The Scene Club, a UAE-based non-profit film club and Roxy Cinemas, an Emirati venture by Meraas that buys international films, have collaborated to showcase a line-up of local and independent cinema in the UAE.

The collaboration, will bring sought after festival films in their original formats to film fans across the UAE enabling them to enjoy both non-commercial and big blockbuster films.

Some 24 films will be screened by The Scene at Roxy Cinemas, located at Box Park and City Walk, in which 12 are independent films and the other 12 films are locally produced.

Nayla Al Khaja, the Emirati film producer, director, and founder of The Scene, said: “When I first saw Roxy Cinemas, I fell in love immediately with its aesthetics and stunning fusion of hipster and retro interiors set in the most popular and vibrant destinations in Dubai.

“The unique ideology behind the setup of the cinemas align perfectly with The Scene’s core philosophy. Now people can enjoy the best of complimentary independent cinema in the best setting possible” said Nayla Al Khaja as she announced the collaboration.”

The official opening of the joint venture is today with the screening of the 2016 drama film Paterson at Box Park on 23 May and City Walk on 24 May. The screenings will be available through complementary subscription, and seats will be issued on a first come, first served basis.

Barry Shabaka Henley, the American character actor, will be in attendance to promote Paterson. Henley has also featured in The Terminal and Collateral.

Al Khaja, added: “Besides it being a business venture, it will also foster local talent development by showcasing the strongest contents created here in the UAE. The market definitely has a gap for alternative cinema and I feel this will play an instrumental role in filling that gap.”

The collaboration will also provide a platform Made in the UAE, a film production series, to exhibit aspiring homegrown filmmakers and talents every month.

The Scene team members Abdulrahman Al Madani, Safia Al Mansouri and Aisha Al Zaabi, showcases their talents and cultivates a growing audience through the monthly Made in the UAE film production series.

The screenings will be 100% complementary for all current members and newcomers/subscribers, allowing The Scene to return to its founding philosophy.

The Scene and Roxy Cinemas will broadcast the episodes on its social media platform. The Scene has also taken the initiative to display the technical details and ‘tips,tricks, hacks’ that goes with the filming process to its viewers.