Dubai International Film Festival
Encyclopedia
The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is an international film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...

 based in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...

, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...

. Launched in 2004, it aims to foster the growth of filmmaking in the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...

.

Overview

The Dubai International Film Festival is held under the honorary Chairmanship of Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is the President of the Department of Civil Aviation, CEO and Chairman of The Emirates Group and Chairman of Dubai World.- Background:...

. It is a not-for-profit cultural event, presented and organised by the Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority
Dubai Internet City
Dubai Internet City is an information technology park created by the government of Dubai as a free economic zone and a strategic base for companies targeting regional emerging markets. The economic rules of DIC allow companies to avail themselves of a number of ownership, taxation and custom...

. The Festival is an "A" Festival in FIAP accreditation.

The Festival presents cinematic excellence from around the world and offers a high-profile platform for aspiring home-grown talent. The Muhr Award for Excellence in Arab Cinema was launched in 2006, with the aim of recognizing Arab filmmakers both regionally and internationally. In 2008, the Muhr Awards for Excellence were expanded to include two separate competitions, the Arab Muhr Award, and the AsiaAfrica Muhr Award. It also introduced a new program segment dedicated exclusively to Animation.

Another initiative introduced in 2006 was the Industry Office, established with a view to assist registered delegates. The Dubai Film Connection was established in 2007 to stimulate the growth of the film industry in the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...

.

Other initiatives launched in 2007 included Rhythm and Reels, The Magic of Cinema Photo exhibition and the inaugural amfAR Cinema Against Aids Dubai. In December 2010 the Rhythm and Reels open air cinema event was held on Jumeirah Beach
Jumeirah Beach
Jumeira Beach, named after the Jumeirah district of Dubai, is a stretch of beach ten miles south of Dubai where developers are creating large hotel resorts and luxury housing. Also built here is the Burj Al Arab hotel. There is many other activities for tourists to partake in...

 using an inflatable screen.

“Bridging Cultures. Meeting Minds” was chosen as the theme to promote better understanding and mutual respect between different communities and countries.

Since its inception, DIFF has become an important meeting point for international and regional filmmakers and industry professionals. Hundreds of films, documentaries and shorts from more than 50 countries have been shown at the festival. The sixth Dubai International Film Festival took place in December 2010.

In conjunction with the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE) professional training, networking and project development organization, the Dubai International Film Festival in 2010 also began offering to filmmakers the Interchange group of development and co-production workshops earmarked for directors, screenwriters and producers from the larger Arab region.

External links

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