Film, Culture and Identity

While Dubai is known for building a palm island, an
indoor snow dome, and a scaled-down size of the
world, it has more to offer than just a tourist
industry. Given the economic wealth established by
its petroleum industry, one of Dubai s newest
projects, Dubai Studio City, has a potential
contingency in becoming the entertainment hub within
the Arab World.
However, Dubai is situated within a region tainted
with a history of religious domination and colonial
rule. A close examination of Islam, Arab culture, and
globalization provides insight into the Islamic
confines and the suppression of sociocultural
development, and helps determine the source for the
inhibition of freedom of expression and the denial of
access to unfiltered information.
This study explores the paradoxical concepts of
establishing a film industry in an
expression-restrictive environment and presents a
strategic design to foster the positive development
of a unique film industry despite the present
restraining regulations.
This book will prove an interesting read and a
valuable resource for those who appreciate the
history of Islam, Arab culture, and the development
of cinema within the Arab region.

Autorentext

Farnaz Aref, Diploma of Engineering in Media Technology at theHamburg University of Applied Sciences. Worked at the DubaiInternational Film Festival, Gulf Film Festival in Dubai, and theMiddle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi.

Klappentext

While Dubai is known for building a palm island, anindoor snow dome, and a scaled-down size of theworld, it has more to offer than just a touristindustry. Given the economic wealth established byits petroleum industry, one of Dubai's newestprojects, Dubai Studio City, has a potentialcontingency in becoming the entertainment hub withinthe Arab World.However, Dubai is situated within a region taintedwith a history of religious domination and colonialrule. A close examination of Islam, Arab culture, andglobalization provides insight into the Islamicconfines and the suppression of socioculturaldevelopment, and helps determine the source for theinhibition of freedom of expression and the denial ofaccess to unfiltered information.This study explores the paradoxical concepts ofestablishing a film industry in anexpression-restrictive environment and presents astrategic design to foster the positive developmentof a unique film industry despite the presentrestraining regulations.This book will prove an interesting read and avaluable resource for those who appreciate thehistory of Islam, Arab culture, and the developmentof cinema within the Arab region.