Creative Media Authority has launched a strategic partnership with the Innovative Film Academy (IFA), founders of I-Film Festival (IFF), which will bolster the creative ecosystem in Abu Dhabi through learning and development opportunities and annual film festivals.
The partnership will also deliver on multiple economic fronts from driving tourism to delivering additional employment opportunities within the film and production industry of Abu Dhabi.
IFA and the Creative Media Authority will partner to offer the first overseas campus of the IFA from Yas Creative Hub in Abu Dhabi, where year-round learning opportunities offer the chance to upskill in a studio lab for practical hands-on learning from the IFA’s technical team. Students from across the world will be able to attend IFA Abu Dhabi to take courses in VFX, editing, sound mixing and recording, DI, CG to produce 4K content. The academy will offer classrooms, equipment and a physical and digital library to support the annual programme of workshops and weekend masterclasses.
With the inaugural I-Film Festival taking place in Abu Dhabi in 2024, the partnership ensures 2025’s festival from 11-13 April and an additional festival in 2026. Each event will attract thousands of attendees to view more than 100 film screenings, multiple workshops and celebrate short film entrees of more than 400.
Khalid Khouri, Director of Industry Development at Creative Media Authority, said: “As the Creative Media Authority continues to host Indian film production via the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, as part of our efforts to become a leading content and production hub, this partnership will ensure we are fuelling additional growth by upskilling our current roster of talent, nurturing new talent into the industry and providing additional employment opportunities.
“Through this strategic partnership there will be added economic benefits as students from across the globe attend the IFA in Abu Dhabi and film festival attendees fly in for the occasion, these benefits work alongside the educational and innovative enhancements of the local film ecosystem which this collaboration will bring.”
Saravana Prasad, Founder of the Innovative Group, said: "Following the inaugural I-Film Festival in spring this year, we identified a real appetite for innovation, collaboration and excellence from the production and film industry in Abu Dhabi. The partnership we have embarked upon with Creative Media Authority will mean we can take full advantage of Abu Dhabi’s strategic location between the East and West and provide our unique educational offering to students across the globe in an environment which is safe, welcoming and supportive. We will also look to work extensively with existing educational institutions on the ground in Abu Dhabi and host local schools and universities to our state-of-the-art academy."
The IFA was founded in 2015 in Bangalore, India and to date has trained more than 2,000 students across 24 different filmmaking disciplines, offering both a comprehensive one-year diploma and weekend courses to accommodate diverse learning needs. Recognised as a Centre of Excellence in filmmaking by the Government of India and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), IFA is committed to supporting students beyond traditional education by actively connecting them with industry opportunities, helping them secure positions in the competitive world of filmmaking.
To register for IFF 2025, visit: ifilmfestivalabudhabi.com.
