Films for DIFF's cultural bridge sector named

Dubai: The Dubai International Film Festival on Saturday announced its lineup of films for the iconic 'Cultural Bridge' segment, which epitomises the festival's credo - 'Building Bridges, Meeting Minds'.

The eight films presented in the segment represent a global search and include a selection of feature films, and documentaries, reflective of vast cultural differences and realities.

Hannah Fisher, Programmer of the Cultural Bridge segment, expanded on her choices for the 2008 edition of DIFF: "Each year, we have the opportunity to scour the international landscape searching for films that articulate heightened sensitivity to our similarities rather than differences, promote the spirit of inclusiveness, and stimulate open ended dialogue with what we hope will be the attitude of compassion and truth.

"Seven of the films selected this year are based on true events, and the stories they tell will reach out to viewers by speaking of mutual humanity, compassion, and hope in the face of adversity."

Two films delve into the use of art, music and performance as a tool for life-affirming social change: Marco Pontecorvo's debut feature Pa Ra Da chronicles the efforts of Miloud, a young circus clown living in Paris, who resolves to help the street children of Bucharest.

Pa Ra Da has been selected as the Gala film representing the Country Focus program dedicated this year to the cinema of Italy.

The World Premiere screening of El Sistema bears witness to the extraordinary work of Jose Antonio Abreu, a man who believed that music could break the chains of poverty.

Skin, selected as the Gala film for the Cultural Bridge programme, is the narrative debut of award-winning documentarian Anthony Fabian. A true story, Skin explores the grim absurdities of apartheid in South Africa.

DIFF will run from December 11 to 18.