Bollywood stars during Dubai International Film Festival

UAE residents and visitors will have the opportunity to meet and greet their favourite film stars from dedicated fan enclosures at the red carpet of the eighth Dubai International Film Festival.

As A-list stars from Hollywood, Bollywood and the Arab world arrive for the nightly gala screenings of the film festival, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, their fans can occupy a place of pride by the red carpet for closer encounters. Men, women and children can get autographs signed and potentially pose for photographs with screen legends.

The DIFF fan pens will be open to allow fans to greet Tom Cruise and the other stars of DIFF opening film Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol on December 7.

To book a place on the fan enclosure by the red carpet of DIFF, all that fans have to do is register their interest at www.dubaifilmfest.com. Space is limited and fans will be permitted on a first come first served basis.

Shivani Pandya, Managing Director, Dubai International Film Festival, said: “With some of the world’s leading celebrities coming to Dubai for this edition of the festival, we wanted to share the fun and excitement with their fans.”
Among the celebrities to walk the red carpet for the various galas are: From Europe and the Americas, Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Anil Kapoor, Léa Seydoux, director Brad Bird and producer Bryan Burk; Alexander Payne and Shailene Woodley; James Bobin; Helena Christensen; ace directors Peter Weir and Volker Schlondorff; from India, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, producer Ritesh Sidhwani; rising stars Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma, director Maneesh Sharma; and Rahul Bose, among others.
DIFF’s stars from the GCC include, Fakhria Khamis and Buthaina Alraisi from Oman; Dawood Hussain, Ibrahim AlHarbi, Huda Hussain, and Mahmoud Bushehri from Kuwait; Zahra Arafat from Bahrain; and Abdul Mohsen M. Alnemer from Saudi Arabia. From the Arab world are Amr Waked, Ezzat Abu Ouf, Lebleba, and Youssra from Egypt; Ahmed El Zein and Youssef Al Khal from Lebanon; Ismail Al Ajaili and Iman Al Rabti from Libya; Mohamed Miftah from Morocco; Mozna AlAtrash from Syria; and Dorra Shihawi and Ahlam Bou Affoura from Tunisia.
The red carpets for this year’s DIFF are: Opening Night (Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol) on Dec. 7, a special invite-only screening; Celebration of Indian Cinema (Ladies v/s Ricky Bahl) on Dec. 8; Cinema for Children (The Muppets) on Dec. 9; Cultural Bridge (Terraferma) on Dec. 9; Cinema of the World (The Descendants) on Dec 10; Arabian Nights (A Whole One) on Dec 11; In Focus Germany (Three Quarter Moon) on Dec 12; and the Closing Night (My Week with Marilyn) on Dec 13.

DIFF 2011 will screen 171 films from 56 nations representing the best of national, regional and world cinema between December 7 and 14 at the Mall of the Emirates, Madinat Jumeirah and The Walk at JBR.

The DIFF box office is now open online at www.dubaifilmfest.com and at the DIFF box offices in Dubai Media City, JBR The Walk, Mall of the Emirates and Madinat Jumeirah. Additional information is also available through the Festival’s dedicated customer care number, 363 FILM (3456).

The Investment Corporation of Dubai is the title sponsor of the Dubai International Film Festival, which is held in association with Dubai Studio City. Dubai Duty Free, Dubai Pearl, Emirates Airline and Madinat Jumeirah, home to the Dubai International Film Festival, are the principal sponsors of DIFF. The Festival is supported by the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority. For more and updated information about DIFF, please visit www.dubaifilmfest.com