The fifth edition of the Gulf Film Festival, the home of bold, experimental and
contemporary cinema from the Arabian peninsula, will be held in Dubai from 10 to 16
April 2012.
Key competitions are included in this edition. The Gulf Competition for professional
and student filmmakers and the International Competition for Short Films. The Festival
is also home to multiple out-of-competition segments including an ‘In Focus’ segment,
master classes, nightly industry discussions and other special events.
The Gulf Competition is open to filmmakers from the Arabian penninsula including the
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Yemen and Iraq, as well as
filmmakers of other nationalities with films showcasing the region. The Gulf Student
Competition is open to works from the region made or produced by students during
their academic study, or as part of a college project.
Entries in the Gulf Competition are invited in feature films (fiction and non-fiction) and
shorts. Students compete in short films only; the international competition is open to
shorts (fiction and non-fiction) only. Winners will receive more than half a million
dirhams in prize money.
Submissions to the festival are open until 29 February. The Gulf Film Festival is held
under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture).
The Festival, an unmatched meeting ground, incubator and showcase of Gulf talent, is
growing from strength to strength. Its fourth edition in April 2011 recorded double-
digit audience growth, with more than 30 screenings going on standby across all
categories of the festival; average cinema occupancy rose 11% to 60%; and over half
the Festival’s screenings drew 60% per cent or more capacity houses – including 21
screenings over 75%.
The fourth edition of GFF screened 153 films from 31 countries, including 59 world
premieres, 13 international premieres, 15 Middle East premieres and 15 GCC
premieres.
Says Festival director Masoud Amralla Al Ali: “The fifth edition of the Gulf Film
Festival will once again highlight the emerging film talent in the Arabian peninsula,
offering filmmakers a strong platform to showcase their works. The festival, over the
years, has established a distinct identity as the definitive voice of the Gulf film
industry, serving often as the first point to watch films by Gulf-based student and
professional filmmakers. Its diverse initiatives have strengthened the interaction
between audience members, media, industry guests and international and regional
filmmakers.”
All films submitted must have been produced after 1 January 1, 2011. Feature films
must be a work of fiction and non-fiction that equals or exceeds 60 minutes in length.
Short films must be a work of fiction and non-fiction that does not exceed 59 minutes
in length.
Entries into all the GFF competitions this year must be done by completing the
application online at www.gulffilmfest.com, by February 29,
2012.
GFF 2012 will be held at the InterContinental Hotel, Crowne Plaza and Grand Festival
Cinemas at Dubai Festival City. The festival is supported by Dubai Culture & Arts
Authority and is held in association with Dubai Studio City. More details on the festival
are available online at www.gulffilmfest.com.
