Wednesday, Oct 26, 2016

Dubai International Film Festival has announced the line-up of its Muhr Gulf Short category. It features compelling films that reflect life in the Gulf today.

The Bliss of Being No One, by Saudi filmmaker Bader Al Homoud, follows the journey of a solitary young man who, after losing his family, encounters an older man. It will hold its world premiere at Diff.

300KM, by Saudi filmmaker Mohammad Al Holayyil, is another world premiere. It’s about a man, woman and child from a conservative community who are forced to journey together in a small car.

Five O’Clock, from Iraq’s Ayman Al Shatri, takes a dark, intimate look into the life of a suicide bomber.

The Best of Life, from Kuwaiti filmmaker Meqdad Al Kout, follows a man who becomes obsessed with an internet celebrity, and loses his grip on reality.

Areata, by Kuwaiti director Ahmad Al Terkait, tells the story of a troubled young woman, Reem, whose illness causes her to lose her hair; she visits a psychiatrist to help her figure out the root of her problem.

Wake Me Up, by Saudi director Reem Al Bayyat, will premiere at Diff. It will tell the tale of a woman in the midst of a midlife crisis, who feels rejected as she attempts to revive an artistic pastime.

Kashta, by Qatari director A.J. Al Thani, follows a father into the scorching desert with his two sons, where he teaches them how to hunt and survive.

“As the filmmakers originate from a range of countries within the Gulf region and draw on narratives from their everyday life, Diff’s audiences will gain a true representation of life in the Middle East today,” Diff’s artistic director Masoud Amralla Al Ali said of the Gulf lineup.

Registration for professionals is now open. Film ticket packages (10 for Dh275, 25 for Dh550, and a red carpet package with seven gala tickets for Dh500) are available at diff.ae.

Staff Report

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