Emirati feature ‘City of Life’ to open Gulf Film Festival 2010

Emirati feature ‘City of Life’ to open Gulf Film Festival 2010

The Gulf Film Festival will be held from April 8 to 14 at the Dubai Festival City.

March 31, 2010 3:06 by Ben Flanagan

Dubai, UAE; March 31, 2010: The third edition of the Gulf Film Festival, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), rolls out the red carpet with the opening night screening of Emirati feature film, City of Life, on April 8, 2010.

Directed by Emirati filmmaker Ali Mostafa, City of Life, the most eagerly anticipated movie, was produced in Dubai with an international cast and crew. The film marked its premiere at Dubai International Film Festival where it was screened as the gala presentation for the Festival’s Arabian Nights segment. The red carpet presentation at DIFF was attended by some of the principal actors from the film including Natalie Dormer, Sonu Sood and UAE’s own Saoud Al Kaabi amongst others.

Masoud Amralla Al Ali, Festival Director, said: “City of Life was a testament to the distance covered by the evolving film industry in Dubai and the UAE. It is a symbol of what young talent in the region can achieve in the filmmaking industry and will be an inspiration for aspiring filmmakers. The film is a perfect fit for Gulf Film Festival, which is a celebration of the best in Gulf cinema.”

He added: “City of Life is a celebration of the diversity, culture, and talent in Dubai, a city of over 200 nationalities. Thus, it transcends all boundaries and has a universal language that will appeal to all viewers. It’s a first big step in what will hopefully become a stream of locally produced original feature films for the international market.”

City of Life depicts the parallel worlds that exist simultaneously in the city of Dubai, in an interwoven story of a rich Emirati male, a disillusioned Indian taxi driver who resembles a Bollywood actor, and a European woman, whose lives cross paths only to discover that they have indefinitely made an impact on each other.

The Gulf Film Festival will be held from April 8 to 14 at the Dubai Festival City and is presented by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) in association with Dubai Studio City.