anticipation and an outstanding lighting show which are the special ingredients of the Swiss Open Air experience.”

Outdoor Movies Travel from Switzerland, to Germany, to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Open Air Cinema — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:31:50 +0000

How does the idea of an open-air movie on the world’s largest-ever mobile screen grab you? For Dh50 a film, it’s a steal! For details, read on …

IMAGINE WATCHING the latest flick with the starlit sky above with the opulent Emirates Palace and Madinat Jumeirah as the backdrop. And if it comes with a 4,000-square feet, six-storey-high monster screen enhanced by 32-speaker digital surround sound system, the word to describe the experience — to borrow from teen lingo — would be “awesome!”

A nearly 2,000-capacity “theatre” with food stalls specially designed children’s entertainment area and two special family movie days, the atmosphere promises to be festive.

Swiss OpenAir, a patented concept of film viewing that travels around the world will be bringing the cinematic experience to our shores. Called the Hydra Open Air Cinema UAE 2008, the 24-night extravaganza is spread across 12 days each in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Frazin Samadian, Managing Partner Swiss OpenAir Concept AG fills in the details.

“The unique event is scheduled to take place from November 4 to 15 at Madinat Jumeirah Dubai, and from November 25 to December 6 at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, where the event will fall within the UAE National Day,” he says.

“Swiss OpenAir Concept, based in Switzerland has the largest-ever patented mobile hydraulic screen technology. The company invented the technique in 1989. The first movie screening was in Zurich, against a picturesque lake. It was a huge success. It then spread to Basel, Berne and later exported to Germany, South Korea, Australia, Brazil and Portugal. Since then, we travel around the world showing the latest movies. As I said, we now have 17 locations where it has become an annual event. You could call it a ritual, as movie aficionados wait for the screening. And now Abu Dhabi and Dubai have been added to the list and will be the 18th location. Here too it will become a yearly film festival.”

Something like a travelling circus company, this too travels with the entire paraphernalia of screen, the sound system and projectors, pitches its tent, builds temporary stadium-like seats, screens movies and packs up and leaves for the next destination. The “paraphernalia” in question comes packed in eight containers.

“We also bring the engineering team with us, as it’s a highly specialised technology. We are bringing here six technicians and a movie projectionist. We will hire labour locally for executing the task,” says Samadian.

“The screen weighs 70 tonnes. The dimensions of the screen are huge — 4,000-square feet — with a width of 35 metres and height of 18 metres. The projector is 35mm. The sound is digital, but the screen is not. It’s a pure original cinematic effect.” Explaining the concert or theatre-like viewing area, Samadian says it will be a grandstand with seats built at a gradient. The makeshift theatre will be covered from all sides with the top open to the skies. So it is virtually impossible for anyone to get a sneak viewing from a neighbourhood rooftop. Despite the 32-speaker digital surround sound system, thanks to a special technology, the sound will not spill over to the surrounding area.

“Though the atmosphere is open air and festive, we don’t want to dilute the effect of the artistic experience,” he explains.

“So it’s not going to be like an open-air picnic. There will be food outlets with international cuisine, set up by the host hotels at a reasonable price. But no food will be allowed inside. We will open the area two hours before viewing to give plenty of time for the audiences to enjoy the ambience and cuisine and socialise. There will be tents for pre-viewing entertainment, including VIP areas with special chalet-like tents. But once the screening starts, the focus is on the film.”

The films selected to be screened will be the latest releases premiering in the UAE, with each night dedicated to a theme. The movies will cater to the UAE’s multi-cultural demography from an array of genres, including comedies, action movies and thrillers. “But no horror films,” says Samadian. “Gulf Films and Shooting Star will be supplying the movies,” he adds.

“The opening night will be the Swiss Night. We plan to have an Arabic Night, an Indian Night, with a Bollywood movie screening, and then we have a Charity Night, and two Family Nights with movies suitable for children.

“Hollywood movies will, of course, form the major chunk of the menu and will cater to the diverse demography of this country. We have plans to invite several celebrities for each theme. But the list is still under wraps.”

