Dubai International Film Festival announces US$ 60,000 ‘DIFF Distribution Award' to promote distribution of Arabic films‏

- Eight awards to two Arab feature and two feature-documentaries each for two markets - the Middle East and outside the region
- Open for international and regional distributors, and complements DIFF's Dubai Film Market ‘scrip to screen' initiative

Dubai, UAE; December 10, 2011: In a strong complement to the Dubai Film Market, the script to screen initiative of the Dubai International Film Festival, distributors who acquire Arabic films being showcased at DIFF stand to win US$ 60,000 in prize money through the new DIFF Distribution Award.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the eighth edition of DIFF has announced the newest industry initiative that will further drive the global and regional outreach of Arabic films.

The DIFF Distribution Awards are presented this year to the distributors of two Arab feature films and two long feature-documentaries each, for eventual screening in two markets each - within the Middle East and outside, taking the total number of awards to eight.

For each feature film acquired to be distributed in the Middle East and outside the region, the distributor will get US$ 10,000 each, while the distributors of the two documentaries in the two markets will get US$ 5,000 each.

Shivani Pandya, Managing Director, Dubai International Film Festival, said: "Over the past years, DIFF has nurtured the Arabic film industry through our comprehensive script-to-screen initiative, the Dubai Film Market. From co-production support to post-production funding and invaluable industry connections, DIFF has assisted several talented filmmakers in the Arab world to accomplish their projects.

"The DIFF Distribution Award further builds on this single-window approach of the festival, whereby we are encouraging regional and international distribution houses to acquire film titles from DIFF. It will complement the film distribution platform of DIFF, the Dubai Filmmart, which had supported the sales of a record 224 films from around the world last year. Most importantly, the Awards will give greater visibility for Arabic films, not only in the region but globally."

For distributors to compete for the award, the selected films must be part of the Muhr (Arab feature, Arab documentary, Emirati), Gulf Voices, and Arabian Nights segments of the eighth edition of DIFF held until December 14, 2011. These must be films by an Arab director, and with a run time of more than 59 minutes, produced before January 1, 2011, and not have a distributor attached to the film before the 8th DIFF.

Award winning overseas distributors must ensure that the acquired film will be released within a year from December 14, 2011, in at least one commercial cinema, in a minimum of two cities, while winners for distribution in the Middle East must screen the film or documentary in at least two countries in the region.

They must also commit that the award money will be utilised for the Prints & Advertising (P&A) of the films. Eligible P&A costs include technical expenses, media campaign and conception and production of publicity material.

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

The DIFF box office is 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 or join DIFF on Youtube and facebook.