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The Middle East Film and Comic Con returns to Abu Dhabi this weekend

The 11th edition of the pop culture festival returns to Abu Dhabi featuring stellar line-up of celebrities from film, television, comic books, anime and manga. (Supplied)
The 11th edition of the pop culture festival returns to Abu Dhabi featuring stellar line-up of celebrities from film, television, comic books, anime and manga. (Supplied)
The 11th edition of the pop culture festival returns to Abu Dhabi featuring stellar line-up of celebrities from film, television, comic books, anime and manga. (Supplied)
The 11th edition of the pop culture festival returns to Abu Dhabi featuring stellar line-up of celebrities from film, television, comic books, anime and manga. (Supplied)
The 11th edition of the pop culture festival returns to Abu Dhabi featuring stellar line-up of celebrities from film, television, comic books, anime and manga. (Supplied)
The 11th edition of the pop culture festival returns to Abu Dhabi featuring stellar line-up of celebrities from film, television, comic books, anime and manga. (Supplied)
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01 Mar 2023 03:03:46 GMT9
01 Mar 2023 03:03:46 GMT9

Amin Abbas

The Middle East Film and Comic Con (MEFCC) is returning to Abu Dhabi for its 11th edition from 3 to 5 March, 2023.

Organized by Informa Connect and supported by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the hugely anticipated event will be bigger than ever, taking over the entire new hall expansion at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

Last year’s convention hosted a stellar line-up of celebrities, including Charlie Cox, Barry Keoghan, Nathalie Emmanuel, Michael Rooker, Ming-Na Wen, Kevin Conroy, Sean Schemmel and Charles Martinet, as well as more than 250 exhibitors catering to over 24,000 visitors.

With a new hall added to the already expansive space, the new features for 2023 include the Gaming Arena and the Cosplay Central. The Middle East Games Con will now be a part of MEFCC with a dedicated space, the Gaming Arena. Featuring retro and unreleased games, eSports tournaments, gaming software, accessories, hardware and limited-edition merchandise, this new development will give fans the best in inspiring gaming fun.

Each year, characters are brought to life by the most devoted fans at MEFCC: the Cosplayers. So, apart from the annual cosplay competition, this instalment will include Cosplay Central to supercharge the cosplay experience with meet-and-greets with local and international professional cosplayers, cosplay repair stations and lockers, green screen photo opportunities, and a lot more to be announced soon.  

MEFCC is also gearing up for three thrilling days of unlimited action at various zones that have become annual favorites. While the entire roster of celebrities has yet to be revealed, the Meet the Stars section will be as big as ever. The Cine Club, another unmissable feature, is hosting Q&As with the stars, allowing fans to quiz their heroes and view exclusive trailers and film screenings.

The Creative Academy will offer hands-on learning experiences in workshops from world-renowned comic book, film, TV, arts and crafts, gaming, cosplay and content creation experts. Visitors can also dive into a different dimension of creativity and imagination, explore art, and meet the geniuses behind the masterpieces at the Artist Alley. In the Retail Area and MEFCC Exclusive Merchandise zones fans can snap up a range of collectibles, signed merchandise, exclusives, customized art, and more.

At the outdoor Festival Stage in the Festival Plaza, the thrills include a packed itinerary of cosplay, dance competitions, giveaways, entertainment, pop quizzes, karaoke and more. The plaza will also host Kid’s World with bouncy castles and activities for youngsters, and the Foodie’s Village, with food trucks and customized MEFCC menus.

With over 300 exhibitors, visitors can immerse themselves and engage in exciting activations from Konami, Comicave, The Little Things, Kage Collectibles, Kinokuniya, Manga Bound, Geekay, Samsung, Huawei, Samyang, Capeless and Tony Santiago Art, among many others.

This year’s lineup of celebrities at MEFCC includes David Harbour (THUNDERBOLTS, STRANGER THINGS, HELLBOY & BLACK WIDOW), Matt Smith (HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, DOCTOR WHO, THE CROWN & MORBIUS), Andy Serkis (LORD OF THE RINGS, PLANET OF THE APES, STAR WARS, BLACK PANTHER & BATMAN), Jamie Campbell Bower (STRANGER THINGS, HARRY POTTER & TWILIGHT), May Calamawy (MOON KNIGHT & RAMY), Hayden Christensen (Star Wars) and Anthony Daniels (Star Wars).

LUSH has teamed up with one of the longest-running manga and anime series of all time, One Piece, to launch a set of six bath bombs, inspired by the famous words of Monkey D. Luffy “I smell adventure!” Celebrating One Piece’s 25th anniversary, the collaboration features five bath bombs inspired by the “Devil Fruit”: Gum-Gum Fruit Bath Bomb, Flame-Flame Fruit Bath Bomb, Flower-Flower Fruit Bath Bomb, Human-Human Fruit Bath Bomb, and the Straw Hat Reusable Bubble Bar. Included is a One Piece flag knot wrap. Products from the LUSH x One Piece collaboration will now be available in LUSH stores and in this year’s MEFCC.

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