Acclaimed director Lee Daniels has a date with Dubai. The Oscar-nominated director, best known for his recent hit The Butler, will head the jury for Dubai International Film Festival’s (Diff) Muhr Feature Competition. The eight-day festival opens on December 10.
Daniels will head a jury of four members for the category, which has launched many acclaimed regional directors in the past. Past winners include Oscar nominee Hany Abu Assad, Saudi Arabia’s Haifaa Al Mansour and Egyptian director Mohammad Khan.
Also a producer and writer, Daniels has the distinction of being the first African-American director to have his film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar for the acclaimed Precious.
“I’m thrilled to be visiting the Emirates for the first time and to have the privilege of being part of the Dubai International Film Festival’s jury. This festival is truly a host to international cinema, it’s an exciting time for me to join the festival and experience everything that it has to offer,” he said in a release.
Diff’s artistic director Masoud Amralla Al Ali added: “Lee Daniels is one of the most distinguished American filmmakers today, who has built his illustrious career on embracing the dynamics and diversities of life’s challenging situations, he is uniquely poised to understand filmmakers from the Arab world, their aspirations, and their unique viewpoints.”
The Muhr competition will also recognise documentary and short films and non-feature films by directors from the region. All shortlisted films will be shown at the festival, which runs from December 10 to 17. For a full schedule and ticket information, go to dubaifilmfest.com.
