Dubai Film Festival Teams With San Sebastian Festival for 'Cinema In Motion' Event

LONDON – The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is teaming with the San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain to boost filmmakers from the Maghreb, developing Arab countries and the African continent in the Spanish festival's Cinema in Motion event.

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The collaboration comes with hard cash with Dubai organizers offering the successful nominee €5,000 ($8,000) towards the post production costs of an Arab film.

The Cinema in Motion event is set up to assist the final stages of moviemaking – either at the end of their filming or in post-production stage – from filmmakers from the Maghreb, developing Arab countries and the African continent.

In addition to the cash prize, the winning projects' director will be invited to attend the Dubai Film Market (DFM) during the upcoming DIFF in November.

The four films chosen to take part in the San Sebastian International Film Festival’s 8th Cinema in Motion event – set for Sept. 24 -- are Al Khouroug Lel Nahar (Coming Forth by Day) by Hala Lotfy (Egypt), Challatt Tunes (Challatt of Tunis) by Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia-France), Le Veau d'or (The Golden Calf) by Hassan Legzouli (Morocco-France) and Moug (Waves) by Ahmed Nour (Egypt-Morocco).

Following the showcase the directors and/or producers will have an opportunity to pitch their projects to industry reps to compete for various forms of post-production support.

Dubai International Film Festival artistic director Masoud Amralla said: "Developing opportunities to encourage film production and realize the potential of regional talent is a core objective of DIFF. Our participation in Cinema in Motion helps further realize this objective."

Hania's project portrays the story of Challatt, a supposed fundamentalist who slashes women with a razor blade in Tunisia and explores what urban myths tell us about society, culture and identity.

Lofty’s project delves into the everyday lives of two women taking care of their sick man while Nour’s film is billed as an artistic feature which paints a picture of his own history and his forgotten home city.

Legzouli’s Le Veau D’or explores the extreme measures a man will go to for the love of his life.

San Sebastian runs Sept. 21 through 29 while Dubai runs Dec. 9 through 16.