The second annual Gulf Film Festival (GFF), held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), will screen a total of 169 films from 32 countries around the GCC and points beyond, in 6 days of free public screenings from Apr. 9 to 15, in Dubai. GFF 2009 will see 47 world premieres, including 18 international premieres and 21 GCC premieres. From the GCC, the UAE leads the numbers with 38 films screening, followed by Saudi Arabia, with 27. There are also nine films from Bahrain, 15 from Iraqi filmmakers, 16 from Kuwait, 2 from Qatar, 3 from Oman, and one - a feature film - from Yemen. These 75 Films from the GCC will vie for generous cash prizes in the Official Competition, and those out of the competition will screen in the ‘Lights' programming segment, a representative selection of 31 films from around the GCC. A special segment that shines the spotlight on Indian cinema will comprise of 19 films, and ‘Intersections' - a segment that lends an international flavor to the festival by screening films from around the world - comprises of 24 contributions. The GFF 2009 will screen eight feature narrative films, 27 documentaries, 106 short-fiction films as well as 28 animation films. All screenings, are held at the Grand Festival Cinemas at Dubai Festival Center. The GFF will also hold an industry panel, an EAVE Producers Workshop on Apr. 13-14 and the ‘In Focus' India panel on Apr. 11, all open to the public. Saudi Arabia makes impressive contributions GFF 2009 will screen a number of films from Saudi Arabia, signaling a filmmaking boom in the Kingdom's industry. The films include 22-year old Fawaz Gadri's feature film “The Revenge”, a dark thriller about four brothers who get involved in a gang war, which changes their lives forever as they are dragged down a dangerous road featuring danger and revenge. Faisal Al Otaibi's feature-length documentary “The Fort” is an entry for the Documentaries in Competition segment, and follows the lives of people living in a fortress-like village. Saudi Arabia has also made significant contributions to the Short Films in Competition programming segment. “Three men and a woman”, by Abdulmohsen Al-Dhabaan, for instance, follows three scriptwriters who attempt to attract a leading female celebrity to star in their upcoming film. In “Silence” - by Tawfik Al-Zaidi - the protagonist Khalid gets flashbacks of his father's death and recalls his fondness for playing the guitar. The Kingdom has also contributed several shorts to the Student Short Films in Competition segment. Abdulaziz Al Nujaym's “Confinement” represents a man trapped at a point of decision in his life, while Bader Al Hamoud's “Distraction” delves into the dilemmas of existence by juxtaposing the routines of life and the power of diversion. The special ‘Lights' category will also comprise of several Saudi entries, including Basheer Al-Mohaishi's “Innocent Dream”, which demonstrates the influence of adults' actions on children's dreams for the future. Hana Abdullah's short documentary “Beyond Words” is a musical dialogue between an Argentinean tango group and a Saudi folk music band, while “Just a Word” by Sameer Arif, follows a young boy dealing with difficulties in learning the Arabic language as he returns to his home country after a childhood spent in New York. In “Remains of Remises”, Mohammed Al-Basha revisits the epic of Kilkamish and its relevance to the people of the Gulf and their memories. Another interesting feature documentary in this category - “Valley of Paradise” - concerns Saudi students at Valparaiso University in Indiana. Important questions are raised and dealt with in the film. How will the Saudi students integrate? Will they help change the image of Islam and their culture that was tarnished by the 9/11 episode? International contributions The GFF this year has announced a lineup of innovative international short films that will form the ‘Intersections' programming segment. The segment provides a counterpoint to the regional offerings, setting them in the context of the short independent production taking place in the international arena, and lending an international flavor to the festival, which is dedicated to promoting regional talent. The films originate from countries from Thailand to Spain and all points in between. The shorts are exquisitely diverse, both thematically