A world-renowned panel of film experts will judge the Dubai International Film Festival’s (Diff) Muhr Awards this year. The awards, presented annually, recognises the best Arab talent of the year in four categories: Muhr Emirati, Muhr Features, Muhr Short and Muhr Gulf Short.
Returning to Diff Muhr Emirati panel this year is Emirati actor, director and producer Hani Al Shaibani, who debuted his feature Waiting List (2016) to audience acclaim. He will be joined by Bahraini writer Fareed Ramadan. With a special interest in cinema and filmmaking, Ramadan has written a number of feature film scripts, and short film scripts, and has participated in many regional and international conferences and film festivals. The pair will be headed by acclaimed Egyptian director and writer Magdi Ahmed Ali. From his debut with Ya Donya ya Gharamy (Life My Love), 1996, and A Girl’s Secret (2001), to The Nile Bird (2009) and Mawlana (2016), Ali has established a reputation for exceptional storytelling.
Muhr Feature will he headed by German actress Martina Gedeck. With 23 major cinema and TV awards to her name, and more than one hundred acting credits, Gedeck has starred in a number of critically acclaimed films, including Robert De Niro’s The Good Shepherd (2006) and German rom-com Mostly Martha (2001). She will be joined by Palestinian filmmaker Raed Andoni who made a name for himself in the industry producing and directing documentary’s centred on the Arab world, including his latest work, the award-winning documentary Ghost Hunting (2017). Accomplished Iranian television, film and stage actress Sahar Dolatshahi will join them as jury member. The actress is known for her work on Fireworks Wednesday (2006), Gold and Copper (2011), and Inversion (2016), which are her most renowned works to date, and was awarded the Crystal Simorgh at Fajr Film Festival in 2015 for her performance in the family crime-drama, Ice Age. There’s also Dominique Cabrera, who has more than 50 credits to her name and a number of awards and nominations, including critical acclaim at the Berlin International Film Festival for WWII drama Folle Embellie (2004). Egyptian filmmaker Ahmad Abdullah rounds off the Muhr Feature jury. With a passion for film and as many as 20 film credits to his name, as well as six award wins under his belt, Abdullah is considered to have sparked the beginning of the Egyptian independent cinema new wave with his first feature film Heliopolis (2009).
For Muhr Short and Muhr Gulf Short, celebrated French director and screenwriter Gilles Marchand will head the jury. Marchand’s portfolio includes an array of award-winning shorts and features, and further nominations for his screenwriting. His film Qui a tue Bambi? (Who Killed Bambi?) (2003) screened to audience praise at the Cannes Film Festival, and was nominated for the Golden Camera award. Director Mehdi M. Barsaoui. a previous Muhr Short winner for We are Just Fine like This (2016), will join Marchand. Saudi Arabian actress and filmmaker Ahd Kamel, who starred in the Bafta-nominated Wajda, completes the panel.
Diff runs from December 6 to 13. Tickets to screenings, starting at Dh35, are on sale on diff.ae.
