Powerful movies from Syria and Iraq are gaining strong audience interest at the seventh Dubai International Film Festival. With strong historical overtures, the films have a backdrop of love and emotional bonding, which finds universal resonance.
Legendary actor-director Abdullatif Abdulhamid’s ‘September Rain,’ opens in 1940s Damascus, where a young man is listening to a broadcast of the songs of the buzuq player, Muhammad Abdul Karim. Flipping to the present day, the young man is now a father with a fruit-selling business, bringing up his large, musical family alone, following the death of his beloved wife, and surviving in a world of corrupt officialdom and class divides. Abdullatif Abdulhamid evokes the family and community dramas of both generations brilliantly in this witty, affectionate yet devastating portrayal of life in the Syrian capital. This a beautifully composed and shot tour de force will screen on Dec. 17, 5.45 pm at Cinestar 5 at the Mall of the Emirates.
Acclaimed Iraqi director Kassem Hawal has been active in Iraqi theatre and cinema since the late 1950s. In his new feature, ‘The Singer’, he brings an insight into the era of dictatorship in Iraq, with the story of Bashir, a singer who is due to perform for the despot. Unfortunately, due to a series of mishaps, Bashir is delayed and scared – no-one in their right mind would dare insult the choleric ruler by being late. But there it is, he is very late and nothing can be done. The film screens on Dec. 15, 9.30 pm at Cinestar 2 and on Dec. 18, 3.45 pm at Cinestar 8.
Director Mohamad Abdulaziz’s ‘Damascus With Love,’ is about Rima, a Syrian-Jewish girl who is about to emigrate from Damascus. When her father reveals an old secret to her at the airport, she cancels her trip and returns to explore the past. This long search will unveil the other face of the city, where many cultures live together in rare harmony. Through other people, Rima discovers herself for the first time… ‘Damascus With Love’ is a film about love, people, memory and place. The film will screen on Dec. 16, 6.45 pm at First Group Theatre in Madinat Souk and on Dec. 18, 10 pm at Cinestar 8.
DIFF 2010 box office locations are: CineStar Mall of the Emirates, the Madinat Souk, The Walk at JBR, and at the CNN Building in Dubai Media City. Tickets can also be purchased through DIFF’s Dial-a-Ticket service at (04) 391 3378 and from the website, www.dubaifilmfest.com.
DIFF 2010 is held in association with Dubai Studio City. Dubai Duty Free, Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai Pearl, Emirates Airline and Madinat Jumeirah, the home of the Dubai International Film Festival, are the principal sponsors of DIFF. The event is supported by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.
For more and updated information about DIFF, please visit www.dubaifilmfest.com
