Nayla Al Khaja has the connections, do we have the time?
Nayla Al Khaja from D-seven Motion pictures has the connections, it was three days before The Scene Club's viewing of Jeremy Gilley's inspiring film ‘Peace One Day' and we needed to shoot and produce our short film to support the cause in the UAE, time was short!
Nayla and I set off from Dubai on Monday morning at 9:00am to save the world. We headed to the capital Abu Dhabi on a mission to interview H.H. Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan the Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research with a number of international Ambassdors to the UAE also on our hit list. I couldn't help to think, ‘how does this film-maker have all these high level contacts in the government?' As her story unraveled on what usually is an incredibly dull and monotonous 1 hour drive, I began to understand what Nayla was all about.
Our first interview was planned for 10:30am with the South African Ambassador to the UAE, Yacoob Abba Omar. We would make it, we had plenty of time. Luckily, Nayla's life story is both compelling and amusing, as I had managed only 3 hours sleep the previous night. [Her engaging story may well have saved our lives, for anyone who knows that road knows the crazy, crazy drivers.] Paris Hilton is dropped into the conversation in the same nonchalant tone as hanging out the washing. After co-hosting Paris Hilton's ‘My New BFF' Nayla smirks about the experience. At speeds of 140km/hr plus down this cannonball-run highway, my new VW Golf starts shaking more than a desperate crack addict; flat tyre I assumed. Only after inspecting four fully inflated tyres, I realized the front bumper had come loose and was dragging under the car! Curse the myriad of speed humps in Dubai! After tearing it free from the undercarriage and leaving half my knuckles on the highway I mindlessly guzzled a half a bottle of water in broad daylight during Ramadan to quench my 45 degree thirst. Realizing what I'd done, I quickly skulked back into the car. We were now running late for our first appointment.
Nayla greeted the South African Ambassador with an embrace as I set up the shot; her rapport with the Ambassadors was humbling. It soon became apparent that our lack of punctuality was not such an issue. After some powerful and captivating words from Yacoob Abba Omar, we hit the road to meet the Italian Ambassador, Paolo Dionisi. Paolo offered us coffee upon our arrival, I replied with ‘milk and sugar'. He politely replied, "We only have one type of coffee here; Espresso."
After a communication breakdown at the Argentinean Embassy, we rescheduled for the following day. Day two and yet another delay; it was Dubai traffic this time. An accident on the way to Abu Dhabi meant we had to try make up time yet again on the road, easy does it. To add to the pressure, our appointment with His Highness Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research was also rescheduled directly after the Argentinean Ambasador's interview.
Only fifteen minutes late, we were escorted straight through to the Ambassador's patrician residence and were welcomed soon after by the warm and softly spoken Ruben Eduardo Caro, who informed us of Argentina's various peace initiatives In South America and in the UAE. After my poorly executed joke about Cuban cigars we were back in the car on our way to His Highness' palace, the whereabouts of which was the only issue besides running behind time.
Disoriented and dripping in sweat, the panic was setting in, although before I knew it Nayla was on the phone to none other than the Italian Ambassador who kindly reeled off the route without hesitation, talk about knowing the right people!
We arrived at the palace to be ushered in by a Kandura entourage into the ‘waiting room', an enormous area comprising only of couches, two rows of couches, stretching 30 meters down each side of the room. One could only conclude that distinguished guests frequented the palace. Shaking with anticipation, we were pleasantly surprised when His Highness Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research had prepared a poignant speech for our cause.
Nayla had managed to wangle a meeting with the British Ambassador back in Dubai at 3:30pm which left us plenty of time to return from Abu Dhabi, or so we thought. On the phone again, this time it was Reshel from Nayla's office informing us of another two Ambassadors keen to convey their message of peace to the UAE. We couldn't resist the opportunity, so we hustled to the Malaysian Embassy and were further chaperoned to the Republic of Benin's Embassy in downtown Abu Dhabi. Embarrassingly I thought to myself, ‘the Republic of what?', but surely that's another reason for embarking on these enlightening journeys is to improve oneself?
The British Ambassador to the UAE, His Excellency Edward Oakden was on his way to Nayla's D-Seven office and we were still twenty minutes away. We were delayed again due to our overzealous commitment to capturing a diverse range of perspectives, which inevitably left us deep in traffic in the heart of the capital. Once more, breaking laws for in the name of peace, I accelerated down the highway only to be a few minutes late. This gave the Ambassador time to take in our noble cause, read the relevant documentation, and then deliver both a committed and heartfelt message about peace to the people of the UAE.
With one day to go before the screening we rushed to the ‘Method of Design' www.mod.fm editing suite and gave the mouse a punishing. It was two hours before the screening as I laid down strings for the music intro, render then burn! We made it! Much to the delight of the attending ambassadors and packed audience (five hundred strong), the night was a resounding success. A big thanks to all of the Ambassadors and His Highness Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research who donated their time toward this worthy campaign.
Peace,
Mat Schramm
There are no comments added. Why don't you be the first one and say something!