The festival’s third edition focuses on global water challenges with a series of international and regional film screenings and panel discussions
Al Sidr Environmental Film Festival has announced its engaging two-day programme set to take place on 22 and 23 October at the Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi.
In line with the Year of Sustainability in the UAE and COP28’s vision, Al Sidr Environmental Film Festival emphasises the essential role of water in achieving environmental sustainability.
The festival collaborates with EAD to spotlight the environment, leadership, and COP28’s goals, promoting a sustainable future for all, while highlighting the theme of “Water” and its crucial connection to climate change, ecological equilibrium, and human survival.
The program’s theme serves as a reminder of the invaluable significance of water in addressing global challenges. The event presents a curated selection of ten regional and international films, exploring water’s diverse facets – from its cultural importance to its critical role in our ecosystems.
The programme welcomes the public at the Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi, with sessions scheduled from 3 to 7.30 pm on Sunday and 6 pm to 7.30 pm on Monday.
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On the first day, the programme commences with a Presentation on Water and Activism by environmentalist Rasha Saleh. The screening includes the short film The Whelming Sea, a journey into the lives of animals on the sea’s edge, and the French film The First Days by Stephane Breton, offering a mesmerising exploration of nature’s power on the beaches of Chile.
The evening unfolds with a series of short films from the U.S. and Lebanon and then a notable feature documentary, Stepping Softly on Earth, a compelling story of the struggles of indigenous peoples from Latin America.
The festival presents to the UAE community an early Arab environmental cinema activist–Syrian film director Omar Amiralay. The festival screens his classic film, Everyday Life in a Syrian Village. The evening also showcases other local Arab initiatives from the Reef Festival in Lebanon and the Dibeen Lab in Jordan.
The program’s second day includes an insightful EAD presentation followed by an Egyptian short film, Drowning Fish, and a fiction feature film from India, The Whispers of Fire and Water. The film is a poignant story about a sound artist searching for equilibrium in a world out of balance.
In 2022, the Al Sidr Environmental Film Festival held its second edition at Manarat Al Saadiyat under the theme “Oasis Paradox,” attracting more than 1000 visitors. The festival’s 2023 program aims to raise awareness in the public towards exploring vital environmental issues and fostering a deeper connection to the planet through the art of film.
Date
22 and 23 October
Location
Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi
For further information on events around Abu Dhabi, visit Yalla Abu Dhabi Life
