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The Dubai International Film Festival is being revived with a new edition, set to kick off on December 8, 2027, as per Variety.
On Thursday, the announcement was made by Mona Ghanem Al Marri, vice chairperson and managing director of the Dubai Media Council, during the Arab Media Summit, the report added. In a speech, AI Marri specified that the festivals new format will focus on Arab cinema and intends to boost Dubais role as a film and TV production hub. She went on to describe the relaunch as a new chapter in the festivals journey, which began in 2004 and even became the top film event in the Middle East. It was shuttered in 2018, reportedly to divert government funds to the Dubai Expo. Meanwhile, Dubai Film Festival manager Shivani Pandya Malhotra, who was subsequently instrumental in launching Saudi Arabias Red Sea Film Festival as its managing director, is no longer involved in relaunching the fest in its upcoming edition. Malhotra recently stepped down from her role as the managing director. Further details about the management of the new Dubai fest are yet to be announced. Earlier, for its 2017 edition, DIFF had launched a rich selection of 18 Arab features more than one-third of which were world premieres as well as regional premieres of the cream of the global film crop, including Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which was the festivals closer. The fest also hosted delegations from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Golden Globes. (ANI)
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