# Emirati Filmmakers on Building a Local Cinema Ecosystem: ‘We Have a Long Way to Go’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/emirati-filmmakers-on-building-a-local-cinema-ecosystem-we-have-a-long-way-to-go/
- Published: 2026-10-30T14:58:14+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-30T15:35:40+00:00
- Original publisher: Variety
- Original article: https://variety.com/2026/film/global/emirati-filmmakers-mangrove-house-oug-sharjah-film-festival-1236934848/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film, Music

## Key points

- Two Emirati films are competing at Sharjah’s youth film festival.
- Filmmakers say local cinema needs stronger infrastructure and support.
- Meylas Aflam has held four sold-out screenings this year.

## Summary

Emirati filmmakers Khalid Al Mahmood and Abdulrahman Al Madani are presenting the only Emirati films in competition at the Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth. Their films arrive amid renewed momentum for local cinema, but the filmmakers say sustaining a home-grown industry still depends on better infrastructure, funding and ways to reach audiences.

Al Mahmood’s musical *The Mangrove House* follows two deaf brothers and their sister, while Al Madani’s family drama *Oug* received a grant from the UAE Ministry of Culture. Al Madani has also launched Meylas Aflam to give Emirati short films screenings beyond festivals; it has held four sold-out events this year, with discussions lasting up to an hour. He says his films have attracted millions of YouTube views, challenging the idea that local audiences are not interested in stories from their own lives.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.