Loading ...Dubai Film connection set to grow in its second run at the Dubai International Film Festival 2008 |
|
Dubai, 17 May 2008: The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF)Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF)
today announced dates for the second run of the Dubai Film Connection (DFC), the first feature and documentary film co-production market in the UAE, scheduled to take place on 13-17 of December 2008. Building on the success of DFC from last year, DIFFDIFF has also announced an increase in the prize money for the three winning projects, raised to USD 25,000 from the existing USD 15,000 each. DFC in its first year received recommendations from 107 filmmakers from 18 different countries.
Films Distribution-France, Fortissimo Films-Hong Kong/Netherlands, Rhombus Media Inc.-Canada, Cinetic Media-USA, Killer Films-USA, The World Cinema Fund-Germany, ART-Saudi Arabia, Showtime Arabia-UAE, Arte Cinema-France, Channel Four-UK, BBC Films-UK, Al Jazeera-Qatar, SBS-Australia, MBC-UAE, Brightlight Pictures-Canada, Insituto Luce-Italy, Phars Film-UAE, Front Row Films-UAE and Max Film-Canada were amongst some of the prestigious names that attended DFC in 2007.
The three winning projects from 2007 are Amreeka, directed by Cherien Dabies and Produced by Christina Piovesan from First Generation Films. The film co-produced by Al-Zain Al Sabah from Eagle Vision Media Group KSCC, is in pre-production and starts shooting early June.
Showtime Arabia has confirmed their participation towards the project. Marc-Antoine d'Halluin, CEO-Showtime Arabia said, "We are very proud to be associated with the production of Amreeka, and believe that this story will help in bridging some of the misunderstandings between the Middle East and the Western world. From our perspective this is where cinema plays its most noble and essential role".
One Man Village directed by Simon El Habre and produced by Jad Abi Khalil and Irit Neihardt from MEC Films has begun filming and is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. Man Without A Cellphone directed by Sameh Zoabi and produced by Amir Harel of Lama Films, Christoph Hahnheiser from Black Forest Films GmbH and Marie Gutmann of Meroe Films has successfully managed to raise about 50 percent of the total budget of USD 1.5 million and is scheduled to go into pre production in 2008.
DIFFDIFF in 2007 entered into a strategic alliance with the prestigious Cannes Producers Network by offering the producers of the winning DFC 07 projects complimentary registration. This year the Producers Network have committed to providing the same facility for the winners of Dubai Film Connection in December 2008.
In addition to the above, the DFC in 2007 also included a prize from Arte France Cinema, presented to director Raed Andoni's Fix Me. Produced by Palmyre Badinier, the film is scheduled to start shooting in Palestine this summer. Furthering this association, the prize money has been increased to 6,000 Euros for DIFFDIFF 2008 and the award will be known as Prix ARTE des Relations Internationales (International Relations ARTE Prize).
Michel Reilhac, Executive Director for Cinema and Head of Film Acquisitions, ARTE FRANCE CINEMA, and André de Margerie, Director of International Releations, ARTE FRANCE said, " Following on the success of last years collaboration with the Dubai Film Connection we are pleased to announce an increase in our support by raising our prize to €6000. The "International Relations ARTE Prize" will be
presented to a project by a filmmaker from the Middle East. With this award we are demonstrating our commitment and support of productions from this part of the world. The grant will be awarded to a project/filmmaker whose originality, personal writing style and motivation are exceptional. "
Shivani Pandya, Managing Director of DIFFDIFF, stated: "In its third year of operations, the DIFFDIFF Industry Office has widened its base. There was an overwhelming response to the Office's events and networking opportunities last year. I am very proud that 25 per cent of the projects at the DFC last year are now in pre-production, and that we are able to raise our production grants and continue this valuable initiative for another year. Over the next few months many more projects are likely to go into production"
"The Dubai Film Connection Co-Production market is committed to bridging cultures by bringing international film professionals into contact with the Arab filmmaking community. This year is going to be the best ever from an industry perspective".
The DFC is open for submissions from mid-may with the deadline for applications set for 24 of August 2008. Short listed projects will be announced in October. For more information and selection criteria, please visit the Festival website: www.dubaifilmfest.com .
The Dubai International Film Festival will run from December 11 to 18, 2008.
-Ends-
About Dubai Film Connection:
DFC is the first feature film co-production market in the UAE committed to bridging cultures by bringing international film professionals into contact with the Arab filmmaking community.
The Dubai Film Connection links Arab filmmakers searching for funding with international and regional industry professionals including sales agents, distributors, co-producers, broadcasters, commissioning editors. Fifteen projects at an advanced stage of development were selected by an international panel in 2007 of which three winning projects received cash prizes and registrations to the Producers Network.
Over 80 international industry professionals attended the inaugural run of the DFC including representatives from the broadcasters of the Arab region.
Under the guidance of Head of Industry Office Jane Williams (industry consultant for reputed organizations such as Cinemart and The European Commission), the DIFFDIFF Industry Office has been designed to provide a platform for information exchange and share of best practice between Arab filmmakers and the International film making community.
The Industry Office was introduced in 2006, and hosted industry guests from some of the most esteemed industry companies, including Rotana, Fortissimo Films, Celluloid Dreams, Weinstein Company, UTV Motion Pictures, Videovision Entertainment, Fox 2000, Fox Searchlight, BBC Films, Royal Film Commission Jordan, Sundance Film Festival/Institute, Paramount Vantage, CNC/Fonds Sud, and Marché du Film/Cannes.
© Press Release 2008
from A'sidrah
Comment on this article 
Loading ...-
Zawya encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You agree that when you add content to this discussion your comments will not:
1.1 Contain any material which is libelous or defamatory of any person, is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory or causes damage to the reputation of any person or organisation.
1.2 Promote sexually explicit material, violence, discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age or any illegal activity.
1.3 Be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence.
1.4 Be threatening, abuse or invade another’s privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.
1.5 Be used to impersonate any person, to misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person, or be likely to deceive any person.
1.6 Give the impression that they represent Zawya.
1.7 Advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act such as (by way of example only) copyright infringement or computer misuse. - The content posted on www.zawya.com is created by members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of Zawya. Zawya reserves the right to review all comments prior to posting and edit or delete any contribution, but Zawya is not responsible for and can not be held liable for any content posted by members of the public on www.zawya.com.
- Zawya is not responsible for the availability or content of any third party sites that are accessible through www.zawya.com. Any links to third party websites from www.zawya.com do not amount to any endorsement of that site by Zawya and any use of that site by you is at your own risk.
- By submitting your comment, you hereby give Zawya the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comments worldwide, in perpetuity.
Stories
Loading...Companies
Loading...Projects
Loading...Blogs
Loading...