and technically: from Spain's Arturo Ruiz Serrano's “Paseo” (The Walkaway) which is the story of Gabino, who has never declared his love to a woman to Romania's Bogdan Mustata's “O zi Buna de Plaja” (A Good Day for a Swim), which is a thriller about a woman, who is abducted by three escaped prisoners who play mind games with her. Many of the shorts take an abstract view of the world. Austria's “Instructions for A Light” and Sound Machine” by Peter Tscherkassky shows a hero who suddenly becomes aware that he is subject to the moods of spectators and at the mercy of the filmmaker. “Between”, from Germany's Tim Bollinger, is a short narrative about the complex combinations and resulting visions of the human psyche. “Noces de Cendre” (Ashes Engagement), is from Belgium by Pierre Eden Simon, and depicts a girl who grieves her father by locking herself in his coffin in the hopes of following him to heaven. Similarly, a contribution from the Netherlands, “Zand” (Sand) is Joost Van Ginkel's compelling story about the ties between a father and daughter, who both enjoy the feel of sand. Two short documentaries reveal a fantastical view of everyday life: “Was Weiss Der Tropfen Davon?” (What Would the Drop Know About That?), by filmmaker Jan Zabeil, documents immigrant cleaners working in Berlin's Reichstag. As in a genuine ballet, they move around the majestic building with their yellow garbage carts, floor sweepers and squeegees. “Safar” (The Journey), by Ali Rashidifar, is a whimsical look at the journeys we make in our lives. This section is also heavily laden with a diverse range of animated films, a number of which originate from France this year. By Anthony Arnoux, Rémi Dessinge, and Guillaume Fesquet, “From the Hoop” tells the true story of a New York basketball player who got into heavy drugs and managed to stage a comeback because of the sport. “Tokoloshe”, a French film by Remi Cauzid, Julien Jobard, Stephanie Saillard, Vivien Testard, is set in South Africa, where a little boy combats a child-eating dwarf, while “Le Pont” (The Bridge), a French-Belgium collaboration by Vincent Bierrewaerts, is about a man and his son living on top of a mountain where they lose all access to the outside world. India in the spotlight This year the festival, as part of its “In Focus” programming segment will focus on short films from India. In addition to offering cross-section of short films from established and emerging directors, there will be a panel discussing independent and short production in the subcontinent, followed by the screenings. The panel will comprise of Kiran V. Shantaram, Director of Rajkamal Studios and V. Shantaram Productions and National Film Development Corporation (NFDC); veteran film critic Sudhir Nandgaonkar, the Third Eye Asian Film Festival director; Pranav Ashar, President of film distribution company Enlighten, and filmmakers Anand Gandhi, director of “Right Here Right Now”, and Umesh Kulkarni, director of “Three of Us”, who also contributed his feature film “Valu the Bull” to the Dubai International Film Festival in 2008. The films in the section give a sample of the many outlooks, techniques and narrative themes in Indian independent production. Many are tales of survival against hardship. “Three of Us”, by Umesh Kulkarni, introduces protagonist Yogendra, who is confined to bed due to severe disability, while Ganga Mukhi's “Punha” (Yet Another Day) follows an old village vendor who finds no takers for his wares. In despair, he throws his goods in the river but life goes on, and so must the struggle for survival. In “Kshitif” (A Far Horizon), by Binitesh Baruri, a destitute trumpet player knows that his only hope is to sell off his trumpet and go to the city with his wife, but doubts if he has the will. Umesh Kulkarni's “Girni” (The Grinding Machine) introduces little Samir, his widowed mother and grandfather who have lost their mental stability due to the noisy grinding machine that provides their livelihood. Gitanjali Rao's animated short film “Printed Rainbow” concerns an old woman and her cat who live alone, but explore many magic worlds with the help of the woman's collection of matchboxes. In “Kshya Tra Ghya” (XYZ), by Amit Dutta, a boy tells a story that he invents while narrating. The film is structured as a riddle and the answer to the riddle is another riddle or a story. A