There's a seriously cool film festival happening in Abu Dhabi this week
Clear your calendars and prepare to lean into the art of storytelling, because CineMAS 2025 is back and it's bringing serious indie film energy to Manarat Al Saadiyat.
Running from May 26 to June 1, this weeklong festival of independent cinema isn't just about watching movies – it's about sparking conversations, honouring heritage, unpacking identities and maybe even rethinking your place in the world.
Split into seven themed days, CineMAS 2025 sets the stage for daring films curated by some of the region's sharpest cinematic minds.
It all kicks off with Moral Frictions on Monday – a programme shaped by Triplets on Set – which dissects institutional decay through the eyes of beleaguered educators in The Teacher's Lounge and About Dry Grasses. It's the kind of viewing that leaves your mind racing long after the credits roll.
Tuesday's Hidden Truths, curated by Arab Film Studio, lifts the veil on the intimate corners of Emirati life, with a selection of shorts that tackle everything from loss to shame with a raw emotional punch. These aren't just stories – they're lived experiences turned into visual poetry.
Midweek, things get environmental. Earth, Unmuted, from The Climate Tribe, serves up a climate reality check with the haunting Invisible Demons and the award-winning Honeyland, reminding us that climate collapse isn't future fiction – it's already here and it's human-made.
By Thursday, it's all about roots. Ancestral Echoes brings heritage to the forefront with Rituals: Memories of a Wedding and The Way of Our Ancestors, a gentle, evocative call to remember who we are and where we came from – and maybe light a candle for what we've forgotten.
Friday tightens the emotional screws with Pressure Point, curated by Like Minds. Saudi noir Mandoob sits alongside the chaotic charm of Be Kind, Rewind, creating a space where memory, labour and grief collide in unexpected ways.
Saturday leans into duplicity with Double Lives, a gritty double bill tracing fractured identities and collapsing systems from Algiers to Hong Kong. Think crime, corruption and loyalties hanging by a thread.
The festival closes on a high – or rather, a haunting – with Futures on Hold from NYUAD, featuring three Arab films that confront statelessness and disillusionment head-on. Mahdi Fleifel's To A Land Unknown, Laila Abbas's razor-sharp Thank You for Banking with Us and Scandar Copti's Happy Holidays are each an aching reminder of what happens when identity becomes unstable ground.
Beyond the screen, CineMAS 2025 also delivers side events like DINE W/ME, Creative Circle and Like Minds Gatherings, turning Manarat Al Saadiyat into a creative ecosystem pulsing with bold ideas, new voices and much-needed dialogue.
So if you're tired of sequels and superhero fatigue, CineMAS 2025 is your passport to something real – challenging, local, urgent and unforgettable.
From Dhs30. Mon May 26 to Sun June 1. Manarat Al Saadiyat. manaratalsaadiyat.ae.
More going on in Abu Dhabi
UAE residents can now save big time on flights thanks to a new Skyscanner feature
No complaints here
You can now get a robotaxi from Zayed International Airport
Trips to the airport just got an upgrade
Abu Dhabi's best restaurants: Everywhere you should eat at least once
Your dinner inspo is sorted
20 incredibly fun ways to explore Abu Dhabi after dark
The city is at its most fascinating once the sun goes down
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Broadcast Pro
3 days ago
- Broadcast Pro
Vox Cinemas to screen ‘Thank You For Banking With Us' in Qatar
The film is a joint German-Palestinian production that delves into themes of female empowerment and familial struggle. Vox Cinemas in Qatar will organise three screenings of Palestinian filmmaker Laila Abbas's first feature film, Thank You For Banking With Us, from June 26 to 28 at 7 pm. The drama explores themes of female empowerment through the story of sisters Mariam and Noura, who, after their father's death, devise a plan to secure a large sum of money he left behind. Their scheme aims to outmanoeuvre their brother, who is legally entitled to half of the inheritance. Laila Abbas described the film as a narrative about the strength of womanhood and the importance of emotional and physical unity among women. 'It's a story about sisters who, having endured their own tragedies and heartbreaks, come together to become stronger,' she said. Thank You for Banking With Us! is a joint German-Palestinian production, written, directed and produced by Abbas through her Ramallah-based company Young Oak Productions. Co-produced by Hanna Atallah of Palestine Cinema Days and Roshanak Behesht Nedjad of Berlin's In Good Company Films, the film is being handled for worldwide sales and distribution by MAD World. MAD Solutions and Lagoonie Film Production, the Cairo and Riyadh-based production entity, have also teamed up to co-produce Thank You for Banking With Us! Thank You for Banking With Us! has received support thus far from the El Gouna Film Festival in 2018 through four $10,000 grants from ART, Cedars Productions, O Three Productions and Metafora respectively. Moreover, it won the In-Development Award from the CineGouna Platform and was supported by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture as well as the Doha Film Institute's 2023 edition of the Qumra Initiative. With additional funding from German film funds (Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, and the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg), and the Hubert Bals Plus Europe of International Film Festival Rotterdam, Thank You for Banking With Us! stands as a testament to the power of collective artistic vision. Notably, it was also among the winners of the Red Sea Fund's third cycle.
