Entertainment | Film & Cinema
Goodbye gala
Author Khaled Hosseini graced the red carpet for the closing night of DIFF to support the powerful film version of his best-selling book, The Kite Runner.
- By I-Cheng Chan, Staff Reporter
- Published: 22:54 December 17, 2007
- Image Credit:
Author Khaled Hosseini graced the red carpet for the closing night of DIFF to support the powerful film version of his best-selling book, The Kite Runner.
While the closing night red carpet was a more sedate affair than on previous gala screenings at the fourth Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), the talent who turned out were up there with the best.
There to support the Middle East premiere of The Kite Runner was the author of the best-selling novel Khaled Hosseini with members of the cast who brought his book to life on the silver screen.
The writer, who has a cameo role at the end of the film, said he was very proud of what had been achieved:
"These guys have made my job of endorsing the film so easy because I can endorse it freely and happily. It's very faithful to my story, it captures the emotions of my novel and, for me, it's a moment of tremendous personal pride and also a moment of pride as an Afghan because this is a depiction of my culture, my people, my country and it's going to bring Afghanistan to millions of people around the world thanks largely to these gentleman's performances."
Reaction
As well as attending DIFF, Hosseini said he had been to at last a dozen screenings in America, since its release in the US, and had met the audience after the film. Speaking of their reaction he said: "People are incredibly passionate, they gave us standing ovations and they were crying after the film. I recognise that reaction from the time I had been on the book tour: people had read the novel and they walked up to me after the book signing, and I sense a very parallel reaction to this film."
Actor Khalid Abdalla, who played the grown-up lead character Amir in the film, said: "I'm just immensely proud of my involvement in the film, of being here tonight, of being here with the kids. It's a very, very special moment for us."
The child stars of the film who gave compelling performances in their roles were Zekeria Ebrahimi, who plays the young Amir, and Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada, who played Hassan. Both attended the screening in traditional dress and were given a warm welcome of applause by the audience at the Madinat Arena.
Land revisited
Afghan-American novelist Khaled Hosseini returned to Afghanistan in 2003 after 27 years. The Kabul he discovered was dramatically different to the thriving cosmopolitan city he remembered from his childhood in the 1970s.
"When I went, I found a Kabul that was completely destroyed," said the 42-year-old. "It's very sad for me personally to go back and see neighbourhoods destroyed and people with amputated legs living in great poverty. As an Afghan, it was emotionally very difficult."
In reference to the destruction of art under Taliban rule, Hosseini described it as "one of the great crimes of that regime".
"They vandalised Afghan culture and destroyed so many things that unfortunately will be very difficult to retrieve," he said. "But, you know, there is that Afghan tenacity and resilience, and people will come back."
The last word
As DIFF 2007 came to an end, we caught up with its chairman Abdul Hamid Juma on the red carpet on Sunday.
Here are his thoughts on the fourth edition of the festival: "I think the team has done a great job in putting this together. I felt like there was a buzz this year everywhere: on the red carpet, not only at the opening but also at every gala, and in the industry office. There were a lot of people sitting, talking, signing deals and thinking of their next project, and that is what this film festival is all about."
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