Started in 2014, Cinema Space is a fully voluntary and independent initiative to share beautifully restored classics and contemporary world cinema through free community screenings for audiences and enthusiasts in Abu Dhabi. Come one, come all, and bring guests to discover essential cinema! Explore programs below.
All programs are free and open to audiences. RSVP is mandatory due to limited seating.
Please select an upcoming program in the "All Programs" section below and click on the RSVP button to view information about the film and reserve your spot. You will receive an automatic email confirmation after registering on the individual film page.
(Please see full program and details in 'All Programs' section below)
Presented by Zayed University as part of "Tasaamuh Film Series: Path of Tolerance" Program
Film Info:
Country: Lebanon
Year: 2018
Runtime: 87 minutes
Language: In Arabic with English Subtitles
RATING: ( PG-15 ) - Parental Guidance is advised
(RSVP by email for the free showing by going to the 'All Programs' section below)
Presented by Zayed University as part of "Tasaamuh Film Series: Path of Tolerance" Program
Film Info:
Country: Colombia
Year: 2015
Runtime: 125 minutes
Language: In Spanish with English Subtitles
RATING: ( PG-15 ) - Parental Guidance is advised
(RSVP by email for the free showing by going to the 'All Programs' section below)
Free Film Screening
(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)
Directed by Douglas Sirk
USA | 1955 | 89 minutes | In English
Rating: ( G ) - General Audiences (all ages admitted)
Synopsis: This heartbreakingly beautiful indictment of 1950s American mores by Douglas Sirk follows the blossoming love between a well-off widow Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) attempting to live out her loneliness in a Good Housekeeping home in the suburbs and her handsome and earthy younger gardener Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson) who invites her to inspect his silver-tipped spruce and ends up introducing her to Eden. Having crossed forbidden lines of class and age their romance prompts the scorn of her children and country club friends. Cary must decide whether to pursue her own happiness or carry on a lonely, hemmed-in existence for the sake of the approval of others. With the help of ace cinematographer Russell Metty, Sirk imbues nearly every shot with a vivid and distinct emotional tenor. A profoundly felt film about class and conformity in small-town America, All That Heaven Allows is a pinnacle of expressionistic Hollywood melodrama.
(Organized and Presented by Zayed University as part of "The Tasaamuh Film Series: Paths of Tolerance" in collaboration with Manarat Al Saadiyat and the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism)
PROGRAM 3: TOLERANCE, REFUGEES AND HUMOR
RSVP by Email to: beatrice.rodriguez@zu.ac.ae
Free Film Screening (followed by discussion)
BIMCHI W B'IDD
Directed by Cynthia Choucair
Lebanon | 2018 | 87 minutes
In Arabic with English Subtitles
Rating ( PG-15 ) - Parental Guidance is advised
Synopsis: A group of clowns travel to the Greek island of Lesvos on a mission to bring laughter to the waves of refugees crossing the sea to escape from war and enter Europe. Unwittingly, the clowns find themselves greeted with closed gates witnessing the effects of new policies enacted by the European Union towards the refugees. Cynthia, the sister of one of the clowns, joins them on their journey which slowly becomes a reflection on the sisters’ own tale of displacement during the Lebanese civil war.
About the Discussion: The director and her sister will address the audience from Lebanon, followed by a short talk by humanities scholar and filmmaker, Dr. Nezar Andary (Zayed University) with an educational performance by Italian Actor and Clown Francesca Bizzarri (NYUAD). A unique experience for the audience.
(Organized and Presented by Zayed University as part of "The Tasaamuh Film Series: Paths of Tolerance" in collaboration with Manarat Al Saadiyat and the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism)
PROGRAM 4: COLONIAL ENCOUNTERS
RSVP by Email to: beatrice.rodriguez@zu.ac.ae
Free Film Screening (followed by discussion)
EL ABRAZO DE LA SERPIENTE
Directed by Ciro Guerra
Colombia | 2018 | 125 minutes
In Spanish with English Subtitles
Rating ( PG-15 ) - Parental Guidance is advised
Synopsis: At once blistering and poetic, the ravages of colonialism cast a dark shadow over the South American landscape in Embrace of the Serpent the third feature by Ciro Guerra. Filmed in stunning black-and-white, the film centers on Karamakate, an Amazonian shaman and the last survivor of his people, and the two scientists who, over the course of 40 years, build a friendship with him. The film was inspired by the real-life journals of two explorers who traveled through the Colombian Amazon during the last century in search of the sacred and difficult-to-find psychedelic Yakruna plant.
About the Discussion: A conversation will be led by Dr. Ximena Cordova (Zayed University) and Dr. Javier Mejia (NYUAD) with the participation of the director and producer of the film.
