AFLAM, a monthly film club that aims to show the best of Arabic independent cinema in Abu Dhabi will be screening ‘Rough Hands’ by Moroccan director, producer and screenwriter Mohamed Asli. The screening will be held at VOX Cinemas, Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi at 8pm on Wednesday 28th November. Guests are invited to arrive at 7pm for an hour of networking.

‘Rough Hands’ is a heart-warming story about those who have no choice but to bend the law in order to survive in Casablanca. The plot revolves around an illiterate 40 year old barber, Mustapha, whose secret side business is ‘facilitating’ paperwork using the privileged access he has to his clients: retired prominent government officials and bourgeois families. Meanwhile, Mustapha’s next door neighbour Zakia, a 30 year old schoolteacher, seeks his assistance when she learns of an opportunity to work in a strawberry field in Spain that will allow her to join her fiancé. To be granted a temporary visa, Zakia must prove she is married with children and that she has ‘rough hands’. Despite Mustapha’s efforts in forging her documents and her mother’s specially concocted hand-roughening cream, another destiny awaits Zakia.

‘Rough Hands’ took part in several film festivals around the world, including the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Arabian Sights Film Festival (USA), Cleveland International Film Festival, Arab Film Festival (Germany) and others.

In addition to the feature film, AFLAM will screen twofour54 creative lab-funded short film ‘Ostora’ by Emirati writer Faysal Al Sheryani. ‘Ostora’ is a mythical tale about a mermaid in the Arabian Sea who falls victim to her own curiosity and is meant to pay tribute to the history and heritage of the UAE. As a mixed media animation, ‘Ostora’ received nominations to 26 regional and international film festivals, including the International Oriental Film Festival in Switzerland, the 3D Film Festival in the USA, the Gulf Film Festival in the UAE and many others in London, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Tanzania and Ukraine. Most recently, ‘Ostora’ has received its first international prize with the ‘Special Picture’ award at the 3D Korea International Film Festival.

Supported by twofour54, AFLAM was launched based on the success of a film club that Nayla Al Khaja and D-SEVEN Motion Pictures founded in Dubai in November 2007, and aims to provide a platform for all film industry members and fans to network and view quality regional films in Abu Dhabi. Subtitled in English, all AFLAM films have an international appeal with most having been screened at major film festivals around the globe. The founders of AFLAM are proud to have introduced such a platform to Abu Dhabi and continue to support a vibrant film culture in the UAE.

Offering complimentary seats, Arabic and English subtitles, a chance to talk to film directors and a forum for industry professionals and film fans to network, AFLAM encourages guests to arrive on time as seating is offered on a “first come first served” basis. Guests are invited to reserve their complimentary tickets online at www.aflamclub.com and to then collect them at the AFLAM Registration Desk at VOX Cinemas Marina Mall Abu Dhabi from 7.00pm. The AFLAM networking lounge will also be open from 7.00pm.

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