Dubai - Organizers of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) have announced the appointment of public relations consultancy, ASDA'A, advertising agency, Lowe, and interactive agency, Flip Media, for the second edition of DIFF, to be held from December 11-17, 2005.
"While the bids submitted by a number of agencies were all of the highest quality, our decision to go with incumbent agencies ASDA'A and Lowe is based on their understanding of the festival's objectives and their track record," said Shivani Pandya, DIFF Executive Director of Festival Operations. "With the addition of Flip Media in the mix, we will be aiming to achieve better results this year and increase the festival's reach both regionally and globally."
This year's festival will see filmgoers, industry professionals and media representatives witness an even wider range of global cinema. The DIFF management team anticipates showcasing a rich selection of films, short films and documentaries, including many regional and international premiers.
"We are very pleased to partner with the Dubai International Film Festival for the second year running. It shows great faith in the quality of the agency's work and gives us the opportunity to add value in the communications program of one of the region's most exciting events," said Sunil John, Managing Director at ASDA'A Public Relations.
"Working on Dubai's first international film festival was a very rewarding experience. Coming up with a core idea that could be carried across categories and mediums was an exciting challenge. In the end, it was gratifying to see our work impressively displayed around town. The positive feedback we got inspires us to make this year's campaign even better. It's an honour to be part of such an event," said Omar Bibi, Account Director, Lowe Dubai.
Martin Diessner, CEO, Flip Media said, "The entire team at Flip Media are excited to have been appointed to re-design and develop the website for this year's film festival. DIFF's senior management are committed to online communications as a primary channel and have identified significant improvements to enhance user experience."
Attended by approximately 13,000 people at six cinema venues, DIFF 2004 showcased 76 films, from 27 different countries representing 10 different program sections. There were 31 Gulf premieres, 13 Middle East premieres, one international premiere and one world premiere.
The final of four film festivals taking place across the region, this year's DIFF dovetails with the other festivals taking place in the last quarter of 2005, starting with Marrakech which will unspool from November 11 to 19, Damascus from November 20 to 27, Cairo from November 29 to December 9 and ending with the DIFF which will take place between December 11-17.
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About the Dubai International Film Festival
The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is an annual event held under the patronage of HH General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai & Defence Minister of the UAE, and the chairmanship of HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Department of Civil Aviation. Launched in December 2004, by Dubai Media City (DMC), DIFF is a not-for-profit organization created as part of Dubai's vision to establish itself as a new regional film hub.
Launched in 2004, DIFF's theme and main objective is to use the medium of film as a platform to address important world issues, and promote cross-cultural understanding and harmony. The overriding theme of the festival, which aims to serve as an instrument of global understanding and inter-cultural dialogue between the Arab and non-Arab worlds, is 'Bridging Cultures, Meeting Minds'. The second, and equally important, objective of the festival is to celebrate true excellence in Arab cinema.
DIFF 2005 will take place from 11-17 December. Please check www.dubaifilmfest.com periodically for further news and updates.
About Dubai Media CityStrategically located in Dubai at the crossroads of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, Dubai Media City is rapidly emerging as the region's media hub. The City provides an advanced infrastructure and supportive environment for media-related businesses to operate globally out of Dubai. Dubai Media City is the place where every kind of media business, specifically - Publishing, Music, Film, New Media, Leisure & Entertainment, Broadcasting, Media & Marketing Services, and Information Agencies will thrive. The facility offers an environment that allows companies and individuals to operate with collective synergy and freedom.
Since its official opening in January 2001, Dubai Media City has grown tremendously to become a thriving media community of over 960 companies and more than 250 freelance media professionals. Several global media giants and promising entrepreneurial ventures have joined the Dubai Media City community. Three quarters of the media community represents regional and international media companies. Dubai Media City - Freedom to Create.
For further information, please contact:
Deepa Asnani
Dubai Media City
Tel: +9714 391 4548
Fax: +9714 391 4589
Email: deepa.asnani@dubaimediacity.ae
Website: www.dubaifilmfest.com
Nick Wheywell
ASDA'A Public Relations
Dubai
UAE
Tel: +9714 334 4550
Fax:+9714 334 4556
M: +971 50 795 3493 E
E-mail:n.wheywell@asdaa.com
Suzanne Samaan
ASDA'A Public Relations
Dubai
UAE
Tel: +9714 334 4550
Fax:+9714 334 4556
M: +971 50 795 3493 E
E-mail:s.samaan@asdaa.com
© Press Release 2005