Free Film Screening (Family Friendly Program)
(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)
Directed by Frank Capra
USA | 1946 | 130 minutes | In English
Rating: ( G ) - General Audiences (All ages admitted)
Synopsis: A timeless classic, director Frank Capra's It’s a Wonderful Life was nominated for five Academy Awards and focuses on the story of George Bailey (James Stewart), a struggling businessman who becomes so disillusioned with his small-town life that he contemplates taking drastic measures. His guardian angel, Clarence (Henry Travers), soon intervenes and helps George discover the true value of love and friendship as well as the indelible impact he has made on his home community of Bedford Falls. The film's magnificent supporting cast features unforgettable performances by Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi, Ward Bond and Gloria Grahame. Seventy years later, Capra’s life-affirming fantasy continues to be a heartwarming experience for viewers of all generations.
Free Film Screening
Directed by Noah Baumbach
USA | 2019 | 136 minutes | In English
Rating ( 18+ ) - Suitable for viewers ages 18 and above
Synopsis: Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach directs this incisive and compassionate look at a marriage coming apart and a family staying together as a married couple negotiate their divorce and the custody of their son. Adam Driver is Charlie, a 100-percent New York experimental theater director; Scarlett Johansson is Nicole, his principal actress and soon-to-be L.A.-based ex-wife. Their “amicable” breakup devolves, one painful rash response and hostile counter-response at a time, into a legal battlefield, led on Nicole’s side by Laura Dern and on Charlie’s side by nice Alan Alda and not-so-nice Ray Liotta. What is so remarkable about Marriage Story is its frank understanding of the emotional fluctuations between Charlie and Nicole: they are both short-sighted, both occasionally petty, both vindictive, and both loving. The film is as harrowing as it is hilarious as it is deeply moving.
Presented in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Movies that Matter
Free Film Screening
Directed by Mijke de Jong
The Netherlands | 2016 | 98 minutes
In Dutch, Arabic with English Subtitles
Rating ( PG-13 ) - Parental Guidance is advised
Synopsis: Layla is an 18-year old girl, born and raised in Amsterdam. Layla is smart, witty and stubborn – and of Moroccan background. In the times of constant terrorist threat, she struggles with the increasing suspicion towards girls with headscarves and boys with beards that she witnesses every day. While her frustration grows, her faith intensifies. She joins a group of radical Muslims who fight for their practise of Islam. Layla posts films online depicting the horrors in Syria and Gaza and makes political flyers. And she flirts with the charismatic Abdel. When her peaceful brother and she are arrested by the police, Layla, feeling hurt and isolated in her anger, is left with only one option: to leave home. She chooses marriage, with Abdel. After their wedding, Layla and Abdel roam the country together, perform ‘missionary work', and raise money for the good cause. But then they get involved in a shootout between a group of young jihadists and the Belgian police, they have to flee, to the Middle East. Layla encounters a world that nurtures her ideas initially, but finally confronts her with an impossible choice.
Free Film Screening (Family Friendly Program)
(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)
Directed by Michael Curtiz
USA | 1954 | 120 minutes | In English
Rating: ( G ) - General Audiences (all ages admitted)
Overview: White Christmas is a treasury of Irving Berlin classic songs, among them Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep, Sisters, Blue Skies, and the beloved holiday song, White Christmas. Two talented song-and-dance men (Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye) team up after the war to become one of the hottest acts in show business. One winter, they join forces with a sister act (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) and trek to Vermont for a white Christmas. Of course, there is the requisite fun with the ladies, but the real adventure starts when Crosby & Kaye discover that the inn is run by their old army general who is now in financial trouble. And the result is the stuff dreams are made of.
(Program Details to be announced soon)
Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.
(Program Details to be announced soon)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
Join us for a surprise screening – no clues, no hints, take your guess!
Free Film Screening
Country: Australia
Year: 2019
Language: In English
Rating: ( 18+ ) - (Suitable for viewers ages 18 and above)
WHAT'S ON? - It's a surprise! We can’t tell you what is showing, but trust us: you want to see this one on the big screen with an audience. Get ready for a brilliantly original, compelling, thought-provoking, outstanding film of the month. Whatever it is—and you won’t know until the lights come down—trust us, it’ll be worth it. Satisfy your curiosity at our December surprise screening!
WHAT DO I DO? - RSVP now to reserve seats for yourself and any guests. Once you have reserved you will be added to the guest list for the show. All RSVP attendees will then receive an email reminder the day of the show.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.
(Program Details to be announced soon in December)
Overview: These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
(Program Details to be announced in December)
Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.
(Program Details to be announced in January)
Overview: Experience beautiful and extraordinary classics showcasing works from renowned filmmakers around the world. Each film has been gloriously revived as a cinematic revelation for you to discover through the art of preserving and restoring cinema. These revivals celebrate the many joys of cinema featuring selections of outstanding works of world cinema.
