The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Brussels organised an Emirati Cinema Night at the Centre for Fine Arts on September 29, 2026, attracting more than 200 guests from policymaking, cultural institutions and the diplomatic community. Mohamed Ismail Al Sahlawi, the UAE ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, hosted the evening that brought Emirati filmmaking to a European audience. According to the Emirates News Agency, the gathering formed part of the embassy’s cultural diplomacy programme that supports people-to-people contacts alongside political, economic and development cooperation with Europe.
Three Emirati filmmakers took part in the programme, the news agency reported. Nawaf Al Janahi, a founder of the Emirates Film Competition whose feature films have screened in 27 countries, presented his short film “Somewhere in Time.” Abdulla Al Kaabi showed “The Philosopher,” while a private preview of “Voice of the Waves,” directed by Nahla Al Fahad with co-director Jibin Jose, served as the centrepiece of the screenings.
Al Sahlawi addressed the audience on the value of cultural exchange through film. “Cultural exchange and movies are tools of quiet diplomacy. This is stating the obvious, but it is worth repeating: when people encounter each other’s movies, music and culture, they develop a deeper appreciation for each other, in a way that politics or traditional diplomacy cannot,” he said, according to the Emirates News Agency. His remarks framed the event as an opportunity to build mutual understanding between the UAE and Europe.
The film screenings were accompanied by the “Behind the Frame” photographic exhibition that illustrated stages of Emirati filmmaking from location work and set construction to post-production, the Emirates News Agency stated. This display provided visitors with a view of the creative and technical elements underpinning the UAE’s growing film sector. The embassy has integrated such exhibitions into its Brussels cultural programming to complement traditional diplomacy.
The United Arab Emirates has expanded support for its creative industries in recent years as part of economic diversification away from hydrocarbons, a WAM assessment found. These investments have funded production, training and infrastructure that have allowed Emirati films to reach international audiences. The Brussels event reflects that momentum by positioning national cinema as a platform for cross-regional dialogue.
A reciprocal cultural flow has developed in the other direction, with the European Union Delegation to the United Arab Emirates organising the European Film Festival in Abu Dhabi in June 2025 in partnership with the Cultural Foundation Abu Dhabi. That festival screened 17 European productions alongside the Emirati film “Mountain Boy” and drew strong attendance that reflected shared storytelling interests, according to the European External Action Service. Such festivals demonstrate sustained film-sector collaboration between the UAE and European partners.
BOZAR, the historic Brussels arts centre designed by Victor Horta, regularly features international cinema seasons, immersive experiences and exhibitions that align with its role as a venue for artistic exchange, venue announcements show. Selection of the centre for the Emirati programme matches its established reputation for hosting diverse cultural programming. The evening adds to a series of UAE Embassy activities at the institution aimed at reinforcing bilateral cultural relations.
