Accreditation for the Dubai Film Market is reserved for film industry professionals and related sectors. Please check the specific professional categories listed below and select the category that corresponds to you.

Professional categories considered for accreditation requests:

• Broadcast - Television
• Buyer/Seller
• Director
• Distribution
• Executive Producer
• Film Commission
• Film Director
• Film Festivals & Markets
• Film Publisher (Video, DVD, Music)
• International sales agent
• Producer
• Production
• Programmer
• Rights Owner
• Sales Agent
• TV company
• Commission Editor (TV)

REGISTRATION PROCESS

1. You need to fill out the online registration form.
2. Once step 1 is completed, you should carefully check the information you have provided and do not forget to confirm your request. After confirmation please print and keep a copy of the summary slip of your online registration request for your records
3. Send in the summary slip of your online registration request, along with any requested documents and, where necessary, your identity photo to the address shown on the summary slip. Deadline for online registration is November 13, 2008.

The Dubai International Film Festival fully reserves the right, in its reasonable management discretion, to accept or refuse any request for accreditation without giving reasons.

If you encounter any difficulties in completing your online registration form, please kindly contact: diffregistration@tecom.ae

BENEFITS

Upon approval, your accreditation badge will allow you access the Dubai Film Market Lounge and CINETECH. This badge will also give you access to selected DIFF areas and events.

On the electronic form, you will have the option to accept to appear in the Dubai Film Market Guide. By accepting this, you enable us to print out your professional information in the guide.

NOTE: If you register after November 13, 2008, your information will not appear in the guide. This is due to printing and production deadlines of the publication.

Once your registration form has been processed and approved, you will be informed by email. Registration badges will be available for all approved delegates at the festival headquarters in December. The exact dates and timing for collection will be communicated to you once your application has been processed and approved.

Click here to Register for the Dubai Film Market

In its continuous effort of “Bridging Cultures, Meeting Minds”, DIFF is launching during its 5th edition the Dubai Film Market.

The Dubai Film Market is committed to raising the visibility of world cinema (with emphasis on Arab, Asian and African filmmakers) and stimulating regional and international film production and trade.

Vision

Dubai, to become a regional and international pioneer of audio-visual content trade.

Mission

To make Dubai Film Market a global state-of-the-art platform that initiates and encourages the distribution and trade of films of all genres.

Strategic Objectives

The primary objective for the Dubai Film Market is to bring together film professionals of various backgrounds from all over the world.

By establishing Dubai as the media content market of the region the Dubai Film Market can support and stimulate the growth of filmmaking in the region.

The Dubai Film Market will also broaden the exposure of the films presented at DIFF.

DIFF selected content will be made available at the market’s Cinetech and will be awarded with a ‘DIFF Premium Content Label’.

Cinetech

The Dubai Film Market will introduce a revolutionary process in acquiring audio-visual content through Cinetech, a digitized film library that will include feature films, documentaries, short films and TV content.

In addition to the Market Lounge for free trade content, Cinetech will help participants browse and screen through more than 200 titles.

Cinetech will introduce three labels to assist buyers and other industry professionals in browsing through all available content.

These labels will be categorized as: a) DIFF Premium Content, b) Market Recommended Content and c) Rising GCC Filmmakers Content.

It will also assist industry professionals in making their selections by giving them the opportunity to contact or interact with sales agents or rights holders.

Industry Office – Assisting DIFF delegates registered as members of the regional and international film industry and coordinating  services and events specific to the Industry Office;

Box Office and Customer Service – Assisting with the ticketing and customer support;

Accreditation & Registration – Assisting with the guest, talent and media accreditation and registration;

Theatre Operations – Assisting with the smooth running of movie scheduling, ushering and coordinating with the Box Office;

Guest Relations & Hospitality – Assisting in all areas of Guest Relations & Hospitality. Including guest invitations, accommodation, air travel, local transportation, airport operations and local hospitality.

