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Gulf film fest opens today

DUBAI — It is that time of the year again when lovers of art cinema from all over the world come to town to experience the visual genius of upcoming filmmakers. The fourth edition of the Gulf Film Festival (GFF) opens its doors today for people to come and experience cutting edge cinema.

The festival, which will run from April 14 to 20 at the InterContinental Hotel and Grand Cinemas at the Dubai Festival City, promises to offer the audience a slice of bold, experimental and contemporary cinema from the Arabian Peninsula.

Being the only film festival dedicated to students and student filmmakers, it offers a rare opportunity to see the Gulf countries, Yemen and Iraq through the eyes of its people and the festival promises to portray the personal, societal and universal.

From drama to children’s films and comedy to horror, the festival is a celebration of the avant-garde.

A total of 44 UAE films are included in the competition of the festival with 21 films in the Gulf Competition and 13 in the student competition. An additional nine Emirati films will be screened as part of the out-of-competition intersections and lights segments.

The films are among more than 150 shorts, documentaries and features from around the region and around the world that will be screened to the public for free.

The documentaries, shortlisted from more than 80 entries from across the GCC region are an incisive look at the contemporary Arab world as perceived by the region’s youth. Realistic takes on modern day issues, the films are also a reflection of the Arab youth perspective of how they view their country and their aspirations for the future.

Masoud Amralla Al Ali, Festival Director of Gulf Film Festival, said: “The Arab world has a rich gold mine of cre

ative talent, as yet untapped. Their approach to film is radically different as they explore the society through their youthful eyes and outlook. The documentaries selected for the Student Competition at the Gulf Film Festival bring out fresh dimensions, both in filmmaking techniques and in their content.”

The festival includes Gulf-wide, student and international shorts competitions, as well as out-of-competition segments, a children’s cinema segment, a focus on experimental filmmaker Gerard Courant, a master class by renowned director Abbas Kiarostami and a series of workshops and discussions.

The submissions represent every corner of the world. The UAE leads regional submissions with 66 entries, followed by 58 from Iraq and 26 from 
Saudi Arabia. Internationally, the United States yielded the highest number of entries (81), followed by France (76) and India (37).

Non-traditional film markets such as Afghanistan, Lithuania and Kyrgyzstan are also represented, underscoring the geographical reach of the festival.

GFF has seen a significant number of entries despite challenging regional and global conditions and is a testament to filmmakers’ struggle to be heard and their confidence in the visual medium.

“The festival offers a solid platform for filmmakers in the Arab world to highlight their creativity. However, we also believe in exposing them to international competition and learning,” added Amralla. The 2010 edition of the festival drew more than 670 delegates from 29 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Middle East including 150 industry professionals, 190 filmmakers and more than 200 media. More are expected this year.

Shivani Pandya, Managing Director of the Gulf Film Festival, said: “One of the main roles that the festival plays is that of a creative commons for the region and the industry.

This is the only opportunity for these filmmakers—and anyone involved or devoted to film—to meet, discuss, to experience and to learn.

We want to ensure access to all our events for all those who are enthusiastic about film, beginning with the next generation.”

The films going to be showcased at the festival are one of a kind and defy conventional methods of filmmaking to create works that are in a league of their own.

It is an ode to cinematic excellence and is a platform that highlights the competencies of the youth of the region who depict their ideas through a compelling art form.

news@khaleejtimes.com