(Dubai) – The Dubai International Film Festival has started promising a strong selection of Arabic-language feature films and documentaries, among them the award-winning Palestinian movie “Omar”. Hollywood stars Cate Blanchett and Martin Sheen attended the opening of the festival. Kicking off with a screening of Hany Abu Assad´s Omar, the first-ever Palestinian film to be tipped for an Oscar.
The enthusiastically-received tale of love and betrayal in the Israeli-occupied territories received a jury prize in the “Un Certain Regard” category, a closely-watched category for provocative films or follow-up works by emerging directors at the Cannes festival.
A total of 174 films from 57 different countries, including over 100 films from the Arab world, will be screened at the festival running until December 14.
