Best of British Films and Emirati Shorts - Week 8

 

In the last week of the British Council's UK Film Season we have two films focusing on women, Made in Dagenham (UK) and Once (United Arab Emirates).

Details:
Dates: Till 15th March 
Venue: The Picturehouse at Reel Cinemas in Dubai Mall
Timings: 2:05pm, 4.35pm, 7:05pm, 9:35pm, 00:05am
Phone: +971 4 449 1988


Made in Dagenham
A dramatization of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant where female workers walked out in protest against discrimination. From the director of Calendar Girls, Nigel Cole - the film stars the award winning Sally Hawkins as Rita OGrady who is the catalyst for the 1968 Ford Dagenham strike by 187 sewing machinists which led to the advent of the Equal Pay Act.

Working in extremely impoverished conditions and for long arduous hours, the women at the Ford Dagenham plant finally lay down their tools when they are reclassified as unskilled. With humour, common sense and courage they take on their corporate paymasters, an increasingly belligerent local community, and finally the government itself. The leader of the womens struggle is fast-talking, no nonsense Rita whose fiery temper and occasionally hilarious unpredictability proves to be a match for any of her male opponents, and is echoed by Barbara Castle's struggle in the male-dominated House of Commons.

Once
This short film directed by Nayla Al Khaja takes place on the day when Hamda is to meet her boyfriend Saeed, for the first time. Scared of getting caught and full of excitement at seeing him, we watch Hamda's transformation from girl to beautiful young woman, taking risks and telling lies, in order to find what she imagines must be true love.

 
www.sonyclassics.com/madeindagenham
www.oncethefilm.com
www.naylaalkhaja.com