A Festival is Born

Following on from the successful first Dubai International Film Festival in 2004, the 11th – 17th December will see Dubai roll out the red carpet once more to provide seven days of unadulterated celluloid indulgence in a second International Film Festival. Providing a perfect opportunity to mingle with the stars and to lose yourself in a choice of nearly 100 films, specially selected from around the world for the diverse and discerning Dubai audience.

Last year’s festival was a critical success for the global audience of filmmakers, celebrities and movie goers who turned up to take part in the event. So much so that the organisers are predicting that in the next five to seven years the festival will grow to rival more established events on the festival circuit such as Cannes, Berlin or Toronto, acting as the bridge geographically and socially between Eastern, Western and Middle Eastern film cultures and audiences.

The appeal of DIFF is not limited to Dubai’s favourable winter climate and easy transport links, but also to the cultural bridges theme that has become the raison d’être of the festival. The idea of using the event to expand inter-cultural understanding was initiated by the festival’s Chairman HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Festival Director Neil Stephenson. It is a concept that has been received enthusiastically by both industry and audience. In a meeting earlier this year, Stephenson was informed by veteran Hollywood actor Richard Gere that he thought the vision behind Dubai’s film festival was “amazing”, emphasising how important the cultural bridge concept is, simply because nobody else is doing it. Gere stressed how important it was that such a positive and progressive message was emanating from the Arab world.

It is this bigger picture thinking behind the festival that distinguishes DIFF from other events in Dubai and worldwide, as Stephenson explains, “it’s a non-profit event, it’s a public service, it’s a cultural event,” and one that intends to embed itself as a highlight in the Dubai social calendar.

Festival Firsts
An essential element of the festival is the opportunity for movie goers to interact with directors, producers, celebrities and actors either at the screenings or at the gala events that take place each night of the festival at the Madinat Jumeirah resort. One opportunity to do this is at the festival’s opening gala film, the provocative and controversial Paradise Now, which follows the last 24 hours of two Palestinian men who decide to become suicide bombers.

If there was any doubt that the organisers were serious about making the event a serious contender amongst the already crowded festival schedules their choice of subject matter for the opening film and in the festival’s first world premiere of a Hollywood film, Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, should prove the point. The comedy directed by and starring comedian Albert Brooks, has already caused ripples in the US even before its release, and is one of the must-see movies of this year’s event.

Challenging stereotypes with humour has traditionally played a large part in Arabian cinema and Egyptian actor Adel Imam star of the comedy, The Embassy is in the Building, does just that. He is one of the many celebrities attending this year’s festival from the Arabic world, along with the many others set to attend from Hollywood, Bollywood, Europe and Africa. Morgan Freeman who was so impressed by last year’s festival will be returning, while Orlando Bloom has had to settle for working on the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean in the Bahamas.

As is usual at film festivals celebrity spotting will usually take place on the night of each gala event. The hectic working schedules and the privacy required for the great and the good of the film world often means it is hard to say who will make it until the moment they step from the limo and onto the red carpet.

What to See
The diverse programme of events on offer has something to suit everyone’s tastes and hyperbole aside; it is a rare opportunity to watch great films in luxurious surroundings. Watching films is after all, what film festivals are all about. As well as showcasing the best of contemporary Arab cinema in the Arabian Nights and Arabian Shorts categories, the remainder of the festival’s twelve themed sections reflect each of the major communities either living in or visiting Dubai.

From the West there are all-star US and European films confirmed for the Contemporary World Cinema and Café Europe sections of the festival. These include the critically acclaimed In Her Shoes, starring Cameron Diaz, the romantic comedy Elizabethtown and the reworked Jane Austin classic Pride and Prejudice featuring budding starlet Keira Knightly.

While from the Far East, Insights from Asia offers a polished selection of films from celebrated directors like Wong Kar Wai and the highly anticipated animated movie, Howl’s Moving Castle, based on Diana Wynne Jones novel and directed by Oscar nominated Miyazaki Hayao.

With World, International and Middle East premieres throughout, Cinema from the Subcontinent presents the best that Bollywood has to offer and focuses on works of excellence from India’s leading film makers.

DIFF 2005 also turns a critical eye on an often overlooked continent: In Honour of Africa explores the film-making talent emerging in African cinema from Burkina Faso to South Africa and includes The Hero, winner of the Best Film Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and a powerful debut from director Zézé Gamboa.

Essential Experiences
If this isn’t enough for the film fans amongst you, the increasingly popular genre of modern cinematic documentaries is the main feature of Destination Documentary. With films from all over the world on offer and nearly every filmmaker in this category set to attend, it will be an exceptional opportunity for the audience to get involved. Stephenson says that in DIFF’s inaugural year, the audience loved the introductions by the filmmakers and the subsequent Q&A sessions, describing it as an essential festival experience, “as you don’t normally get a chance to meet with the people that actually make the movie.”

For film industry professionals a series of forums and discussion panels will take place at Dubai Knowledge Village and the Emerging Emiratis showcase will offer an opportunity to experience what the promising local film industry has to offer.

Another incentive for hosting this non-competitive occasion in December is that it provides an opportunity to screen the year’s best films from the world festival circuit in the Middle East. From short films such as the spirited and sparkling musical satire West Bank Story – a story of forbidden love between rival falafel stands that was a genuine hit at Sundance 2005 to the best of Cannes with this year’s Palme d’Or winner, L’Enfant made by the Dardenne brothers playing a part in Café Europe.

The French film Joyeux Noël, set during a pause in trench-fighting during a Christmas Eve in World War I, also caused a big buzz at Cannes this year and promises to do the same at DIFF 2005 as the keynote Operation Cultural Bridge movie and closing Gala film.

Ultimately it’s all about the films, and the Dubai International Film Festival held at the cross roads of world culture, is the perfect way to complete the year for anyone who loves movies.