Broadcasters of Tomorrow

Iran: One time radical students become establishment

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:14:00 +0000

The Guardian published this excellent commentary on how the students who brought about great political change are now resisting it in order to maintain power.
"The remarkable refusal of Iran's Reformist opposition to give in, and the regime's increasing air of desperation as it attempts, with diminishing legitimacy, to force it to do so, has left many observers, foreign and domestic, wondering whether the second Iranian revolution is finally underway....
The fanatical students who drove an American president to ruin, the faithful warriors who faced down Saddam Hussein and his western backers during eight years of war, the ideologues who uniquely placed their supreme leader, the Vali al-Faqih, on the right hand of God, have now themselves become the establishment they so abhorred – incompetent, corrupt, and reviled."
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VIDEO: UAE Students on CNN discuss the future of the Middle East, the Taliban and Karzai.

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:09:00 +0000

The American University of Sharjah is one of the top universities in the Gulf region. CNN featured an interview with two students from the American University of Sharjah discussing some of the issues in the Middle East.
It must have been an intimidating setting for a couple of students but they did great!.

U.A.E. Removes Sunday London Times From Newsstands

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:58:00 +0000

The Wall Street Journal just reported that the U.A.E. authorities have removed the Sunday London Times from newsstands. There are several schools teaching Media and Communication studies in the UAE, including The American University of Sharjah, The Higher Colleges of Technology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Zayed University, etc . I'd like to hear from media students or professors, what are your thoughts? Here's the text and a link to the full story: By Andrew Critchlow
DUBAI -- The Sunday London Times newspaper was removed by authorities from shelves in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday amid intensive reporting of Dubai's debt problems, an executive at the paper said.
The National Media Council ordered the paper blocked by distributors without providing a reason, an executive at the paper in Dubai told Zawya Dow Jones. The Sunday Times edition available in the U.A.E. on Nov. 29 featured a double-page spread graphic illustrating Dubai's ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum sinking in a sea of debt. The Times wasn't given a reason for the block, or a timeframe when it will be lifted, the executive said.
A government official in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the U.A.E., said that the picture of Sheik Mohammed, which accompanied a story entitled: The sinking of Dubai's dream, was "offensive."
Under the U.A.E.'s media code, publications are prohibited from criticizing the sheikdom's rulers. Local media and government officials have criticized international press coverage of Dubai's debt crisis. Markets around the world fell last week after the government requested a debt standstill for one of its biggest conglomerates.
Earlier this month Dubai's Sheik Mohammed told reporters gathered at an investment conference in the city to "shut up" and stop criticizing the emirate and its crucial relationship with Abu Dhabi.
Dubai is struggling to deal with it debts estimated to exceed $80 billion.
The Sunday Times is part of News International, a unit of News Corp., owner of Dow Jones & Co. The Times and The Sunday Times are published in the U.A.E. through a local partner SAB Media.

Iraqi Journalism Student in Abu Dhabi

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:58:00 +0000

Zahraa Al Khalisi, an Iraqi national studying at The University of Western Ontario's Masters of Arts in Journalism program in Canada, is the program's first student to intern in the Middle East. Zahraa spent 6 weeks as an intern at Abu Dhabi's daily newspaper: The National. The first assignment was a camel "beauty contest," which isn't unusual in the UAE. After the contest, camels were bought and sold with more than Dh25 million (US$6.8m) changing hands.

Zahraa Al Khalisi's full story.

Middle East International Film Festival

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:05:00 +0000

The Abu Dhabi film festival is over, but we're continuing to publish our interviews with student filmmakers who were selected for competition. It's been great to see student filmmakers from a variety of cultures sharing information about their education and inspiration.
Below are interviews with some of the festival's award winners
The Award for Best Emerging Student Filmmaker went to Serena Abi Aad. (interview below)
The Award for Best Narrative, Student Filmmaker, went to Burhan Qurabni. (interview still to come)

Jasmine Kosovic. American Filmmaker Interview

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 22:12:00 +0000

Name: JASMINE KOSOVIC
Place of Birth: NEW YORK CITY
I Currently Live In: VENICE, CALIFORNIA
Last (or Current) School Attended: AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE’S DIRECTING WORKSHOP FOR WOMEN

My Film: KATE WAKES

Which Family Member Gave You the Most Inspiration: My cousin Daghi, who introduced me to avant garde theatre, and my cousin Velimir, who introduced me to the Beatles!

As a Student, What’s the Most Helpful Class You've Taken?

This may not seem to be connected to filmmaking but for me it is. The class was some sort of survey of modern American politics, but it was the teacher, not the class that made it so important to me. I took the class in college (I went to Barnard College, Columbia University) and in that class I learned how to write properly, even strongly. How to argue my case, be consistent in theme, thesis, etc. This way of thinking came up all the time when I was directing my short; I was always asking myself, “is this way I’m going to place the camera, this way I’m directing the actors/lighting the scene, adding music/etc. “– are these serving my theme?

