Operation Cultural Bridge :: Middle East Online

News of what's coming to the Dubai Film Festival:

The December 11-17 festival will feature 98 films from 46 countries and showcase Arab contemporary films, said festival director and CEO Neil Stephenson.

Along with Freeman and legendary Indian producer Yash Chopra, the event will honor Egyptian superstar actor Adel Imam by screening two of his films, including this year's "The embassy is in the building" which tackles the sensitive issue of Egyptian-Israeli ties.
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The festival also includes "Operation cultural bridge" because the "significant rise in conflict and distrust between the Islamic world and the broader Western world ... has generated a critical need for dialogue," said the festival guide.

Films in the section include Albert Brooks' new comedy "Looking for comedy in the Muslim world", Dubai's first world premiere of a Hollywood studio film.

The festival's opening night gala screening will be Palestinian director Hany Abu-Assad's controversial film "Paradise Now" about suicide bombers which won an award at the Berlin International Film Festival 2005.
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films include the world premiere of director Dhruv Dhawan's documentary "From Dusk" about Sri Lankan survivors of the devastating 2004 tsunami, [and] Chopra's "Veer Zaara" film about love across the Indian-Pakistani divide.