Interested applicants are urged to send in their CVs to diffcareers@tecom.ae

A UAE national, Nawaf is Arabic Programming Manager of the Dubai International Film Festival. He studied the arts of cinema in the USA. He has directed several independent short films, and his short On a Road won in 2003 the Emirates Film Competition Special Jury Prize. His latest film, Mirrors of Silence, was highly celebrated by both film critics and the audience, and has been officially selected in 14 international film festivals in the Middle East and Europe.

Saeed Al Dhaheri
The Muhr Awards
Arabian Nights

Saeed Al Dhaheri has always loved cinema and photography. He has attended and participated in many film festivals and competitions. Previous film credits include Stain, Snow, Parrot, Subarashii, Kidnapped and The Final Conflict.

Khalid Al Mahmood
The Muhr Awards
Arabian Nights

Khalid Al Mahmood graduated from the University of Denver, United States in Mass Communications (Video/Film Production). He completed a filmmaking course from the New York Film Academy in New York City and has made and worked on several short films. He currently works as a producer in the news center at Emirates Media. Previous film credits include The Birthday Gift, Tenbak, Birthday, A Fictional Story: Woman and Boy, Dreams in a Box, and Breakfast.

The Durban International Film Festival will be held from 23 July - 3 August at Durban in South Africa. Under the banner Love Film, Hate Xenophobia, the festival will showcase over 200 films from nearly 95 countries. Opening the festival is the African Premiere of Ralph Ziman’s Jerusalema, a gritty gangster thriller set on the harsh streets of Johannesburg. The festival will close with Mike Leigh’s uplifting new comedy, Happy-Go-Lucky.

Mr Al Ali is the first UAE national to be invited to sit on the jury of some of the most prestigious international film festivals. He has participated as a jury member in over 20 festivals, the most recent being the Oran International Film Festival which took place from 26 June - 3 July in Oran, Algeria.  His presence at the Durban event will offer him a unique opportunity to interact with other industry professionals and acquire the latest trends and practices in the international film circuit.

DIFF Chairman Abdulhamid Juma stated: “We are all proud that the Artistic Director of DFF - and a UAE national - has been selected as jury member at prominent international film festivals.

“This demonstrates our commitment to participate and engage with other major international film festivals.”

DIFF is one of the most anticipated annual cultural events in Dubai bringing the best in International and Arab cinema to film lovers in the region. The fifth edition of DIFF to be held December 11 to 18, 2008, promises to continue premiering films of excellence and also host innovative events celebrating the magic of cinema.

The discussion drew broad-ranging perspectives from industry professional on the benefits of filming in the Arab world, particularly in Tunisia, Jordan, the UAE and Morocco. Chaired by Ali Jaafar, Variety magazine’s Europe and Middle East Correspondent, other panelists included Amin Matalqa, Director of award winning film Captain Abu Raed, Philippe Aractingi, Director and Producer of Under the Bombs, Ibrahim Al-Batout Director of Eye of the Sun, Mohammed Al Daradji Director of Ahlaam and George David, Deputy General Manager of the Royal Film Commission Jordan.

Ms. Pandya said: “This event has allowed us to showcase to a new audience, the exciting new cinematic dimensions of Arab cinema and the innovative industry opportunities emerging in this part of the world.

“Since its establishment, DIFF has been at the forefront of events that contribute to the growth of regional cinema and indigenous talent. Simultaneously, we have successfully placed Dubai on the global centre-stage through building bridges with cultures and communities worldwide and attracting international pools of talent. “

Ms. Pandya also touched on the importance of filmmaking in the UAE and of DIFF as a platform for filmmakers. The festival not only showcases top class films but also actively promotes film production in the region through its association with Dubai Studio City (DSC) and the Location Approval Services (LAS) which has helped attract international filmmaking talent to Dubai and in doing so furthered its position as a hub for global film production.