Broadcast Pro
4 days ago
- Broadcast Pro
MAD Solutions sweeps awards at Casablanca Arab Film Festival
Together, these wins mark a significant moment for MAD Solutions, celebrating a diverse range of Arab voices and cinematic styles that continue to resonate with international audiences and juries alike. MAD Solutions emerged as the dominant force at the closing ceremony of the sixth Casablanca Arab Film Festival, collecting multiple top honours for three of its acclaimed films. The Arab film distribution powerhouse claimed the festival's Grand Prize, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, and a Special Jury Mention. The Grand Prize went to Thank You for Banking with Us!, which also earned the Best Actress Award for Clara Khoury. Directed and written by Laila Abbas, the Palestinian-German co-production had its Moroccan premiere at the festival. The film, a sharp social satire wrapped in a sister-heist comedy, stars Yasmine Al-Masri, Clara Khoury, Kamil Al-Basha and Ashraf Barhoum. It tells the story of two sisters who, after their father's death, attempt to secretly claim his inheritance before their brother discovers it. The film had already garnered recognition internationally, including Best Fiction Feature at the Beirut International Women Film Festival and Best Screenplay at Sweden's Malmö Arab Film Festival. Also featured was This Is My Night, which took home the Best Screenplay Award for writer Kifah Zainie. Directed and produced by Jafra Younes—who also stars in the film—the Syrian-Emirati co-production made its Arab world premiere in Casablanca. The intimate drama follows Ruba, a struggling artist battling deep depression, as she shares her suicidal thoughts with her retired military father. The film had previously debuted at Spain's International Human Rights Festival and features performances by Younes and Hassan Alsaleh, with cinematography by Abdulelah Alawamleh and music by Babel. Rounding out MAD Solutions' achievements was Sudan, Remember Us, which received a Special Mention from the jury. Directed by Hind Meddeb, the French-Tunisian documentary offers a moving look into the lives of five Sudanese political activists who use poetry and protest to challenge their country's oppressive military regime. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. Since then, it has been featured in more than 20 global festivals, including those in Ajyal, Marrakech, Berlin, Malmö, and Aswan.
Broadcast Pro
04-06-2025
- Broadcast Pro
Palestinian film ‘Thank You for Banking With Us!' to premiere in Spain
The film is a joint German-Palestinian production that delves into themes of female empowerment and familial struggle. Palestinian filmmaker Laila Abbas's first feature film, Thank You For Banking With Us, is set to have its Spanish premiere at Cinemes Babel. The drama explores themes of female empowerment through the story of sisters Mariam and Noura, who, after their father's death, devise a plan to secure a large sum of money he left behind. Their scheme aims to outmanoeuvre their brother, who is legally entitled to half of the inheritance. Laila Abbas described the film as a narrative about the strength of womanhood and the importance of emotional and physical unity among women. 'It's a story about sisters who, having endured their own tragedies and heartbreaks, come together to become stronger,' she said. Thank You for Banking With Us! is a joint German-Palestinian production, written, directed and produced by Abbas through her Ramallah-based company Young Oak Productions. Co-produced by Hanna Atallah of Palestine Cinema Days and Roshanak Behesht Nedjad of Berlin's In Good Company Films, the film is being handled for worldwide sales and distribution by MAD World. MAD Solutions and Lagoonie Film Production, the Cairo and Riyadh-based production entity, have also teamed up to co-produce Thank You for Banking With Us! Thank You for Banking With Us! has received support thus far from the El Gouna Film Festival in 2018 through four $10,000 grants from ART, Cedars Productions, O Three Productions and Metafora respectively. Moreover, it won the In-Development Award from the CineGouna Platform and was supported by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture as well as the Doha Film Institute's 2023 edition of the Qumra Initiative. With additional funding from German film funds (Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, and the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg), and the Hubert Bals Plus Europe of International Film Festival Rotterdam, Thank You for Banking With Us! stands as a testament to the power of collective artistic vision. Notably, it was also among the winners of the Red Sea Fund's third cycle.
