Dubai plans international film festival next year

Dubai is to host an international film festival next March, with plans to develop it into an annual event bringing together films and film personalities from around the world.

The promoters have budgeted around $5 million initially to develop the Dubai International Film Festival (DIIF) concept.

Promotion of the festival to an international audience will start immediately, according to Abdulhamid Juma, chief executive of Dubai Media City.

Dubai, thus, becomes the second Middle East city after Cairo to have a film festival. The first DIIF will extend over seven days, with films chosen from the main movie producing markets of the Americas, the Subcontinent, Europe, the Far East and the Middle East.

"The films that will be chosen are to be by invitation alone, and the rules of the UAE will be adhered to in deciding where the films are from and what the content will be," added Juma. "This will also apply to the films that are chosen for the festival."

Premier Event Management and Entertainment (PEME) - a subsidiary of Dakota-Delta Corp. - has been appointed to organise DIIF.

Sponsors will shortly be invited to come on board, with packages currently being drawn. The festival films will be screened at the many cinemas throughout the city.

"UAE is emerging as a global media hub and this film festival will enhance that status and put us on the international film map," said Juma.

"We expect to carry this initiative forward with the strong support of both government organisations and the private sector."

In the first year, there will be no competitive awards, but there are plans to introduce it from the second year onwards. However, a leading film personality will receive a lifetime achievement honour.

Mahmud Ahmed, chief executive officer of PEME, said: "We see that many of the other film festivals are limited to screening of U.S. and European films. DIIF will have a more equitable policy in selection of films to be screened."

In recent years, many films have been shot at various locales in Dubai, particularly by filmmakers from the Subcontinent. The city's prospects in post production facilities are also being actively pursued with the emergence of DMC.