The authorities of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) have announced that for this year’s festival they want to strengthen several initiatives to help the film industry. The most important is the return of the Dubai Film Connection (DFC). Closed down in 2007, film-makers and industry professionals have been requesting the return of this co-production market. Registration has just opened. Directors must be either of Arab nationality or origin, with either a drama or a documentary feature film project, and must already have 20% of the budget. Applications must be submitted before August 1st 2015, from which the DFC will select ten. The festival itself will run from December 9th to 16th.
The Dubai Film festival also wants to strengthen the Dubai Distribution Programme (DDP). This recent initiative is to encourage Middle East distributors to choose Arabic language films shown at the Dubai Film Festival.
Finally, the festival is multiplying contacts and collaborations with the Cannes Film Festival. In addition to showing several films, the DIFF is beginning a collaboration with the Cannes film market to screen work currently in post-production.
Sources: dubaifilmfest.com et screendaily.com