Talking about the giant screen, Samadian says, “There’s nothing in the world like it. The screen will lie flat face down during the day, in case of Dubai, on the beach, and can be put up in about five to seven minutes. That itself is a unique experience.

“It’s a hydraulic brake technology which we have developed in Switzerland. The screen has an in-built protective cover on top. This has great scope for branding. And the interesting part is, it does not shake even if there is a strong breeze. “The screen comprises several smaller screens that fit seamlessly to form a huge screen. It takes four days to assemble it. And we test it two nights before.” When asked what the screen is made of, Samadian gives a mysterious smile and says, “It’s a secret. That’s why it’s patented.” What if something goes wrong? Is there a Plan B?

“We have been doing this for 20 years. Our team knows exactly which screw, nut and bolt goes where and can assemble it like clockwork. We also know what to do if the hydraulic system fails.”

The last event was in Düsseldorf in Germany and all the equipment will be shipped from there to Rotterdam and then to the UAE.

Why the UAE?

Samadian says, “We wanted to venture into the Middle East and Dubai is the happening place. It is culturally the ideal place. So we chose to come here.”

What about the vagaries of the weather? “We studied the market and weather conditions here for 18 months before inking the deal, since it’s an open-air concept,” he says. “We cannot screen films in summer. And the middle of winter might see unexpected showers. So we chose November as the ideal time. With pleasant weather, Mina Salam Beach as the backdrop, with the silhouette of Burj Al Arab, the experience would be wonderful. And in Abu Dhabi it will be in the garden area of the magnificent Emirates Palace.”

Samadian refuses to divulge how much this mega venture is going to cost. With ticket price at a modest Dh50 per person per show, what about profits? It won’t even help Swiss OpenAir break even.

“Oh, no! These shows cost a fortune to put up. Even Dh500 a ticket will not cover the costs. Imagine eight containers of equipment with the six storey-screen weighing 70 tonnes. We don’t hope to recoup our cost from ticket revenues. That will go to charity. An event of this magnitude is not possible without sponsorship. This is where our main sponsors Hydra Properties come in. That is why it is called the Hydra Open Air Cinema UAE 2008. Also, Hydra are into TV, music and entertainment. So we thought they were the right partners for us. We signed the deal in April 2008.

Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim, the CEO of Hydra Properties, a movie-buff himself, says, “Going to the movies is an integral part of life in the UAE, and we have taken this activity a step further by transforming the entire experience. We are sure that this will be a grand success. And the fact that we have a three-year deal with Swiss OpenAir Concept should reflect our confidence in this venture.” The branding opportunity and mileage from the events would certainly catapult the backers of this venture into a household name.

“With their local knowledge and our technical know-how, we are sure that we can give the UAE a unique annual show unlike anything they have seen,” says Samadian.

After Dubai and Abu Dubai. Where next? “Singapore and then probably India — the home of Bollywood movies! And next year, we are going to come back again for 12 nights.”

With great weather, fantastic locations and the best films all under the desert sky, the event promises to be modern-day Arabian nights.

Arabian nights

THE HYDRA Open Air Cinema UAE 2008 is scheduled to take place from November 4 to 15 at Madinat Jumeirah Dubai, and from November 25 to December 6 at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. There will be dedicated areas for children’s entertainment and two family days. There will be pre-screening entertainment and international cuisine outlets. Each ticket per show is priced at Dh50.

The doors will open at 7pm with the movie screening at 9.15pm. Fridays will be family nights. The doors will open at 5pm and the screening will be at 8pm. Except for one film, others are going to be premieres.

Tickets will be on sale at Virgin Mega Store outlets, who are the support sponsors. Online booking would also be possible, but the finer points of the sale of tickets are yet to be worked out.

NEW HORIZONS: Art, technology and culture will come together to make The Hydra Open Air Cinema UAE 2008 a memorable event in the UAE calendar, where movie buffs can watch films against the backdrop of Madinat Jumeirah.