If I Could Cast One Professional Actor it Would it Be?
Juliette Binoche. I’m writing a script now with her in mind for one of the parts. So she is lodged in my brain at the moment!

My Three Favorite Films: Oh! This is almost impossible! OK, OK… Well, Jim Jarmusch’s STANGER THAN PARADISE made me want to become a director. It was the first time that I saw and understood that film is more than the sum of its parts, that it is a language all its own. Believe it or not, I love Steven Spielberg’s E.T. Federico Fellini’s 8/12 affected me profoundly.

My Three Most Prized Possessions are:
The people in my life are what I prize the most. They’re not possessions, I know, but they are what make my heart whole.

Philipp Yuryev. Russian Filmmaker Interview

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:36:00 +0000

Name: Philipp Yuryev
Place of Birth: Russia, Moscow
I Currently Live In: Moscow
Last (or Current) School Attended: I graduated from The Moscow Gymnasium and now I am studing in The State Institute of cinematography (VGIK)

My Film: “ The Morning in Other eyes”

As a Student, What's the Most Helpful Class You've Taken? The classes of masterpieces of filming by our professor, the famous russian director Aleksey Ychitel. He is the director of many brilliant fiction and documentaries films.
Which Family Member Gave You the Most Inspiration? My uncle Michael Yuryev, the businessman. Now he is going to produce a very interesting film project, it is his first experience. And one more member is my mother, a great fan of cinema. She works on Russian TV as an editor.

If I Could Cast One Professional Actor It Would be? It is very difficult question. I like Jenifer Lopes in films of Almodovar, I should like to try Scarlet Johanson (I like her play very much in Woody Allen's films). And?... of course, Nicole Kidman

My Three Favorite Films: "The Mystery Train” and “ Broken Flowers” by Jim Jarmusch “Everything About My Mother” by Almodovar “The Sky Above Berlin” by Vim Venders.

My 3 Most Prized Possessions Are: 1. I think that my most valuable prize was the prize of audience’s sympathies in the festival of my institute, VGIK. 2. The diploma for the most unexpectable decision of the plot in my second film “ The changed landscape”. 3. The invitation to present my film in child oncological hospital.

Serena Abi Aad. Arab Filmmaker Interview

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:31:00 +0000

This is our first in a series of interviews from the Arab students presenting at the Middle East International Film Festival. Filmmaking in the region has improved at an amazing rate and these filmmakers are the people to watch. They are the stars of the future!

Name: Serena Abi Aad
Place of Birth: Beirut
I Currently Live In: Dubai
Last (or Current) School Attended: IESAV - (USJ)

My Film: The Lullaby
As a Student, What's the Most Helpful Class You've Taken?
Sound editing and mixing (using protools), and Film directing I and II

If I Could Cast One Professional Actor It Would be?
Julia Roberts

My Three Favorite Films:
Requiem For a Dream, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, L'Auberge Espagnole.

My Three Most Prized Possessions are: My interior design books. i can not live without them. if i get any excess luggage when I'm traveling it's because of those books. The films i've made...because...well there isn't much to explain here :) and my sunglasses. i have a collection of those :)

An interview from Copenhagen, Denmark, where Serena was completing post production on her latest documentary film 'Life Under Construction'.

Interviews From Film Festival in Abu Dhabi

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:50:00 +0000

In celebration of the Abu Dhabi based Middle East International Film Festival, and its recognition of student films, we're publishing interviews from great young film makers. We're also publishing articles (below) from the archives where students wrote about Arabic films, and even one critical article from 2006 about the Dubai film festival.
The festival runs until Oct. 19 and features an international competition for Student Films.

Below is a short video clip of two Arabic student filmmakers from the American University of Sharjah, talking about their first films.

VIDEO: Arab Film Students' Movie Clips

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:00:00 +0000

Two Arab students discuss their first films. The music and film clips are all directly from their films.

UAE Filmmakers Tackle Sensitive Issues?

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:44:00 +0000

This story was originally published two years ago. Of course many advances have been made since then. Nevertheless, it's critical of the Dubai film festival and indicative of how blogs can be used to say things mainstream media, who sponsor such festivals, can't.
IndieWire reported on emerging Emirati filmmakers being celebrated at the Dubai International Film Festival. My favourite line in the story comes from Waleed Al Shehhi, whose film "Ahmad Sulaiman" offers a glimpse into the life of a one-legged, mute Emirati. He said "We have no problem discussing sensitive issues in the UAE, " adding, "our films try to reflect aspects of our society."
Hmm..."aspects of our society"....has anyone seen a film about exploiting construction workers or a story about Dubai's inability to regulate traffic violators which results in one of the highest death tolls in the world? It's great local filmmakers are getting exposure. Hopefully this will inspire more Emiratis to make films about local sensitive issues.
After all, it took an Australian, using hidden cameras, to tell the story of 7 year old camel jockeys who were abused by their local keepers. While the prized camels were taken for daily dips in their custom built swimming pools and received the best medical care that money could buy the filmmakers shot images of the child jockeys, sleeping on floors in ramshackle huts. Their film tackled a "sensitive issue" and camel jockeys are now banned, but I didn't see that footage being celebrated here in the UAE.

