Xero Error

If you haven't heard about Xero Error Minus1 Levity over the past couple of months, you must have been in e-hiding. The 7-minute short film by Dubai-based CGI film maker Ashraj Ghori, premiered at the Gulf Film Festival and is now on its way to Cannes where it has a chance of getting the coveted Palm d'Or. Created entirely by local talent (graphics, script, voice, acting and sountrack), the film was also built on a pretty much Xero Budget.

If you didn't catch the GFF preview or the special showing at GeekFest, you can at least watch the trailer here and, in the process, show some support for something good coming out of Dubai and, it is hoped, showing the world that stuff can actually be created here that is world class and represents world class talent.

Too Much Hatred Against Dubai!

I can't believe how much hatred those people had against Dubai!

Geekologie added a blog showing some pictures of Dubai taken by David Hobcote. I was blown away when I read the comments posted below the blog. That was too much! The blog does not talk about politics nor religion nor anything like that. The post was just showing some nice pictures of Dubai. I have no idea how the pictures hit the nerves of those people. Is it just me? Read for yourself and tell me if I'm exaggerating.

A Bit of...

...shameless advertising. On a serious note, I think this can be a cool competition, not to mention that the portal, shooftv.com, as a whole is going to be big:

Shoof TV celebrates the holy month of Ramadan with a brand-new competition powered by Dubai International Holy Quran Award. This exciting competition gives participants the chance to send original Islamic clips in three categories: Athan & Doa, Quran and Anasheed.

Winners will be selected by a panel of judges and by public SMS voting. The best clip in each category will win AED 30,000, while the runner-up from each category will walk away with AED 15,000. Voters from the public SMS voting also stand a chance to win cash prizes of AED 1,000 each.

Shoofers can upload their clips before 6th October 2007

For more information call 04-5010252 or 050-1511888

Check it out!

American Dreamz - brilliantly funny

I wouldn't normally plug a film here, but American Dreamz (2006) is one of the funniest, cleverest satires of the Bush administration/war in Iraq you will see. Dennis Quaid is amazing as a cretinous George W Bush figure (he's eerily similar looking - especially the dumb-frown facial expression) and the scenes set in "Eye-raq"/Afghanistan are also very amusing. It's a black comedy so pretty much every side gets sent up: the US president, his advisors, the US army, terrorists, the American public and reality show contestants. And it's already out on DVD.

A clip of scene sending up American military policy is here.




(Click any of the pics to enlarge)