The local media buzz surrounding City of Life is fueled by the excitement of a UAE generated picture. Despite Dubai International Film Festival’s (DIFF) six year history, there have been few UAE films by comparison.Ali F. Mostafa’s film has proven both worth the wait and worthy of the hype. To a packed theatre, as diverse as Dubai itself, City of Life played out before an expectant crowd.
City of Life: The Film
Throughout, the audience laughed at various images and scenes, ones only a Dubai resident would truly understand. Indeed despite any differences notable in the outside world, in the darkened theatre the spectators were united in their residency. From a Polaris juice at Al Ijar Cafeteria to threats of cutting of the family money to playboys and expat toils, City of Life portrayed the layers of Dubai in honesty. At the film’s end, after the applause had dwindled and the director had ceased his humbled bowing, a woman said, “Thank you. Thank you for portraying the real Dubai with sensitivity.”
Dubai: The Emirate
There is indeed a sensitivity surrounding some topics raised by the film. Whether warranted or self-imposed, a hesitance to touch on certain facets of Dubai: The poverty and ill treatment of many laborers, the government’s push for National Identity, the young generation of Emiratis some of whom were handed the wealth their fathers toiled for; the fathers and grandfathers who rose from Camel to car in so brief a time. Portrayed also are the expat women looking for money or love or career, or some combination thereof. And the men ready to take advantage of any one of those motivations.
Such undercurrents which ripple through Dubai are rarely given voice abroad. Indeed for a time, the portrait of Dubai seen abroad was the façade of splendor. The image of decadence which generated awe and wonder at the Emirate’s sudden rise to the top.
Behind the Curtain
Today the façade is cracking; even more so now due to Dubai’s debt announcement. Yet the Burj still stands, Ski Dubai still operates, and the aquarium is still dazzling ooglers. What Dubai is going through, may in the end be parallel to what the film’s main character endured. Faisal’s weakness is fear. Fear of not living up to the family name and reputation and the wealth that funds it all; and equally to falling short of his own hype. This fear destroyed him in many ways, yet in the end the audience can hope he survives it all. Hope that all Faisal experienced makes him come out of his adolescent escapades and emerge an adult.
Dubai Grows Up
Dubai too is suffering from bruised ego. Many here and abroad are wondering if this crisis marks the Emirate’s end as the region’s hot-spot. Will Dubai pull-through? Inshallah it will. The men and women who raised the Burj Al Arab from the sand will no doubt put up a fight equal to Faisal’s. Dubai will no doubt raise itself up and reemerge. If the unity so evident in the theatre during the film’s showing; if the respect even love for Dubai ventures out of the darkness and into the streets then Dubai will survive. It will be stronger and wiser. It will have grown up.
Director: Ali F. Mostafa
Producer: Ali F. Mostafa, Leigh Clarke, Tim Smythe
Main Cast: Alexandra Maria Lara, Sonu Sood, Jason Flemyng, Natalie Dormer, Ahmed Ahmed, Saoud Al Kaabi, The Narcicyst, Habib Ghuloom, Javeed Jaaferi, Susan George
Screenwriters: Ali F. Mostaf, Gerry Sherard
Editor: Raul Skopecz
Cinematographer: Michael Brierley
Composer: Barry Kirsch, Matt Faddy
Rachel Boehm - I was raised in Austin, Texas and graduated from Chapman University in Orange, California. Currently I work as a freelance writer based in ...