Saudi Film Keif Al Hal

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:04:00 +0000

In 2006 on of the producers of the Saudi film Keif Al Hal spoke to film students.
The American University of Sharjah has some of the best film students in the Middle East. They've won awards and traveled to the U.S. to screen their films at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Today in class we watched a CNN story about a film made by producers from Saudi Arabia. The film is called ‘Keif Al-Hal’ (Arab News Link). It's set in Saudi Arabia but won't be seen in cinemas in Saudi because there are no public film screenings there. Note, in Saudi you can attend a public stoning but not a film. Students got into a debate about the film and the CNN coverage. The film shows women driving, which is still forbidden in Saudi. The film also features a very aggressive, fundamentalist, brother character who meddles in his sister’s romantic life. The piece included an interview with the Saudi actress who spoke about her personal decision not to wear a veil or any traditional head covering both on and off screen. I've invited students to comment. ‘Keif Al-Hal’ has already played elsewhere in the gulf and at International festivals.

VIDEO: Arab Sex Education and Islam

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:36:00 +0000

Sex education is a hot topic in the Middle East. In some regions sex education is available on Television programs. In other places it’s forbidden. Most of the students in this class didn’t receive any comprehensive, formal sex education in school. They decided to debate the issue. The video is only a short clip from a live debate.

CNN Dubai

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 04:59:00 +0000

We visited the CNN office in Dubai in June 2006. CNN has broken international stories from the Dubai office. The offices produces video and text content for cnnarabic.com. The Office was surprisingly small but everyone looked to be very busy.

Best Arab University Survey

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 02:03:00 +0000

Which Arab University is the best? If you or your friends are studying at a University in Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait, or Qatar please take this short survey. It will help others learn about University in the region.
Egypt ¦ Kuwait ¦ Lebanon ¦ Oman ¦ Qatar ¦ Saudi Arabi ¦ United Arab Emirates

Then take one more short survey. It's your chance to tell us which is the best overall university in terms of social life, Respect for women, religious values, faculty, etc. Please take the survey and tell your friends. We'll publish the results in one month. Add us to your favorite list and check back!

Moroccan Blogger Released

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:42:00 +0000

The AP is reporting that Mohamed Erraji (see the story below) has been released but must appeal his two year sentence. The Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders said "the Moroccan judicial system must now hear his appeal in a proper manner. We hope the outcome will be fair."
One can only wonder about the significance of the online reaction to his situation. Blogs and Internet-based journalists were all over his story and a Facebook group was created. Curiously I didn't see the story in print (my local paper or national papers). A quick check of the International Herald Tribune and the New York Times came up with no stories.

Al Jazeera

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:39:00 +0000

This is the Al Jazeera video control room at their headquarters in Doha, Qatar. It's one of the best I've seen anywhere in the world! Unlike many other broadcasters in the region, Al Jazeera makes a big effort to train and hire local staff. The staff are mostly from Qatar. Other Arabic TV stations we visited didn't have as many Arabs working behind the scenes.
Al Jazeera was very accommodating. They let us poke around everywhere. We visited the Al Jazeera training centre, the 24-hour news channel and the Al Jazeera Children's Channel.
In Canada, my home, strict broadcast regulations make it difficult for cable operators to provide the channel. Consequently, many people watch Al Jazeera through black market satellite dishes.

Morocco: Blogger Arrested, Sentenced Immediately

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 04:23:00 +0000

Moroccan blogger Mohammed Raji was arrested at his home in Agadir. An article that Raji had posted on Hespress is said to be the source of the conflict. It was critical of the Moroccan King.
American blogger A Moro in America, has a good post about bloggers and the press in Morocco which, according to Global Voices, is one of the better free speech zones in Muslim North Africa.

Dubai Debt Toxic?

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:50:00 +0000

This from the Telegraph:
"This has been the most spectacular spending mission on Earth. But it's a mirage. If complex debt structures have brought the financial world to its knees, Dubai is the world's biggest toxic timebomb."
This from David Eldon, chairman of the DIFC authority, "Dubai has declared it can cover its debt for the next seven quarters. The infrastructure in Dubai is very good, the regulations are sound and there is openness to business. The city has strong economic fundamentals."
Time will tell.

