Abu Dhabi Film Festival

The Abu Dhabi Film Festival, formerly the Middle East International Film Festival, was an international film festival held in the city of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from 2007 to 2015.

WWW Official Site

History

The Middle East International Film Festival debuted in 2007, in an effort to rival the "cultural dominance of Dubai", with 152 movies and 186 screenings shown in five Abu Dhabi venues. It was established with the support of H.E. Mohammed Khalaf AL Mazroui as General Director of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage, and Nashwa Al Ruwaini as executive director. In 2008, Lebanese filmmaker Imad DeirAtany joined the team. In its first few editions, it aimed to showcase international films.
In 2010, for the 4th edition of the festival, ADACH developed the festival's brand and changed its name to Abu Dhabi Film Festival. Peter Scarlet, former artistic director of the San Francisco International Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival, was appointed director of the festival, and its focus changed to showcasing Arab cinema as well as bringing quality international films to Arab audiences.
In 2011, the Abu Dhabi Film Festival launched the SANAD development and post-production fund for cineastes from the Arab world. With the goal of encouraging independent and auteur-based cinema, eligible filmmakers had access to grants, screenwriting workshops, and personal meetings with industry mentors and experts.
From 2012, the festival was part of the Abu Dhabi Media Zone Authority, specifically under Media Zone Events and powered by its partner company, twofour54. In August 2012, Scarlet left the role, shortly before the event was staged in October of that year, and his colleague Ali Al Jabri took over the position.
ADFF was officially scrapped after eight editions in 2015.

Description

The event was held annually in October in the city of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The ADFF aimed to showcase the best films from the region alongside standout productions from prominent international filmmakers.
Noteworthy names attending ADFF included director Michael Greenspan, as well as actors such as Uma Thurman and Adrien Brody, who attended in 2010.
In October 2009, The Guardian published an article about the origins and intent of the MEIFF. The article noted that although the host country then had only a small indigenous film-making industry, the film festival could serve a variety of constructive purposes.

Selected events

2010

Films included in the 2010 edition included:

Secretariat, directed by Randall Wallace, the world premiere of a major Hollywood feature film
Fair Game, a political thriller directed by Doug Liman and starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn
In a Better World by the Danish filmmaker Susanne BierIncendies, directed by Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, based on a play by Canadian-Lebanese writer Wajdi Mouawad
Messages from the Sea by Egyptian filmmaker Daoud Abdel Sayed
Cirkus Columbia, directed by Danis Tanovic
Back Door Channels: The Price of Peace, a documentary about the Camp David Peace Accord directed by American director Harry Hunkele and produced by Arick Wierson
The Oath, a documentary by director Laura Poitras

Black Pearl Award

2011 winners

Source:
;Short Narrative Competition

First Prize – SOUL, directed by Fatma Abdulla
Second Prize – DREAMS OF RICE, by Yasser Al Neyadi and Hana Al Shatri
Third Prize – TELEPHONI, directed by Hassan Kiyany
Special Jury Award – RANEEN, directed by Maitham Al Musawi
Best Emirati Film – SOUL, directed by Fatma Abdulla
Best Script – SINGLE MALE, by Imad DeirAtany / DREAMS OF RICE, by Yasser Al Neyadi and Hana Al Shatri
Best Cinematography – WIND, directed by Waleed Al Shehhi

;Short Documentary Competition

First prize: – A Falcon Will Not Breed a Dove, by Mansour Al Dhaheri
Second Prize – PHOTON, by Awadh Al Hamzani
Third Prize – A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, by Fahmi Farahat
Special Jury Award – LETTERS TO PALESTINE, by Rashid Al Marri

;Student Short Narrative Competition

First Prize – MAHER’S CAMERA, by Mansour Al Badran
Second Prize – MAD CAMEL, by Mohammed Fikree
Third Prize – DINNER #7665, by Salma Serry

;Student Short Documentary Competition

First Prize – 6 ON 18, by Salma Serry
Second Prize – LAYERS, by Manal Wicki
Third Prize – LAHJATNA, by Mariam Al Nuaimi

;International Short Film Competition
The 2011 selection featured 31 films from 23 countries, as well as two newly launched awards for producers of short films.