DIFF is one of the most anticipated annual cultural events in Dubai bringing the best in International and Arab cinema to film lovers in the region. The fifth edition of DIFF to be held December 11 to 18, 2008, promises to continue premiering films of excellence and also host innovative events celebrating the magic of cinema.

This prestigious event will showcase some of the best recent releases from Arab filmmakers who are making an impact on world cinema and achieving international recognition.

The selection includes films that have won prominent awards at DIFF, such as the “Captain Abu Raed”, which received the Best Actor and “Under the Bombs”, which took the Gold Muhr at the annual Muhr Awards for Excellence in Arab Cinema. Both films went onto win other awards at the Sundance and Venice film festivals, respectively. The event will also introduce UK audiences to an Emirati short, “The Water Guard”, screened at DIFF 2007. Directed by Walid Al Shehhi, the film celebrates birth in a time of drought, which highlights the Gulf as a new destination for cultural creativity. Most of the films are UK Premieres.

Abdulhamid Juma, DIFF Chairman, stated: “Since its inception, DIFF has played a pivotal role in creating a cinematic movement in the Arabian Gulf and supporting filmmaking talent in the larger Arab world. The festival has brought the best of international cinema to the Arab region and provided a global platform for Arab filmmakers. We believe that cinema has proved to be a powerful medium for creating better understanding and wider acceptance of other peoples, and we support efforts to bridge the divides between the East and the West.

“In the last 100 years, Arab cinema has flourished as a tool of creative expression within a fascinating milieu. Through their films, Arab filmmakers have continued the ancient Arab art of storytelling, and have captivated audiences around the world. We are confident that BAFTA GOES TO THE ARAB WORLD will showcase the talents of established and upcoming talent in the Arab region, and will offer a compelling insight into the lives of the Arab people.”

David Parfitt, Chairman of the Academy said “We are delighted to partner with the Dubai International Film Festival who have now become an established part of the festival circuit since their launch in 2004. In our collaboration over this prestigious event, we will showcase some of the best recent releases from filmmakers who defy simple categorisation. A continuation of Arab film weekends previously held at BAFTA in partnership with the Zenith Foundation, it recognises Arab cinema’s viable contribution to the industry and embodies the Academy’s ongoing commitment to quality world cinema.

Despite award-winning critical success across the decades, Arab productions have often struggled to find a broader international audience. Despite these challenges, Arab filmmakers are asserting their right to express the complex and diverse tapestry of their societies more personally, directly and unapologetically than ever before. We appreciate and applaud their persistence of vision.”

Films from Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and the Emirates will be screened, and audiences will be able to partake in Q&A sessions with directors, as well as a talk charting the 100-year history of Arab cinema.  Filmmakers from the UK will hear the benefits of filming in the Arab Region, in particular in Tunisia, Jordan, the Emirates and Morocco, and an Industry Networking Event will bring together Arab filmmakers and UK distributors to promote further commercial releases of Arab films in Europe.

The fifth edition of the Dubai International Film Festival will run from December 11 to 18, 2008.

DIFF, certified with ISO 9001:2000 –Quality Management system applicable to the Management and Operation of the Festival, is the only Festival in the world to receive the globally accepted recognition.

Commenting on the certification, Abdulhamid Juma, Chairman of DIFF, said, “Programming, Administration & Logistics and Industry initiatives are the three foundation pillars that contribute to the success of a film festival. Due to the dynamic nature of the industry, the various departments that make a Festival end up working as individual units. The ISO certification will help bring these departments together through detailed systems and processes, ensuring a more synchronised and efficient Festival.

“We are proud to be awarded with the certification. With the technical know-how and expertise gained from the evaluation process, we aim to become a Festival management firm that can benefit both the local and regional entertainment industry at large.”

The certification validates the Festival’s aim to enhance customer satisfaction through effective application of quality management system, including processes for continual improvement as well as assurance of conformity to customer and applicable regulatory requirements.