philosophical tone suffuses some of the selections. “Plot”, by Abhijit Mazumdar, is a small part of a bigger story that attempts to understand the vulnerability of human existence. “The Cabin Man”, by Ashish Pandey, asks the question: is there a destination in life? Anand Gandhi's “Right Here, Right Now” a young man triggers a cycle of sorrow and joy simultaneously. Through 15 characters and 17 locations, the cycles meet to a conclusion that explains the absurdities of life. Khushboo Ranka and Anand Gandhi's “Continuum” puts forth five moments of childlike innocence that culminate in a climax where they form the cosmic fabric itself. Several of the films are co-productions that offer interesting perspectives on India. from France, “Do Dil” (Two Heart), by Aatish Basanta, concerns the aftermath of family pressure on what is a loving relationship between a couple. Andheri is a US-India co-production by Sushrut Jain in which Anita, a live-in maid, works in a Mumbai home but decides to run away and take her chances in the unknown big city. Cinema for and by young people GFF has also announced the lineup of its Films for Children programming segment, which will enhance young festival-goers' experiences at the upcoming event. The films originate from the region and beyond, and include animated shorts that were made at the Dubai International Film Festival's (DIFF) Animation for Children workshop as well as the UNICEF One Minute JR. workshops that were sponsored by DIFF and held in Nigeria, the UAE and Malaysia. The DIFF workshops saw children make their own animated films using the theme of the Panchatantra - ancient Hindu tales using animals to teach universal human truths. While most of the Films for Children segment is devoted to animated short works, three live-action selections add variation to the mix: “Gharanguoo”, from Qatari filmmaker Hafiz Ali Ali, depicts a nine-year old girl whose grandmother teaches her about a what a ‘beautiful' Qatari child's custom should be like. A Saudi-US co-production “Lulu's Curls”, by Fahmi Farahat, depicts 7-year old Lulu whose sister attempts to straighten Lulu's hair before first grade, leading to humorous results and an important lesson in life. On a more sobering note, Iraqi filmmaker Erfan Rashid's “Grownup's Wars”, an Italy-Iraq co-production, follows a 10-year old girl who seeks the answer to the question: “why do grown-ups continue waging wars?”. Animated selections round out the segment. In “Dubaian”, by 12-year old UAE filmmaker Dubai Abulhoul, two young explorers search for the mysterious heart of gold hidden below the hot sands of Dubai. Little do they know that their discovery is much more valuable than money. “Machu Pichu”, by French animators Clément Crocq, Margaux Durand-Rival, and Nicolas Novali, follows a young Peruvian and his llama, whose games are about to disturb the journey of a mail pilot. The GFF will also screen short films from talented graduate student directors from around the GCC. The Student Competition is an excellent opportunity for audience members to gauge the new generation of Khaleeji cinema talent, which will vie for first, second and third Prizes of AED 20,000, 15,000 and 10,000 respectively including a special jury prize of AED 15,000 for a documentary or short film. Several of the selections are lighthearted in spirit. “Discover Your Power” by Omani filmmakers Dawood Al Kiyumi and Yasir Al Kiyumi carries the uplifting message the everyone in the world has a unique and specific skill that can be discovered by using your own power. On a darker note, UAE's Adel Al Jabri and Tareq Al Hashimi's “Abood, Hamood and Saloom” shows the title characters as each reacts to—and consequently worsens—an already bad situation. “Al-Qant”, by Omani filmmaker Al Motasim Al Shaqsi, takes viewers to the realm of the supernatural, when a group of kids playing hide and seek hear voices in an abandoned house. Wafa Faisal, a UAE-based lighting engineer, brings her “Born 2B Victims”, about three characters living in a merciless society who must go after the truth, no matter what the outcome for their safety. All films can be found on the Gulf Film Festival website on www.gulffilmfest.com. The GFF is brought by the Dubai Culture and Arts Association (Dubai Culture), in association with Dubai Studio City, and promises to be an exciting event for all.
