ABU DHABI - As part of its strategic objective to support to the cinema and film industry in the UAE, the National Media Council, NMC, has launched the National Programme for Supporting Emirati Films.

The programme was launched during a ceremony the NMC hosted today at the Etihad Museum in Dubai to sign a set of agreements with the film distribution companies and cinema theatres in the UAE.

The NMC's strategy for supporting cinema and film industry is based on key pillars to support Emirati film producers and local talents, with the aim of enriching the cinematic content, promoting Emirati films locally, regionally and internationally, and building partnerships with the leading platforms for films and contents production.

"The NMC, has realised the importance of local films to highlighting the UAE’s national identity, as well as the reality of the community, based on openness, development and coexistence," said Mansour Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Director General, National Media Council.

He explained that the programme aims to improve the quality of local films and provide an environment for Emirati talent to excel in the sector, which will establish the country’s positive image around the world.

"The UAE is capable of answering the requirements of cinematic productions in terms of available infrastructure, studios and world-class technical equipment used for shooting and directing films. The NMC also aims to support workers in this sector to achieve greater accomplishments, by establishing a regional and international partnership and cooperation, which will promote Emirati films and showcase them in Gulf and regional cinemas, as well as in international electronic entertainment platforms," he added.

The Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, was signed by Dr. Rashid Al Nuaimi, Executive Director of Media Affairs at the NMC, and the general managers of various film companies.

The institutions participating in the MoU include Real Cinemas, Prime Pictures, Cinema City, Tanweer, Italia Film, Majid Al Fahim, Frontrow, Novo Cinemas, Eagle Cinema, Empire, Meraas, Roxy Cinema, Grand Entertainment, Farz Film, World Wide Film, Gulf Film and Al Nisr Film.

The MoU stipulates that film distribution companies will increase the exposure of Emirati movies and show them abroad. Several international movies were filmed in the UAE, including "Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol" in 2011, "The Fast and Furious 7" in 2015, and "Star Trek-Beyond" in 2016.

In 2018 and the start of 2019, the NMC held a series of meetings with media institutions and content production companies in the country, to show them the list of local content and observe their needs. The NMC also launched an age classification system for various media and artistic content, including films.

The NMC signed an MoU in November, with the aim of supporting and encouraging the local film industry, which will strengthen national identity, promote the values of belonging and loyalty to the nation, and support the efforts of the country’s media institutions to encourage the production and transmission of local content, as well as to train national manpower to be innovative and work with modern technologies, in line with the requirements of the entire community.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2019.