Arabian Nights at DIFF showcases stories from Paris to Palestine

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has announced the lineup of films for its Arabian Nights programme. Held during the 14^th Festival, from December 6 – 13 , audiences will watch films that explore the division of borders and the humanity that can traverse them.

First in the lineup, and making his debut at the festival, is award-winning French director Gaël Morel with his latest feature, ‘Catch The Wind’. Having opened to critical acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival, ‘Catch The Wind’ follows Edith, a 45-year-old textile factory worker that sees her life turned upside down by her company’s downsizing measures.

Returning to DIFF is French actor and director Rachid Hami with a heart-warming tale of new beginnings and the power of music. In ‘Orchestra Class’, Simon is a distinguished but disillusioned violinist, charged with a class of green music students.

Festival heavyweight and Peabody award-winning filmmaker Julia Bacha presents, ‘Naila and the Uprising’, an inspiring true story about love, family and freedom. The story follows Naila Ayesh who, alongside a clandestine network of Palestinian women, stepped out from the fringes of society and into the heart of an uprising.

Aida Begic, hailing from Bosnia-Herzegovina, returns to DIFF with ‘Never Leave Me’. Having made a mark on the industry with her first feature, ‘Snijeg (Snow)’ at Cannes, ‘Never Leave Me’ is an emotional story of unlikely friendship between three teenage boys in a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey. Having been abandoned or separated from their parents, the boys initially grate on each other, but slowly bond over their desire to find a better life away from their dire conditions.

Norwegian filmmaker Egil Håskjold Larsen brings his first feature film to Arabian Nights, ‘69 Minutes of 86 Days’, which has already swept several awards at the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival, Sheffield International Documentary Festival and Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. This striking story follows three-year old Lean on an arduous journey through Europe, as she flees with millions of other refugees from warzones to safe havens in the north.

Joining Larsen in his debut at the Festival is Algerian filmmaker Karim Moussaoui, with his praised film ‘Until the Birds Return’. Nominated for the prestigious Cannes Un Certain Regard award, the film centres around Mourad, Aisha and Dahman, and is a tale of tough choices in the quest for new beginnings. Mourad is a successful businessman averse to trouble, but when he sees a man in danger he must decide if he should step in and help.

Fellow Un Certain Regard nominee and acclaimed Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania brings ‘Beauty and the Dogs’ to DIFF. Miriam, a young Tunisian woman, meets Youssef at a student party and decides to go home with him. What follows is a long night in which she must fight for her right and dignity, and Miriam soon discovers that justice is hard to find when judgment favours the oppressors.

‘The Poetess’ is an arresting and engaging documentary from famed non-fiction directors Stefanie Brockhaus and Andreas Wolff. It follows the dramatic decision of self-taught Saudi writer Hissa Hilal to take part in “Million’s Poet”, an Abu-Dhabi based multi-million dollar TV show. It is the Arab world’s biggest poetry competition, and it is dominated by men.  Rising above the competition as the first woman ever in the show’s finals, Hilal’s unique perspective and cutting words steal the spotlight.

Making his debut at the Festival is French-Lebanese director Nadim Tabet with Enjaaz-, DIFF’s production support programme, supported feature ‘One of These Days’. It is an autumn day in Beirut as the city rests on the edge of chaos.

Acclaimed TV and film writer Khaled Diab returns with the world premiere of his first feature ‘Artificial Labor’. After turning heads with ‘Clash’ in 2016, which was the opening film at Cannes International Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard category, ‘Artificial Labor’ analyses the lengths we will go for the hope of a better life. After tireless attempts to obtain legitimate entry to the United States fail, an Egyptian couple hijacks the American Embassy in Egypt under the false pretence that birthing their twins there would grant them American citizenship.

Closing the Arabian Nights lineup is the world premiere of ‘Kiss Me Not’. The latest in a slate of celebrated films from Egyptian-American writer, producer and director Ahmed Amer. Having made waves at the 2016 Festival with ‘Ali, The Goat and Ibrahim’, Amer returns with an original mockumentary that follows young director Tamer. He is left in the lurch when Fagr, the star of his first feature film, decides to wear the hijab and quits the production during shooting of an important kissing scene.

Masoud Amralla Al Ali, DIFF’s Artistic Director commented on this year’s programme lineup: “Since its inception, Arabian Nights has served as a platform for Arab and international filmmakers to cross borders and tell stories that address very real themes in the Arab world with compassion and creativity. We know this year’s slate will bring incredible and unique perspectives to the fore, and I know DIFF audiences will be as engrossed as I will.”