The clouds over the Dubai Film Festival this year began to gather just before the start. Both literally and figuratively. And, more often, completely for reasons independent of it. Not only is the crisis still reigning in the courtyard, which has affected the emirate’s purchasing power in attracting “stars” to the red carpet, even before the opening of the film forum, the largest state-owned holding company, Dubai World, defaulted.
Money again prevailed over art, and Dubai World for several days in a row was the main news topic from the Emirates. He was replaced by record rains. Therefore, this time the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) passed as if in the background, in the background of events taking place in the world. Maybe that's why DIFF 2009 lacked so much fun pictures that could cause laughter, not tears. Perhaps this is the only drawback of the sixth issue of DIFF.
Let's start from the end, namely, from the main conclusion and impression. As DIFF does not age, to climb to the top of the cinematic party, he still does not quite succeed. It continues to be a regional festival, fully confirming its application for the status of the largest film forum in the region. Despite the emergence of competitors - the Gulf Film Festival in Dubai (!), The Tribeca Film Forum in Qatar, Doha and the Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi, DIFF is at the helm.
But it is precisely in these two aspects that its advantages lie, especially for the viewer. The cultural marathon that DIFF films make is worth a lot. DIFF, like Dubai itself, is a cosmopolitan and cultural collector. Just to be able to watch films from dozens of countries every year, it is worth spending a piece of each day of the festival week and not getting out of the cinema chairs for several hours in a row.
As a trendsetter in style and style, DIFF works flawlessly in the region. In the international arena, located somewhere between Hollywood and Bollywood. And, as is customary in this part of the world, he pays tribute to local talents. The first local feature film, City of Life, from last year’s DIFF triumph, director from Dubai Ali F. Mostafa, which premiered worldwide during DIFF 2009, advertised the sixth issue of the largest film forum in the Middle East, The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) opened on December 9th with the screening of Rob Marshall / Nine's musical melodrama Rob Marshall. Dozens of celebrities from Hollywood, Arab countries and Bollywood, including even the Dowager Queen of Jordan, Nur, walked along the red carpet, traditionally leading to the Madinat Arena gala in the Madinat Jumeirah complex.
Arab and Indian "stars" aroused quite explainable ethnic composition of the UAE population in the crowds. The Hollywood set was clearly too small, the "stars" rolled up a day later. And even then, not as bright as before. But all this is from the category of ernism. Yes, and not the case.
The festival itself was traditionally "excellent" and "good." The program of the film forum, which lasted until December 16, showed 168 films from 55 countries of the world. Of these, 26 are world premieres. 13 international premieres, 76 premieres for the Middle East region and 33 premieres for the Gulf region.
The main competition was traditionally held in two sections - cinema of the Arab countries (The Muhr Arab Awards) and cinema of the countries of Asia and Africa (The Muhr AsiaAfrica Awards). The jury of the film forum this year was more representative than in its previous releases. For the first time, awards were also presented from the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) for the best Arabic story and short films from the DIFF program.
The countries of the former USSR were represented by 3 paintings, each of which participated in the competition. In the film competition in Asia and Africa, in the section of feature films, they showed the picture of the Kazakh director Zhanna Isabaeva "My dear children" (in the Russian box office - "Oypyrmay or my dear children").
Documentary and poetic reflection on the essence of interethnic conflicts, on the borders dividing people and peoples, the documentary film "Border" by Harutyun Khachatryan, took place in the film competition in Asia and Africa, in the section of documentary films.
To find the line between “bad” and “good” in Dubai, Kyrgyz director Nurlan Asanbekov proposed, whose film “Loss” (La Perdida) participated in the short films competition in Asia and Africa.
This year ours did not manage to repeat the success of the year of the past and did not receive any awards from the former USSR. But, as they say, the main thing is not victory, but participation.
The festival screenings took place at four venues - in the Madinat Arena, the hall of the First Group Theater at Madinat Jumeirah, the Dubai Media City amphitheater and the halls of the Cinestar cinema complex of the Mall of the Emirates. Last year there were six sites, but it was in the past, during the pre-crisis times.
The rooms were full. Tickets for many shows had to get. The most interesting thing is that people again went to those films that critics did not like, and critics ignored the paintings that broke sales records. Maybe because the Emirate public still does not have enough experience in preparing for such events, and the cinema chooses for inspiration or luck.
