Africa segment at Dubai International Film Festival

Dubai: Indonesian and Japanese movies will be included in the AsiaAfrican segment of this year's Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), which also features films from China, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Korea.

The Blue Generation explores Indonesia's politics through the eyes of Slank, a seminal rock band, and is directed by Garin Nugroho, Dosy Omar and John De Rantau. It combines documentary, animation, dance, political activism and rock ‘n' roll styles.

Nashen Moodley, director of the AsiaAfrica programmes, said that this year also marks a strong presence of Japanese cinema.

"It's really encouraging to have such a strong representation from Japan this year, and we are delighted to have such an interesting mix of genres. The films in the Cinema of AsiaAfrica section take on serious issues in some cases and are also engaging and entertaining," he added.

The Japanese selection includes the classic Ninja, a dark comedy, an animation film and an engaging family drama.

Directed by the award-winning Yoichi Sai, Kamui Gaiden recounts the life of the fearless renegade ninja Kamui who, exhausted and near death, finds himself saved by a fisherman who takes him into his home.

In contrast, Running On Empty, directed by Dai Sako, is a dark comedy in which a fake kidnapping is botched and a dark secret gradually revealed.

Sako wrote the screenplay for the DIFF 2009 award-winner Vacation, and comes to the DIFF with the world premiere of Running On Empty.

Family disarray

Director Mamoru Hosoda's animation Summer Wars is a tale for our times, featuring a large family which is thrown into disarray by a global crisis emanating from the internet.

When maths genius Kenji Koiso is asked by older student, Natsuki, to come with her to her family's home for a summer job, he agrees — but then events take an unexpected course.

Spy thriller, The Message, represents China in the Cinema of AsiaAfrica section. Set in Nanking in 1942, The Message weaves a spellbinding tale of assassination, interrogation and treachery.

From Korea comes director Yoon-ki Lee's hilarious comedy My Dear Enemy, in which a woman sets out on an expedition to track down her former boyfriend, who owes her money. He offers to repay the money by collecting from a series of girlfriends, leading to a nostalgic journey.

The sixth edition of the Dubai International Film Festival will run from December 9 to 16, 2009.

Big screen

What: The sixth edition of the Dubai International Film Festival

When: From December 9 to 16, 2009