Thursday, September 2, 2010

Organisers of the Middle East International Film Festival believe this year’s line-up really reflects its title.

The festival opens today in Abu Dhabi and will be headed by a movie about an Iraqi boy set in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein’s fall.

Following the trek of Ahmed and his grandmother across the devastated country to find his missing father, the ‘Son of Babylon’ film has been pitched as a search for justice and closure in the new Iraq.

“This is different than the Iraq you see on the news. It’s a human Iraq,” says Mohammed al-Darraji, the Baghdad-born director of the film, which will feature as a world premiere in Abu Dhabi.

The festival kicks off at Emirates Palace Hotel with organisers seeking to use such productions to put the focus back on the Middle East.

“What is new in this session is that we are more closer to the meaning of the name of the festival, ie that it is a festival for the Middle East, and an international festival as well,” said festival director Peter Scarlet.

Scarlet said half of the films in competition for $1 million in prize money are works by Middle Eastern directors.

In its third year, the festival has introduced awards for best feature film from the Middle East and best new director. It also has two other prizes for the best documentary from the region and best new director of documentaries.

The festival opens with the movie ‘The Traveller’, directed by Egyptian director Ahmed Maher and starring Omar Sharif, Khalid Abdel Nabi and Cyrine Abdelnour, after it had been shown at the Venice Film Festival last month.

“Most of the stars of this film will be present,” Scarlet said.

Besides ‘Sons of Babylon’, other major feature films vying for the Black Pearl Awards include ‘No one Knows About Persian Cats’ by Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi. The feature film competition includes 17 movies.

For most of the films included in the feature-length documentaries it will be the first time they are screened either in the Middle East or globally.

The festival will have a global programme, including films from India, Japan, France, Britain and others. It also features a programme dedicated to modern Turkish cinema.

Scarlet said the festival reflects the demographics of Abu Dhabi.

“Ticket sales have risen substantially this year,” he said. “The cinemas here only show films from Hollywood and Bollywood so the festival provides the people of this city with a different cinema.”

The festival debuted in 2007, three years after the inaugural Dubai International Film Festival, which has since gone on to become an international event.

This year’s festival in Dubai, which starts on December 9, will see a packed schedule of films from dozens of countries shown at venues in Media City and throughout Dubai.

The festival will be a mixture of Arab, Indian and Asian cinema as well as films from the US and Europe.

Meanwhile the main jury at the Middle East International Film Festival will be chaired by Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, while James Longley will head the committee that is judging the feature-length documentaries. Yousri Nasrallah will head the jury for short films.

For more details visit www.meiff.com

Guide to the MEIFF
* The festival runs from October 8-17.
* Screenings will take place at three venues, Emirates Palace Auditorium; Cinestar Cinemas, Marina Mall; Grand Cinema, Abu Dhabi Mall.
* Tickets cost dhs20 for general screenings, dhs 30 for gala screenings at Emirates Palace, dhs10 for students and seniors (65 and over).
* A Festival Pass costs dhs200.
* Tickets are available at www.meiff.com or from the venues.
* A free shuttle bus service is available throughout the festival between each of the three theatre locations as well as the InterContinental Hotel.