In times of difficulty, loss, or disorientation, art is not just a luxury, it is

sustenance. We as individuals turn to art for humour, for escapism, or for

joy; to feel seen and heard. What makes art so special is its ability to

encapsulate the human experience. Attending film screenings at the

Manarat Cinema Space, I was able to explore a range of films about art

and artists. Watching films such as Black Swan, American Fiction and

Whiplash, I was moved by the depiction of artists pursuing their creative

ambitions in the hope of reaching perfection. Likewise, Dead Poets

Society and Little Women showed how artistic endeavours are fundamental

to one’s identity.

As a person with dyslexia, my brain always processed information in a

visual manner. Bringing a creative vision to life quickly became a means

of self-expression for me. Reading Miss Havisham by Carol Ann Duffy, I

immediately envisioned the character in my mind. This inspired me to film

a dramatic reading of the poem for my English assessment. Later, through

a series of self-directed creative projects, I began to push the boundaries of

my creativity and develop my artistic voice. This culminated in an

internship in Thailand, working with a professional photographer to create

a fashion portfolio. On set, I was given full creative liberty; I sourced

materials, helped to direct the shots, experimented with lighting and angles

against diverse backdrops, from rice fields to forests to jungles. Later, I

took my interest in directing further during InvestIN’s Artist Summer

Experience, collaborating with the Young Filmmaker students to recreate a

scene from Indiana Jones. Additionally, I proposed the winning theme for

the group’s final exhibition. As director of the exhibit, I took charge of

designing the layout of the space, assigning tasks to peers, and curating the

artworks, ensuring a seamless flow which reinforced our overarching

theme. These experiences taught me about essential processes in

filmmaking that help bring a creative vision to life.

Colour, aesthetics, and costuming are a powerful vehicle for storytelling.

Cher’s outfits in Clueless convey her maturity, wealth and social status.

Kate’s blue suit in The Diplomat conveys her character growth. Wes

Anderson’s colour palette, symmetry and storybook imagery in The Grand

Budapest Hotel help to convey and juxtapose contrasting ideas. For my

HPQ, I created a video essay on how fashion reflects character in The

Queen’s Gambit; I revealed how the use of blue represents Beth’s

depression, green her addiction, and chequered patterns emulate the

chessboard. Later, in my EPQ, I designed costumes for a retelling ofRomeo and Juliet, with Muslim Capulets and Christian Montagues. Romeo

+ Juliet and West Side Story guided my use of costume to explore religious

symbolism and the power of love in transcending difference. I sketched 9

outfits and sewed 2 final pieces; a cape and a corset. Both projects

strengthened my appreciation for visual aesthetics as a narrative tool.

Living in Abu Dhabi for nearly all my life, I have grown up surrounded by

different languages, nationalities and cultures. Building friendships in an

open-minded, diverse and multicultural community taught me that

everyone has a unique way of seeing the world. Amidst this diversity, I

developed an appreciation for the portrayal of complex characters in film;

Anna Karenina, Amy March, Edmond Dantès, and Emma Woodhouse are

characters which, though flawed, offered me an insight into the complexity

of the human experience. They led me to produce my first short film, A

CREATOR. Inspired by Sylvia Plath’s fig tree analogy, I created a film

about this stage in a young person’s life; the opportunities it holds for you

and the diverse pathways that life can take. Ultimately, my artistic drive

has shaped me as an individual and as a storyteller. It has and has made me

hungry to explore, question and depict the world around me, and eager to

do so through the medium of cinema.