The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), a leading film festival in the region, is now accepting film submissions for its 13th edition, which will be held from December 7 to 14.
The DIFF enjoyed a record breaking year in 2015, boasting a 10 per cent increase from 2014 with members of the community turning out to watch an impressive slate of international, regional and local films over the eight-day event in December.
The highly contested Muhr competition featured 60 compelling Arab films which captivated both local and international audiences and further highlighting the increased audience appetite for independent Arab films.
The Muhr Gulf Short Category was introduced last year into competition to promote greater understanding and appreciation of the unique stories from the incredible talent across the Gulf region. In its inaugural year, DIFF received a high number of submissions from Saudi Arabia and Iraq and this year are urging filmmakers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Yemen to submit fiction and non-fiction short films to introduce audiences to a wider range of innovative work so as to truly reflect the strength of talent from across the Gulf.
DIFF is now accepting entries for feature fiction and non-fiction; and short films originating from the UAE and the Arab world, which will compete for the prestigious Muhr Awards.
As the only Arab film festival that qualifies to contribute short films for Oscar consideration, the Muhr Arab short that picks up Best Film will be eligible for entry into the Academy’s 2017 competition.
Over the years, the competition has helped to raise the profiles of award recipients on the international stage. Basil Khalil’s ‘Ave Maria' took home the prestigious Muhr Award for Best Short Film at the 12th edition and competed at the recent 88th Academy Awards in Los Angeles. Last year, Muhr Award winning filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad was nominated for an Oscar for his feature film ‘Omar’, which was supported by DIFF’s Enjaaz post-production support programme.
For the past 10 years, the Muhr competition has celebrated the imagination and excellence of Arab filmmaking from both established and emerging talent.
DIFF artistic director Masoud Amralla Al Ali said: “This is an exceptional time for Arab cinema and I want to congratulate our Arab film talent who are excelling at award ceremonies including the Oscars and the Bafta’s and winning the highest honours at prestigious film festivals such as Cannes and Berlin. I am thrilled that DIFF’s Muhr competition is playing a crucial role in discovering incredible talent and promoting Arab films to ensure homegrown talent remains firmly in the spotlight on the world stage.”
Narrative features, documentaries and short films directed by a filmmaker of Arab nationality or origin are all eligible for entry, and filmmakers have until August 31 to enter their films. Films must have been produced after September 2015.
To submit a film and review further information on rules and regulations, please visit www.dubaifilmfest.com. - TradeArabia News Service
Dubai film festival seeks entries
Basil Khalil’s ‘Ave Maria' took home <br>the Muhr Award for Best Short Film in 2015
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