Dubai, 16th April 2012 (WAM): The fifth Gulf Film Festival, the largest of its kind showcase of films from the Arabian peninsula and trend-setting international shorts, held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, concluded on Monday evening with the award ceremony honouring the best in filmmaking talent in the region and around the world.
HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the awards to the winners of GFFs Official Gulf Features, Official Gulf Shorts, Official Gulf Students Shorts and International Shorts competitions. More than half a million dirhams in prizes and prestigious awards were distributed at the ceremony, attended by Arab and Gulf film celebrities and distinguished guests. At the closing ceremony, a special recognition was given to the veteran Kuwaiti actor Saad Al Faraj. The twin juries of the festival were also honoured. The Official Gulf Competition jury comprised: Iraqi theatre director Jawad Al Assadi, Saudi Arabian filmmaker Abdullah Al-Eyaf and UAE media personality, theatre director and author Jamal Matar. The International Shorts Competition and the Gulf Student Competition jury comprised Tampere Film Festival Finland Director Jukka-Pekka Laakso, Emirati filmmaker and writer Jamal Salim, and Egyptian film critic Essam Zakarea. Commenting on the Official Gulf competitions, jury member Jamal Matar, said: "There has been impressive participation from across the Gulf region. Compared with the past years, there has been a strong improvement in the quality of the movies and the scripts. We would like to see stronger participation in the coming years, and greater diversity in themes."On the International Shorts, jury member Jamal Salem said that the films were distinguished by the different themes they tackled. "The filmmakers took simple subjects and explored how these have a wider effect on the society. These short films were indeed thought-provoking and had the power to touch the audience." He said that the Gulf Students shorts were chiefly graduation projects, which limited the range of topics and subjects that were tackled. One of the highlights of GFF 2012 was the strong response to its inaugural Gulf Script Market for Short Films. From about 100 script submissions, 14 projects were selected with the writers offered the opportunity to work with top-notch film professionals over a three-day mentoring session. The polished scripts were then pitched to producers and directors. Coupled with GFFs Enjaaz programme, extending production funding of up to US$50,000, the Festival offered a solid sounding board to promote regional filmmaking. The selection of films and mentoring were by Egyptian director and scriptwriter Mohamed Khan; award-winning Lebanese director, scriptwriter and film entrepreneur Michel Kammoun; and Bahraini author and scriptwriter Fareed Ramadan. Khan observed the Gulf Script Market for Short Films was the most distinguishing factor of the festival this year. "Through this initiative, we are providing an opportunity for youngsters to express themselves through the art of cinema."In another significant initiative, the festival also announced the launch of the Robert Bosch Stiftung awards for three co-production prizes for joint short film productions by young German and Arab filmmakers in the animated film, documentary and short film categories. Over the week-long festival, over 155 films from 40 nations were screened for free to the public, recording strong audience turnout. Additionally, 153 vignettes crafted by avant-garde French filmmaker Gerard Courant, including 134 of the four-minute personal sketches of UAE residents and GFF guests that are now part of the worlds longest movie, Cinematon, were screened. GFF 2012 also screened 39 films in the Cherries of Kiarostami programme, which resulted from a 10-day master-class conducted by world-renowned Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami at the festival last year.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2012.
