[Discussion] DIFF 2010: Dubai International Film Festival 2010

[ayaa1977]

I wont be in town! One of the many things I have to get used to not doing!... Enjoy... Will follow your choices and live the craziness through you...

I am sorry you won't make it Sandeep, especially that I am planning on coming this time around.

[ayaa1977]

Why do you say last year was disappointing?

Did you forget already? It must be the old age Here comes quotes from yourself, KT, and Fizz:

Weird, because REEL was supposed to be involved. I'm going through the films now, and nothing too impressive. A major disappointment: no White Ribbon or Thirst.

The films this year are not very impressive. They have stuck only MOE as the venue with Madinat Jumeirah supporting with big screenings.

DIFF, you dumb asses, where is The Road, The men who stare at goats, In the Loop, Precious, A serious man, 500 days of summer, Paranormal activity, Rudo Y Cursi, Lovely bones....

Oh, and thanks for putting Avatar up there 2 days before the UAE release on a regular screen.

[shariqq]

All those quotes are from *before* the festival. It was a good enough time at DIFF last year, especially if you count movies like A Prophet, Mother, North, Broken Embraces and Amreeka among the ones I saw. 2009 was an overall dismal year, but the best week of the year was DIFF week.

[shariqq]

Opening movie for DIFF 2010 has been announced: Tom Hooper's The King’s Speech. It will open the festival on 12th Dec.

[fizz]

Not a terrible choice, but doesn't get me excited right away. Let's wait for the full line up. Pretty decent films to choose from this year.

[ayaa1977]

Not a terrible choice, but doesn't get me excited right away. Let's wait for the full line up. Pretty decent films to choose from this year.

When is that coming by the way? There are many titles I hope we get to see this year. It'll be my first festival so hopefully it will be a memorable one!

[fizz]

Never a fixed date, but all should be revealed by end of Nov/first couple of days of Dec at the latest.

[ayaa1977]

Never a fixed date, but all should be revealed by end of Nov/first couple of days of Dec at the latest.

You mean just a few days/weeks before the opening night? That is just depressing. Anyway, I am coming, God willing, regardless.

[kaytee]

Im not excited with that announcement either but it is far better than last years Avatar. Atleast it is a non commercial film. Lets hope they stick this way.

[ozzylogic]

They should release stuff like Drive Angry during DIFF. Now that would be cool.

[kaytee]

Tron Legacy has been confirmed as the closing gala film.

[shariqq]

Peter Weir's The Way Back is confirmed as a Red Carpet Gala.

IMDb's synopsis says it is "A fact-based story centered on soldiers who escaped from a Siberian gulag in 1940.". Stars Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris and Colin Farrell.

[ayaa1977]

If DIFF's people would keep up the pace, then my time in the dog house will be a time well spent

[kaytee]

Nice one Shariq, I'm liking the announcements so far, the trailer for The Way Back was intriguing.

[shariqq]

Another announcement from DIFF, this time concerning Indian cinema featured at this year's festival. The movies mentioned in the press release are:

Ita Mrinalini (An Unfinished Letter/Yours, Mrinalini), Bengali film by renowned filmmaker and actress Aparna Sen. Stars Aparna Sen herself, along with Konkana Sen Sharma, Rajat Kapoor, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Koushik Sen, Locket Chatterjee, etc.

Elektra, Malayalam film by veteran director Shyamaprasad. The drama will make its international premiere at DIFF 2010, and is inspired by the ancient Greek myth. Stars Manisha Koirala, Prakash Raj, Nayantara, etc.



Harud (Autumn), Urdu film by actor-director Aamir Bashir. It focuses on the volatile events in the area over the last 20 years.

Inshallah, Football, a documentary by Ashvin Kumar, the young Indian writer-director who had secured an Academy Award nomination with his earlier short film Little Terrorist. The movie showcases a Kashmiri boy’s dreams to play football in Brazil and what happens when a silent war gets in the way.

Shor (Noise), a Hindi movie, stars Tusshar Kapoor and Sendhil Ramamurthy. The movie is a gritty drama and satire depicting the noise and chaos of Mumbai. 



Khule Darwaaze (Open Doors) is a short by Ashish Pande, a graduate of the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute. The film tells the story of a young woman who survives in the present thanks to living images from the past.

Further selections from India will be announced later.


Elektra and Inshallah, Football are two movies I will try to include in my schedule.