Dubai International Film Festival added eight final films to their Muhr Short line-up. The films showcase talent from the Arab world. At the 13th edition of Diff, taking place December 7-14 at Madinat Jumeirah, they will compete for the chance to be considered for an Academy Award nomination next year.
1. Five Boys and a Wheel
By Palestinian director Said Zagha, follows a schoolteacher in Jordan who must restore his son’s admiration of him through a violent act.
2. On the Ropes
By Lebanese director Manon Nammour, tells the tale of a Lebanese family who are stuck in limbo, reflecting the state of their country.
3. We Are Just Fine Like This
By Tunisian filmmaker Mehdi M. Barasoui, tells the story of Baba Azizi, an elderly man thoughtlessly passed around between his children’s houses.
4. The Builders
By Egyptian director Naji Ismail, revolves around lifelong friends, Ibrahim and Abdul Naeem, who relocate from North Egypt to Cairo and begin work as builders — but things take a dark turn when one of them murders the other over a financial dispute.
5. The Unknown Sweet Potato Seller
By Egyptian animator Ahmed Roshdy, is inspired by true events during the Egyptian revolution. An Egyptian artist is haunted by the murder of a child who sold sweet potatoes in Tahrir Square.
6. All the Rest is the Work of Man
By Tunisian director-actress Doria Achour, tells the story of Tunisian immigrant Aymen who crosses the Mediterranean Sea to reunite with his long-lost sister after two decades apart.
7. The Boy and the Sea
By Syrian director Samer Ajouri, is an animated short about a boy who copes with the horrors of war by drawing photos of the sea. One day, this isn’t enough — so he dives in.
8. Law of the Lamb
By Tunisian filmmaker Lotfi Achour, follows a man and his grandson through a Tunisian desert; they are stopped by police who try to coerce them into a deal.
“The captivating mixture of subjects in this year’s competition will surprise and enlighten audiences as the storytelling and visual effects provide a remarkable insight into the world around us,” said Masoud Amralla Al Ali, Diff’s director.
Registration for professionals is now open. Film ticket packages (10 for Dh275, 25 for Dh550, and a red carpet package with seven gala tickets for Dh500) are available at diff.ae.
