Dubai: Twelve feature films representing the best of contemporary Arab cinema will be screened during the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) this year and compete for one of the most prestigious prizes in the Arab world.
The films, which take on issues as diverse as sexual harassment in Egypt to supernatural incidents in Morocco, include seven world premieres, two international premieres and three Gulf premieres, highlighting DIFF's emergence as a vital launch pad for regional cinema.
Erfan Rashid, Director of Arab Programming, DIFF, said: "The feature film selection at DIFF are unique in their content and narrative style. In addition to deriving inspiration from contemporary realities, the filmmakers have also sought inspiration in the region's culture and heritage. The quality of the films make them compelling to watch, and extremely difficult for the jury to select the winners."
Powerful statement
Masoud Amr Allah Al Ali, Artistic Director, Dubai International Film Festival, said: "The Muhr Arab selection is a powerful statement on the evolution of the Arab film industry in the recent past. While earlier the Arab film industry was confined to just a few countries, today, there is a remarkable participation from across the region.
New contenders are challenging the norms, and embarking on a new course of filmmaking with compelling films that explore the diversity of the Arab world."
Shortlisted for the Muhr Arab Features competition from a pool of 700 contenders, the films highlight the growing collaboration between established actors and emerging directors from the region and provide a stinging look at realities in the Arab world.
Six, Seven, Eight, the directorial debut of respected Egyptian scriptwriter Mohammad Diab, focuses on the rise of sexual harassment in Egypt. Told from the viewpoints of three women drawn from across Cairo's social strata, the film follows the women as they take the law into their own hands after little response from the authorities. The film will be the DIFF 2010 Arab gala, with a red carpet screening on December 13.
Cairo Exit (Al Khoroug), one of the year's most talked about Arab films, will be the DIFF 2010 Cultural Bridge gala, with a red carpet screening on December 16. The drama heralds a bold new shift for contemporary Egyptian cinema, focussing on a pair of star-crossed lovers, a pregnant Coptic girl and her Muslim boyfriend, as they choose between misery at home or leaving on an illegal boat crossing to Europe.
From Iraq, acclaimed director Qasim Hawal captures the reality of the dictatorship era though the eyes of Bashir, a singer scheduled to perform at the palace. Due to a series of mishaps, he is delayed and scared — no one in their right mind keeps the raging commander waiting.
Koutaiba Al Janabi's Al Raheel Min Baghdad (Leaving Baghdad) is a globe-crossing movie that follows the lonely struggle of an Iraqi refugee as he is passed on from one smuggler to the other as he tries to reach London. Tortured by memories of his life under Saddam, he soon finds that hasn't really escaped Saddam's reach.
From Syria, Mohamad Abdulaziz's Dimashq Ma'a Hobee (Damascus with Love) unveils a side of Damascus rarely depicted. The film follows a Syrian-Jewish girl on the verge of migrating from Syria.
Information
The seventh edition of Dubai International Film Festival 2010 will be held from December 12 to 19. DIFF is held in association with Dubai Studio City. Dubai Duty Free, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai Pearl, Emirates Airline and Madinat Jumeirah are the principal sponsors of DIFF.
The Festival is supported by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority. Accreditation for DIFF 2010 is now open at www.dubaifilmfest.com.
