The Zayed University Middle East Film Festival (ZUMEFF), now in its 13th year, is a student film festival organized by the College of Communication and Media Sciences at Zayed University.
ZUMEFF plays a very important and vital part in the UAE film scene given the strong interest in film enterprises and events in the UAE. Many of the finalists compete in local, regional and international film festivals, giving recognition and credibility to the quality of the films selected by ZUMEFF.
The film festival connects Middle East students with the same cultural interests and gives them a chance to meet film professionals and faculty from the Middle East. In addition, they receive valuable feedback from other participating students, as well as their peers. Students, the general public as well as regional filmmakers are part of the festival.
This year ZUMEFF will take place between 21 – 22 November 2023.
Top prizes are determined by industry judges in the following categories:
· Best Documentary
· Honorable Mention (Documentary)
· Best Fiction
· Honorable Mention (Fiction)
· Best Animation
· Honorable Mention (Animation)
· Creative lab Emerging Filmmaker Award (awarded to a UAE National Filmmaker)
ZUMEFF was established in 2010 as a graduation project by Al Yazyah Nasser Ahmad Thani Bin Obood and Reem Fakher Husain Al Zarkan with the aim to showcase student films and encourage young filmmakers in the region.