Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) will sponsor the red carpet premiere of Emarati film “Arabana.”

The initiative is in line with the DSS' continuous efforts to enhance its social role in the local society, said a top DSS official.

Directed by Nayla Al khaja, the first independent woman director/producer in the UAE, Arabana is a short film that tackles the taboo topic of child abuse.

It was earlier screened at Dubai International Film Festival, Durban International Film Festival and the Cannes Short Film Corner.

"Arabana is the story of a little girl neglected by her parents and how she wanders off into the wilderness. It deals with the consequences of not being attentive to your child’s needs and highlights a serious topic that’s often ignored," Al Khaja noted.

The movie received rave reviews from various international critics who hailed the movie and dubbed it a masterpiece.

The 6-minute film was shot in 22 hours, with a budget of AED 270,000, Al Khaja added.

The premiere will be held under the patronage of the UAE minister of social affairs Mariam Mohammed Khalfan Al Roumi and will be attended by key figures form the UAE, in addition to international invitees who are flying in from abroad.

Representatives of the local and international media will be covering the event.

"DSS is proud to be associated with “Arabana” as the messages that this brilliant piece of movie art conveys reinforces and is coherent with the objectives that DSS aims to embed in the local and regional society," said Laila Suhail, executive project director, DSS office.

“Our support as title sponsors for this important initiative comes in line with our corporate social responsibility towards the UAE community in general and the children in particular” Suhail Added.

Al Khaja expressed her delight at the overwhelming support for the film.

"It just goes to show that the film touches a very important social phenomena. In my movies, I always strive to enhance the family values that were passed on to us by our forefathers, these values build strong family relations which in turn reinforces our society ethics and principles”. TradeArabia News Service