Potential film-makers have been placed in LA and India as part of the scheme

Finance and production outfit Imagenation Abu Dhabi have announced the initial placements for the film-industry internship scheme it created with the Abu Dhabi Film Commission in June.

The first candidates from the Mawaheb (Arabic for “talents”) programme have been placed at the Los Angeles offices of Imagenation’s producing partner Participant Media, and on the set of Participant’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, currently shooting in India.

The scheme was designed to give Emirati students with an interest in film-making the opportunity to gain practical industry experience abroad.

David Shepheard, director of Abu Dhabi Film Commission, said: “Mawaheb is all about unearthing raw talent and then giving that talent the means to excel through training or hands-on experience, which can only have a long-term positive impact on the local film industry.”

Imagenation made the announcement during the fourth Abu Dhabi Film Festival (Oct 14 – 23), currently running in the UAE capital.

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