Best Narrative – A MARRIAGE, directed by Henning Rosenlund
Best Documentary – WRITTEN IN INK, directed by Martin Rath
Best Animation – LUMINARIS, directed by Juan Pablo Zaramella, shared with SPECKY FOUR-EYES, directed by Jean-Claude Rozec
Best Film from the Arab World – FAREWELL EXILE, directed by Lamia Alami
Best Producer – Arben Zharku for THE WEDDING TAPE
Best Producer from the Arab World – YACINE BOUAZIZ for TOMORROW, ALGIERS?

2010 winners

Best Narrative Film – Maromoulak, directed by Kamal Tabrizi
Best Documentary – The Oath, directed by Laura Poitras
Best Narrative Short – Little Hill, directed by Gabriel Siren
Best Documentary Short – The Suffering Grasses, directed by Iara Lee
Best Emirati Director – Feeding Five Hundred, directed by Rafed Al Harthi
Best Actress – Lubna Azabel for Incendies
Best Actor – Javier Bardem for Biutiful
Best Cinematography – Silent Souls, cinematography by Mikhail Krichman
Best Screenplay – Of Gods and Men, screenplay by Xavier Beauvois, Etienne Comar

2009 winners

In 2009, 16 Black Pearl awards were given in 3 major categories. Also given were also 7 Jury Special Mention awards, and one Audience Choice Award. Among all entries worldwide, the best film winners were as follows:
The Black Pearl Award for Best Narrative Film – $100,000
The Black Pearl Award for Best Documentary Film – $100,000
The Black Pearl Award for Best Narrative Short – $25,000
The Black Pearl Award for Best Narrative Short – $25,000

2008 winners

The Black Pearl for Best Narrative Film – $200,000

Disgrace

Director: Steve Jacobs. Producers: Anna Maria Monticelli, Emile Sherman, Steve Jacobs
The Black Pearl for Best Documentary – $150,000

Stranded

Director: Gonzalo Arijon. Producer: Marc Silvera
The Black Pearl Special Jury Prize – $125,000

Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love

Director and Producer: Elisabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
The Black Pearl for Best Actress – $75,000

Fawzia: A Special Blend

Actress: Ilham Shaheen
The Black Pearl for Best Actor – $75,000

Wild Blood

Actor: Luca Zingaretti
The Black Pearl for Best Artistic Contribution – $75,000

Laila's Birthday

Screenwriter: Rashid Masharawi
The Black Pearl Audience Choice Award

Saving Luna

Co-Directors: Suzanne Chisholm & Michael Parfit. Producer: Suzanne Chisholm
The Black Pearl for Best Narrative – Short Film – $75.000

The View

Co-Directors: Hazim Bitar & Rifqi Assaf. Producer: Amman Filmmakers Cooperative
The Black Pearl for Best Documentary – Short Film – $75.000

Breadmakers

Director: Yasmin Fedda. Producers: Jim Hickey & Robin Mitchell
The Black Pearl for Best Animation – Shot Film – $75.000

Jacinta

Director: Karla Casteneda. Producer: Luis Tellez
The Black Pearl for Best Narrative – Student Films – $25.000

Illusion

Director: Burhan Qurbani. Producer: Fabian Gasmia
The Black Pearl for Best Emerging Filmmaker – Student Films – $25.000

Lullaby

Director: Serena Abi Aad. Producer: IESAV

2007 Winners

Best Narrative Feature – The Yacoubian Building
Best Documentary Feature – To Die in Jerusalem
Best Narrative Short – A Thousand Words
Best Documentary Short – Crossing Borders
Best Emirati Director – The Forgotten, directed by Nayla Al Khaja