The most widely-used management system in the world, ISO 9001:2000 was awarded to the Festival, after a comprehensive audit of all its processes that affect quality - from an internal review of contracts received from customers to the final delivery of products and services.

DIFF recently won the “Best Festival” trophy at the annual What’s On Awards in Dubai and has also been listed amongst the “Hottest Festival’s in the World” in an expose by USA Today.

The Dubai International Film Festival will run from December 11 to 18, 2008

Building on the success of DFC from last year, DIFF 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.

DIFF 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 DIFF 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 DIFF, stated: “In its third year of operations, the DIFF 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 4^th 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.

As the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) gathers momentum for its landmark fifth edition this December, it is inviting submissions from Arab filmmakers to its successful film competition the Muhr Awards for Excellence in Arab Cinema andfrom Asian and African filmmakers for its new Muhr AsiaAfrica Awards.

The Muhr Awards will continue to honour excellence in Arab Cinema and have been expanded to include competitions for films from Asia and Africa; filmmakers from the eligible countries are invited to submit their short films, documentaries and features to the Muhr Awards by August 31, 2008.

Masoud Amralla al Ali, the festival’s Artistic Director, stated: “DIFF is in a perfect position to showcase cinema from Asia and Africa, being at the crossroads between Asia, Africa, Europe, and beyond. We feel that this award embodies the cosmopolitan nature of our festival, as well as Dubai’s incredible diversity.

Furthermore, some of the film communities within the remit of the new competition often operate under extreme duress. Particularly in developing countries, artists need help and recognition to continue their craft.”

The Muhr Awards for Excellence in Arab Cinema and the Muhr AsiaAfrica Awards will feature cash prizes for the best Feature, Documentary and Short films, as well as awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Script, Best Editor, Best Composer and Best Cinematography. Cash prizes will be equal for both the Arab and AsiaAfrica competitions.

Cash prizes for both competitions are as follows:

• There will be 8 Muhr Prizes awarded in the Feature Films category for both the Arab and AsiaAfrica competitions: Best Film - US$ 50,000; Special Jury Prize - US$ 40,000. The cash prize will be awarded to the Director of each film; Best Actor - US$ 10,000; Best Actress – US$ 10,000; Best Screenplay – US$ 7,000; Best Editor – US$ 7,000; Best Composer – US$ 7,000 and Best Cinematographer – US$ 7,000.
• There will be 3 Muhr prizes in the Documentary Films category for both the Arab and AsiaAfrica competitions: First Prize - US$ 40,000; Second Prize - US$ 25,000; Special Jury Prize - US$ 25,000. The cash prize will be awarded to the Director of each film.
• There will be 3 Muhr prizes in the Short Films category for both the Arab and AsiaAfrica competitions: Best Film - US$ 30,000; Second Prize - US$ 15,000; Special Jury Prize - US$ 15,000. The cash prize will be awarded to the Director of each film.

“The Competitions serves to provide filmmakers an opportunity to receive recognition for outstanding work, and encourage production of films that spread knowledge and understanding of the region and its rich culture”, concluded Al Ali.

A top judging panel from the international film community will select the winners in the three categories.

Films eligible for both competitions must be directed by an Arab,
Asian or African filmmaker and the subject and storyline of the film must be centered around the Arab, Asian or African world and/or their history and culture for the respective competitions. Films must be produced after September 1, 2007 and submitted to DIFF before August 31, 2008.

The film must be a Gulf premiere and not previously shown on any television channel or streamed via the internet to any public audience. The film must not have been screened in the Gulf region for any audiences before December 17, 2008, with the exception of the films that participated in the Gulf Film Festival in 2008.

Films that do not meet with the competition criteria and have not been commercially screened in the UAE can be submitted for consideration in DIFF’s ‘Out of Competition’ segments.

The Fifth Edition of the Dubai International Film Festival is scheduled to be held from December 11-18, 2008.