Gulf film makers honoured at glittering closing ceremony

Dubai: Budding filmmakers from across the Gulf and veterans from Arab cinema were honoured at a glittering ceremony on Tuesday, the closing night of the fourth edition of the Gulf Film Festival.

Among the winners chosen in the Gulf Competition were Iraqi and UAE filmmakers who scooped a number of honours followed by others from the GCC.

"The Gulf Film Festival has provided us with a great platform to showcase our films and opens dialogues among filmmakers," said Faisal Al Thani, a Qatari film-maker who won a special mention in the Gulf Competiton Students Shorts section.

The competition was fierce among budding filmmakers with thousands of applications received, said organisers.

The winners were presented trophies and cash prizes by his Excellency Mohammed Al Murr, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai
Culture) (pl chk title). Lifetime Achievement honours were also bestowed to Emirati actress Mariam Sultan, Saudi director-producer Mohammad F. Al Gazzaz, Kuwaiti producer-director Mohammad Al-Sanousi for their contribution to Arab cinema, along with  a Special Recognition Award to Kuwaiti thespian Mohammed Almunai.

Sultan and Almunai came personally to collect their award.

"I feel overwhelmed to receive this award. Theatre and art still continues to thrill me," said Sultan.

World-renowned director Abbas Kiarostami, who held his first master-class in the region in Dubai for 40 filmmakers and avant-garde French director Gerard Courant, whose films were screened in the festival's In Focus segment were also honoured.

As many as 114 films from the Arabian peninsula were screened free of charge during the week-long festival.

Winners' list of GFF 2011:

The New York Film Academy Abu Dhabi Awards:

Hamad Saghran from UAE
Sarmad Al-Zoubidy from Oman

International Competition - Shorts

Special Mention: Parigot by Alex Digoix, Alexandre Wolfromm, Geoffrey Lerus, Loic Bramoulle, Mehdi Alavi - France

Third Prize: Va Digar Hich ... (And Nothing Else) by Roqiye Tavakoli - Iran

Second Prize: El Orden Delas Cosas  by César Eteban Alenda, José Esteban Alenda - Spain

First Prize: Casus Belli by Yorgos Zois - Greece

Gulf Competition Students - Shorts

Special Mention: Demi Plie by Faisal Al Thani - Qatar

Third Prize: Akhir Decemeber by Hamad Al Hammadi - UAE

Second Prize: Hadith by Sarmad Al-Zoubidy - Oman

Special Jury Prize: Qabla Al Gharoub by Issa Al-Subhi - Oman

First Prize: Noura by Abdulrahman Al Salman - Kuwait

Gulf Competition Students - Documentary

Third Prize: Sho'ub Wa Qabael by Maysoon Al Ali - UAE

Second Prize: Ghanni Oghniatak by Omar Falah - Iraq

First Prize: Faham Wa Ramad by Hussein Mohsen - Iraq

Official Gulf Competition - Shorts

Special Mention: Baharat By Amer Alrawas - Oman

Special Mention: Slow Death by Jamal Salim - UAE

Special Mention: Actress Haya Abdulsalam For May Al Jannah - Kuwait

Special Mention: Ali Mohammed Jassim for editing Semi Illuminated - Iraq

Special Mention: Waleed Al Shehhi For the cinematography of Reeh - UAE

Script Prize: Sabeel by Mohammed Hassan Ahmed - UAE

Third Prize: The Power Of Generations by Mohammed Jassim - Bahrain

Second Prize: Frame by Luay Fadhil - Iraq

Special Jury Prize: Alwan by Akeel Hameed - Iraq

First Prize: Sabeel by Khalid Al Mahmood - UAE

Official Gulf Competition - Documentary

Third Prize: Wad'an Babel by Amer Alwan - Iraq

Second Prize: Cola by Yahya Hassan Al-Allaq - Iraq Special Jury Prize: Al Fanal Fragments of Life And Death by Mano Khalil - Iraq, Switzerland First Prize: Hamama by Nujoom Alghanem - UAE

Official Gulf Competition - Feature

Second Prize: Garaqi Daholakan by Hassan Ali Mahmood - Iraq

Firt Prize: Al Raheel Min Baghdad by Koutaiba Al-Janabi Iraq, UK, UAE