Three Gulf Directors compete for IWC Filmmaker Award

Dubai, UAE, November 3, 2016:   The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) and Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen are proud to announce the three nominees for the IWC Filmmaker Award. The winner will receive USD 100,000 to support them in bringing their ideas to fruition on the big screen and will be announced at the IWC gala event at the 13th DIFF.

The nominees for the fifth IWC Filmmaker Award are Arabic director Nujoom Alghanem with “Salem”, Qatari director Hafiz Ali Ali with “The Search for the Star Pearl” and Emirati filmmaker Abdullah Hassan Ahmed with “Sunrise”. Each nominee will present their project at the DIFF. An acclaimed jury of industry experts will then determine the potential of each film project and select the winner. The award will be presented to the winner at the exclusive IWC gala dinner on Thursday, 8 December 2016, at the One&Only Royal Mirage in Dubai. “We are enthusiastic about supporting the Gulf’s evolving film industry and contributing to the development of Arab filmmaking,” explains IWC Regional Brand Director Luc Rochereau. “The IWC Filmmaker Award takes promising local film projects to the next level and reflects all the values that our festival stands for,” adds DIFF Artistic Director Masoud Amralla Al Ali.

THE NOMINEES AND THEIR PROJECTS:

Nujoom Alghanem: “Salem” 
In “Salem”, Emirati poet, scriptwriter and award-winning film director Nujoom Alghanem follows the difficulties faced by Salem and Shamsa – two young people dealing with life in the booming, modern world of the UAE, while tradition, honour, family loyalties and a haunting past stand between them and their desires.

Hafiz Ali Ali: “The Search for the Star Pearl” 
Following the success of his previous films, Qatari film producer and director Hafiz Ali Ali tells the dramatic story of an adventurous group of teenage friends who set out on an enchanting voyage in search of a legendary pearl. They are confronted by mythological creatures during an odyssey that challenges their wits, lives and, most importantly, their hearts.

Abdullah Hassan Ahmed: “Sunrise” 
Emirati director Abdullah Hassan Ahmed returns to the Festival this year after being awarded the Best Script prize at the DIFF 2006. “Sunrise” tells the story of a worried father who receives tragic news about his son, who is fighting in a distant war. With a pregnant wife to take care of, he is unsure how to deliver the news without causing too much anguish.

Registration is now open for media, students and industry professionals for the 13th edition of the DIFF, which will take place from the 7 to 14 December 2016.