UAE Filmmaking beyond Arabization, Cosmopolitanism, and Exceptionalism

More than 60 feature‑length narrative films have been produced in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since the first in 1988. Few, however, have generated an excitement to suggest Emirati filmmaking may become popular culture. The first supported by the state‑owned media company, Image Nation Abu Dhabi,...

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Main Author: Dale Hudson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Centre Français d’Archéologie et de Sciences Sociales de Sanaa 2021-02-01
Series:Arabian Humanities
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/arabianhumanities/6297
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author Dale Hudson
author_facet Dale Hudson
author_sort Dale Hudson
collection DOAJ
description More than 60 feature‑length narrative films have been produced in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since the first in 1988. Few, however, have generated an excitement to suggest Emirati filmmaking may become popular culture. The first supported by the state‑owned media company, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, was Djinn (2013), staged local folklore of a female djinn under the direction of a Hollywood filmmaker. It was lampooned by critics and largely ignored by audiences. This article considers how and when Emirati filmmaking might become part of a UAE film culture by revaluating frameworks that define UAE film audiences and by comparing two films that feature Emirati citizens, alongside Arab, European, and South Asian expatriates to move discussions beyond Arabization, cosmopolitanism, and exceptionalism.
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record_format Article
series Arabian Humanities
spelling doaj-art-cf1e8993aac2459d8877a218eeef372a2025-08-20T01:52:31ZengCentre Français d’Archéologie et de Sciences Sociales de SanaaArabian Humanities2308-61222021-02-011410.4000/cy.6297UAE Filmmaking beyond Arabization, Cosmopolitanism, and ExceptionalismDale HudsonMore than 60 feature‑length narrative films have been produced in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since the first in 1988. Few, however, have generated an excitement to suggest Emirati filmmaking may become popular culture. The first supported by the state‑owned media company, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, was Djinn (2013), staged local folklore of a female djinn under the direction of a Hollywood filmmaker. It was lampooned by critics and largely ignored by audiences. This article considers how and when Emirati filmmaking might become part of a UAE film culture by revaluating frameworks that define UAE film audiences and by comparing two films that feature Emirati citizens, alongside Arab, European, and South Asian expatriates to move discussions beyond Arabization, cosmopolitanism, and exceptionalism.https://journals.openedition.org/arabianhumanities/6297migrationcosmopolitanismUnited Arab EmiratesArab cinemaMiddle Eastern cinemaPersian Gulf
spellingShingle Dale Hudson
UAE Filmmaking beyond Arabization, Cosmopolitanism, and Exceptionalism
Arabian Humanities
migration
cosmopolitanism
United Arab Emirates
Arab cinema
Middle Eastern cinema
Persian Gulf
title UAE Filmmaking beyond Arabization, Cosmopolitanism, and Exceptionalism
title_full UAE Filmmaking beyond Arabization, Cosmopolitanism, and Exceptionalism
title_fullStr UAE Filmmaking beyond Arabization, Cosmopolitanism, and Exceptionalism
title_full_unstemmed UAE Filmmaking beyond Arabization, Cosmopolitanism, and Exceptionalism
title_short UAE Filmmaking beyond Arabization, Cosmopolitanism, and Exceptionalism
title_sort uae filmmaking beyond arabization cosmopolitanism and exceptionalism
topic migration
cosmopolitanism
United Arab Emirates
Arab cinema
Middle Eastern cinema
Persian Gulf
url https://journals.openedition.org/arabianhumanities/6297
work_keys_str_mv AT dalehudson uaefilmmakingbeyondarabizationcosmopolitanismandexceptionalism