Image Nation Abu Dhabi is inviting filmmakers and movie enthusiasts to take part in its Bopcorn & Sawaalef event this week, as the film club discusses the worldwide phenomenon of crowdfunding and how this simple concept can help local filmmakers to get their ideas off the ground and into production.

Taking place on April 22nd at the twofour54 campus in Abu Dhabi, Bopcorn & Sawaalef will host a talk by Vida Rizq, the founder of Aflamnah - the region’s very own digital platform for crowdfunding. The event will be moderated by Mohammed Al Otaiba, Head of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, and will introduce attendees to the concept of crowdfunding, and how it can be used locally as a new way to gather financial support for a variety of film projects.

Crowdfunding harnesses the power of the crowd, and is about getting the general public to connect with and support great ideas. People who are inspired by an idea or story can choose to make a financial contribution to a project, and this support adds up to help the idea get funded and made.

“The crowdfunding trend has grown steadily worldwide over the past few years, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring the idea to more local filmmakers in the UAE with our latest Bopcorn & Sawaalef event. I think attendees will learn a lot from the discussion, and hopefully will be inspired to push ahead with their film projects or ideas using this unique concept,” commented Mohammed Al Otaiba, Head of Image Nation Abu Dhabi.

Aflamnah is a digital crowdfunding platform that helps independent Arab filmmakers, artists, innovators, or thinkers to raise funds for their projects by getting people excited enough to financially support their idea, so they can make it a reality. Launched in July 2012, the platform has since brought crowdfunding to the region.

With Aflamnah’s support, films such as “When I Saw You” by writer and director Annemarie Jacir, which won Best Film at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival last year and also Best Asian Film at Berlin this year, and “Little” by director Nagham Osman, which won Best Documentary Development Award at the Cairo Film Connection, have benefited.

“Aflamnah was born out of a belief that culture and creativity are extremely important and we want to encourage and motivate people with ideas, to make them happen. We want to make sure money is not the obstacle and that if someone has a good idea and is serious about it, they will do everything in their power to make it a reality,” commented Aflamnah founder, Vida Rizq.

“We love the community spirit of crowdfunding and the way it invites friends, family members and complete strangers to participate and not just watch from a distance. Most of all, it creates new and exciting stories and helps us celebrate and share in the success of extremely talented people around us. It’s a perfect win-win scenario where we are all creating culture together” added Rizq.

Nagham Osman, director of “Little”, commented: “Little’s life with Aflamnah spans more than just the three months of campaigning on the platform. When I launched, I just wanted to make my first documentary. I started working on my campaign two months before launch. At the beginning, I spent hours going through rewrites, working on a trailer, deciding on perks, setting attainable goals only to find out that I was about to achieve more than I set out to do.

“I am extremely grateful to the Aflamnah team and for all the people who backed up the project. Their advice, support and energy has made me a lucky one. It’s always going to be my reference point to making my dreams happen without giving up. My first project will come to an end soon but I know my personal growth as a writer and director is a never-ending one. Thank you for making this more than a crowd-funding experience early on in my career.”

Bopcorn & Sawaalef is a monthly film club that hosts informative, fun and interactive screenings and forums for film enthusiasts. The Bopcorn & Sawaalef crowd funding event will take place on April 22nd 2013 from 6pm to 8pm at twofour54 (within the lime green building). For more information, visit the group’s Facebook page on: http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/251677184919963/ or email bopcornandsawaalef@imagenation.ae

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