SHEBA’S GREATEST TREASURES

Archaeologists have peeled back the sands of time to reveal exquisite artifacts from a most sophisticated culture that flourished three thousand years ago in this remote region of southern Arabia. However, Sheba's Greatest Treasure is as relevant today as it was in her time. It has been the key to survival of a region of Yemen known as Marib, and to the greater community of people living in this harsh desert land.

This enduring treasure - as the film portrays - was one of the greatest wonders of the Ancient World - a massive dam that created a huge lake in the midst of the desert. The events associated with the great dam's rise, fall and re-incarnation in the form of today's modern structure is a gripping story that has never before been told on film. Filmed in 2000, on location in Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.

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FEAST OF DATES

The date palm is one of the cornerstones supporting the foundations of Arabian culture and civilisation. Known to many in Arabia as the 'tree-of-life' this single species provided almost all the requirements of daily life, from housing and fencing, to fuel for cooking and a highly nutritious food for both man and his camels. Boats and fish traps were, and still are, made from the tree and dates themselves are valued for their medicinal properties as well as their role in traditional hospitality — coffee and dates offered to the welcome guest — dates eaten first to break fast during the holy month of Ramadan — and dates presented at every ceremony throughout the Arab world and at many events beyond its borders.

Feast of Dates tells the story of the date palm from archaeological finds, oral and historical records, practical farming knowledge and scientific research. Not only does it place the tree firmly at the core of Arabian culture and traditions but it provides a stunning visual record of the sheer beauty of the tree and the contribution it has made to modern urban development.

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CREATIVE ENERGY - SHAPING THE EMIRATES

The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, died on November 2nd 2004. He was the architect of the UAE - the only federation in the Arab World. Virtually every major newspaper carried an obituary of him. He was widely acknowledged as Arabia's greatest statesman and was a strong proponent of the role of the United Nations in solving world conflicts.

'Creative Energy - Shaping the Emirates' shows how the UAE has grown from being one of the poorest on earth to become one of the richest - in only 30 years!
But Sheikh Zayed never measured success in monetary terms.” Wealth is not money. Wealth lies in people. This is where true power lies, the power that we value." At a time when oil and religious intolerance have combined to place the world on a knife-edge Zayed's achievements in creating a multicultural society where tolerance and peaceful co-existence are at its core, resonate more than ever.

His mission was to improve the lives of his people and to lead the country into the modern world. This film shows how he achieved that goal. It begins with some brief glimpses of Abu Dhabi before oil and then quickly moves to the UAE of 2004, exploring the secret of the country's success through the eyes of its own people.

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