Free cinema screenings of ‘Every Last Child’ polio documentary help highlight UAE’s efforts to eradicate the disease in Pakistan

Abu Dhabi, April 29, 2015: A campaign aimed at raising awareness of polio prevention, including free screenings of a hard-hitting documentary, has reached thousands of UAE residents during World Immunization Week (April 24th to 30th).

Abu Dhabi based film company Image Nation has been promoting efforts to eradicate the disease in Pakistan through vaccinations by screening its inspiring film Every Last Child and delivering educational materials such as posters and badges to the Pakistani community.

The film played to hundreds of viewers at VOX cinemas, while campaign materials in Arabic and Urdu were distributed in labor accommodation centers, schools and taxi companies across the UAE.

The aim was to bring public attention to the World Health Organization’s ‘Close the Immunization Gap’ message, highlighting the fact that one in every five children misses out on critical vaccinations.

Mohamed Al Mubarak, CEO of Image Nation said of the campaign: “The UAE has done an incredible job assisting Pakistan in the fight against Polio and we’re glad our film and the supporting ‘Close the Immunization Gap’ Campaign has been able to help bring awareness to the public.

“The response we have received from the audiences at Vox cinemas has been fantastic. I hope that Every Last Child has played even a small part in helping to bring an end to this crippling disease.”

Image Nation’s poignant film Every Last Child was originally created to support the UAE Pakistan Assistance Program’s efforts to vaccinate millions of vulnerable children in hard-to-reach areas of Pakistan.

The Pakistan Assistance Program succeeded in immunizing 13.2 million children in a 4-month period last year. It has already distributed 28.8 million vaccines since the beginning of this 2015.

The free screenings of Every Last Child were made possible by VOX, who waived the entrance fee in order to help the ‘Close the immunization Gap’ campaign.

The documentary centers around five people – vaccinators, parents and health care workers – who are caught up in the current polio crisis in Pakistan.

Sara Ahmed, who watched the film with her young son at Mall of the Emirates, said: “The film was brilliant – so emotional and impactful. It was a heartbreaking but inspiring piece of cinema which I feel so lucky to have seen.

“I didn’t think polio was still such a big issue in this day and age – but the film has opened my eyes and there is still so much work to be done.”

Produced by Image Nation and directed by BAFTA award-winning Tom Roberts, Every Last Child will be released in US theatres in June this year.

Last week, the film was screened at a special event in Geneva to launch World Immunization Week, organized by the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations and the World Health Organization.

The event featured a high-level panel discussion around polio and a keynote speech by Dr. Mugheer Al Khalil, Chairman of Healthy Authority Abu Dhabi and a member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.