The GCC Film Festival is heading to the UAE after a two-year hiatus.

First launched in Doha in 2012, then held in Kuwait a year later, the third edition is set to come to Abu Dhabi from October 16 to 20 with screenings to be held at Novo Cinemas at Abu Dhabi Mall.

Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, the festival team is lead by celebrated Emirati playwright, director and actor Habib Ghuloom Al Attar.

“We are leaders in celebrating art and culture and music and theatre; it makes sense to hold the festival here, and God willing, it will have continuity. We’re proud to have taken the initiative and sparked the return of this festival.”

“We are not replacing these festivals,” he said. “This is a very different cultural project that brings together the artistic output of the GCC countries in particular.”

However, Yasser Ali Al Gergawi says there have been calls made by the local film community for an event to showcase its talents.

Al Gergawi says that the festival will include workshops organised by both the Manhattan Film Academy and New York University, in addition to a seminar addressing the importance of cinema in combating terrorism.

In total, 27 films from the six GCC countries — the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar — will be screened. Each country can only submit a maximum of five films.

Of the 27 narrative, documentary and animated films slated to be screened during the festival, the five Emirati entries are made up of two documentaries and three narratives.

Road, a 35-minute film by Abdullah Al Junaibi, will open the festival on Sunday, October 16 at 8:30pm.

Going to Heaven, a 90-minute narrative by Saeed Salmeen, will screen on Monday, October 17 at 4pm.

Both the 85-minute documentary Close Sky by Nujoom Al Ghanem and the 90-minute Royal Love narrative by Jamal Salem will screen on Tuesday, October 18 at 4pm.

Finally, 150-minute documentary film A Tale of Water, Palm Trees andFamily by Naser Al Zahri will screen on Wednesday, October 19 at 4pm.