UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Dubai International Film Festival kicks off amidst the emirate's worst financial crisis

Record ID: 722534

  • Title: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Dubai International Film Festival kicks off amidst the emirate's worst financial crisis
  • Date: 10th December 2009
  • Summary: DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (DECEMBER 9, 2009) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING WHERE THE FILM FESTIVAL OPENING CEREMONY TAKES PLACE SIGN READING (6TH DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL) VARIOUS OF UNITED ARAB EMIRATES TRADITIONAL BAND DANCING INDIAN ACTOR AMITABH BACHCHAN POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS PHOTOGRAPHERS AMERICAN SINGER MANDY MOORE POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS VARIOUS OF ACTORS AND ACTRESSES ON RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN ACTRESS ATHAR AL-HAKIM SAYING: "It seems the festival has a different taste, there is luxury and there is beauty, we are still at the opening but I think it will be different (from other festivals)." ACTORS AND ACTRESSES ARRIVING TO RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EGYPTIAN ACTOR SAMIR GHANEM SAYING: "I think that all indications are good, the overall shape is good, look how many Arab and foreign actors and actresses are attending, and they are all familiar to us." VARIOUS OF THE OPENING CEREMONY
  • Embargoed: 25th December 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Arab Emirates
  • Country: United Arab Emirates
  • Reuters ID: LVA5UVP5WPCUW9S3E09VXEMJ0QMY
  • Story Text: Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) opens on Wednesday night (December 9) amidst one of the worst financial crises ever to face Dubai.
    Dozens of celebrities attended the opening, including Hollywood stars Gerald Butler, Matt Dillon, Christina Ricci, Mandy Moore, Omar Sharif and Christopher Lambert, as well as Indian legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan and his actor-son Abhishek. Queen Noor of Jordan also attended the ceremony.
    The sixth edition of the Dubai International Film Festival opened with the screening of the U.S. movie Gala of Nine, directed by Rob Marshall. It was screened hours before it was also shown on screens in Los Angeles to select audiences. The film starring Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench, Kate Hudson and Sophia Loren will open for the first time to the general public in Dubai.
    DIFF Chairman Abdulhamid Juma said the selection of 168 films from 55 countries to be screened over the next eight days confirms the festival's emergence as the leading festival of the region.
    "It seems the festival has a different taste, there is luxury and there is beauty, we are still at the opening but I think it will be different (from other festivals)" famous Egyptian actress Athar al Hakim told reporters during the opening ceremony.
    "I think that all indications are good, the overall shape is good, look how many Arab and foreign actors and actresses are attending, and they are all familiar to us." Egyptian actor Samir Ghanem said.
    Indian movie legend Amitabh Bachchan received the DIFF 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award.
    The festivities took place in the shadow of the shock announcement by the United Arab Emirates member Dubai which shook the financial market on Nov. 25 with the announcement that it sought a repayment freeze on billions of dollars worth of debt at its flagship conglomerate hit investor sentiment, sending the emirate's credit default swap prices sharply up.
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