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Rare Old Photos From The 1940s Showing That Cinemas Existed In The UAE Have Been Discovered
From a mere fisherman’s settlement in the early 40s to being known as pioneers of some of the most ambitious projects in the world (think driverless pods and a city on Mars), the UAE has always put an emphasis on transformation and development.
But, as it turns out, the UAE has always had a history of being a cosmopolitan hub and a tolerant society ahead of most other countries.
A senior NYU Abu Dhabi student and Louvre Abu Dhabi ambassador, Shamma Faisal al Bastaki, recently unearthed two old but rare photos that prove cinemas existed in the 1940s in the UAE.
No, seriously!
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For those who didn’t believe me when I told them the UAE (Trucial States) had cinemas in the 40’s.
Sharjah, 1943.
Images via 3kas_trading on insta. pic.twitter.com/Aqwcy9n9u6
— شمّة البستكي (@shammakab) March 1, 2019
Here’s a close-up of both the photos
People, naturally, were delighted to find such nostalgic gems
This is amazing. Thank you for the fotos! Wish there were more
— Omar Saif Ghobash (@OmarSaifGhobash) March 1, 2019
This is really cool!
— سارة (@Saroteen) March 1, 2019
*In Phoebe’s voice* this is brand new information
Well that’s new information to me
— Moe. (@Mohd_NazmiSaeed) March 1, 2019
In a separate tweet, Shamma mentioned how she was looking for photographic evidence of cinemas existing in the 40s in the UAE since a long time
Amazing, thanks for sharing! Not aware of any specifically, but in interviews I conducted with elderly UAE communities, some people mentioned cinemas in the 40’s. One showed me an illustration, but I’ve been looking for photographic evidence and this is the closest I’ve come.
— شمّة (@shammakab) March 1, 2019
Another local Twitter user talks about how there is documented proof of Sharjah Cinema being the first cinema in the Gulf region
Shamma’s pics look like the ones in Al Mahatta Museum in Sharjah, where it states Sharjah Cinema is the first cinema in the Gulf region (in 1945), although I think there were cinemas earlier in the region https://t.co/9ZERIW3QnI (note the pics on the wall in the image below). pic.twitter.com/nbskRw4Tm0
— Hind Mezaina (@hindmezaina) March 1, 2019
An open-air cinema in 1970? Way to go UAE
How lovely! There’s one of an open-air cinema in Abu Dhabi circa 1970 in the @Zakinus collection at @Akkasah_NYUAD https://t.co/C2j42IIdYM
@hindmezaina do you know of any earlier cinemas?— Jasmine Soliman (@JIsoliman) March 1, 2019
This country never ceases to surprise us!
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