Blogs & Facebook in Egypt Seen as Dangerous

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:21:00 +0000

More Egyptian bloggers have been arrested. Amnesty International on Saturday urged the authorities in Egypt to free 16 Internet activists jailed for more than two weeks for "threatening national security." Amnesty International believes them to be prisoners of conscience, detained merely for exercising their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.
This after a group of people Egypt calls "Internet activists" used their '6 April Youth' Facebook group, to organise a group of about 30 young people who gathered on a beach in Alexandria for a peaceful protest. That's when the 16 were arrested. Public protests are illegal under the state of emergency in force in Egypt for 27 years.
"Amnesty International believes all 16 to be prisoners of conscience, detained for their participation in a peaceful protest. Bloggers continue to face threats and harassment for their work as rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly continue to be restricted in Egypt," it said.

Iran Blogs = Death Penalty ?

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:31:00 +0000

Harvard’s Internet and Democracy blog reports Iran drafted a bill "establishing weblogs and sites promoting corruption, prostitution and apostasy", as crimes punishable by death. If the bill is passed, publish a blog in Iran and you could get the death penalty.
The new bill states those convicted of these crimes "should be punished as 'mohareb' (enemy of God) and 'corrupt on the earth."
Blogging in Iran is very popular. Cyber-savvy young Iranians have been criticising the political system for years.
In fact, Arab blogs are growing at a rapid rate despite bloggers being jailed for blogging. (See our previous posts) The February 2007 edition of the Columbia Journalism Review said that “blogging has taken off in the Arab world because it presents an opportunity to reclaim individuality. In a region where leaders, be they Hassan Nasrallah or Ismail Haniya, claim to speak on behalf of all Arabs, a blog is a chance to contradict, to undermine, and to assert. “
It seems that the Iranian bill is not likely to pass since only 19 members of the Majlis have signed on. At least 129 votes would be needed for it to be approved.
What do you think about the power of Arab bloggers to affect change and the power of authorities to stop them? Please post a comment.

Celebrating over 250,000 Clicks!

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:30:00 +0000

To celebrate this excellent achievement we’ve posted some of the most interesting comments.
By sharing this blog with a friend or posting a comment you've sparked debate, bridged cultural boundaries and sometimes just made us laugh.
Please check out the new Comments pages and see what everyone is saying.
Thanks for making this blog such a success! On behalf of the student contributors, and the folks who provide tips and story ideas, thanks for the clicks. New Comments Page

VIDEO: "Sex" Tutor Gets Her Job Back

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:00:00 +0000

Following the previous post (below) about an art teacher in the United Arab Emirates who was afraid she'd lose her job if she displayed classical art featuring nudity in class comes this: A teacher in the U.K. was suspended from a private school after pupils spotted her in a raunchy video. There is no doubt that if this happened in the UAE the teacher would be fired. A teacher I know was fired for merely blogging, somewhat anonymously, about her frustrating experiences in the U.A.E.
But in the U.K. this teacher was merely suspended and got her job back.
The video was made while the 25-year-old was a student, before she started work as an English teacher at Stockport Grammar School in Manchester in 2006.
Full Story

The Art Teacher's Dilemma

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:17:00 +0000

I was speaking with art teacher at a major university here in the UAE. She wants to expose her Emirati students to the basics of art history; the students have a curious nature and desire to learn. But the art teacher is reluctant to show imagery in the classics that could be deemed "inappropriate," specifically images of nudity.
This dilemma never really goes away here and, unfortunately, in most cases, self censorship rules. This happens because in many academic settings here there are no formal "rules." Self censorship can be more detrimental to teaching as people tend to err on the side of precaution. The teacher also wants to take the students on a road trip to Italy and France. The teacher said that most of her female Emirati students would not be permitted to take a trip, without family, for this purpose.
This was a timely discussion given the controversy about NYU's plans to open a complete liberal-arts university Abu Dhabi.

Moroccan Facebook User Jailed

noreply@blogger.com (UAE Students) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:45:00 +0000

The Moroccan government arrested a Facebook user, Fouad Mourtada, for creating a fake profile of a Moroccan prince, as a "joke." The Wall Street Journal reports Facebook denied providing Mourtada's personal information to Moroccan authorities.
How did Moroccan authorities hack Mourtada's Facebook page to get personal info?
The Committee to Protect Bloggers suspects Facebook may have provided the personal info and be lying, adding "it will be impossible to take its denial at face value until and unless the means of discovering Mourtada’s identity becomes public."
The C.P.B. suspects Facebook may have provided the info, in keeping with Facebook's user agreement which says it will share information with law enforcement and other government agencies “when it has a good faith belief it is legally obligated to do so.”
Mourtada was sentenced to three years in prison for creating the satirical Facebook profile.