Festival Guide Middle East International Film Festival October 8-17 This Guide is also available in Arabic. Ten Days. One City. Welcome to MEIFF A Crossroads of Cinema. October 8-17 About MEIFF The Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF) was estab- lished in 2007 and is presented annually in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH). MEIFF’s mission is to affirm the key place Abu Dhabi holds as an emerging cultural center and to foster the growth of its local film community. Under the leadership of new Executive Director Peter Scarlet, the Festival celebrates cinema in all its forms by creating a vibrant forum for storytellers from the Middle East and from around the world. Please visit www.meiff.com About ADACH The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) is the government institution in charge of conserving and promoting the heritage and culture of Abu Dhabi. ADACH aspires to harness the pride of Abu Dhabi’s people by developing the Emirate as a capital of art and culture. ADACH devotes all its resources to the preservation of cultural treasures, as well as the encouragement of Emirati and international art, music, literature, and cinema. ADACH creates and promotes projects that allow the sharing of cultural traditions and experience from all over the world. ADACH has a holistic vision of culture, which embraces both tangible and intangible heritage. This vision is open to everyone – in the Arab world and beyond. Please visit www.adach.ae 02 www.meiff.com 03 Program Description Table of Contents Galas Special Programs Page Sections These high-profile and highly anticipated films, representing the Our special presentations are highlighted by “Laugh Till It Hurts,” 03 Welcome to MEIFF world’ s major filmmaking centers, from Paris to Bollywood and a screening of four hilarious silent films with live keyboard 04 Program Description from Cairo to Hollywood, promise excitement, glamour, and stars accompaniment – a first for Abu Dhabi. In addition, a series 06 How to Festival on the red carpet. of Master Classes presented by renowned figures from the international film world offers a chance to go deeper into film history and film culture – with more surprises to come. 08 Galas Narrative Feature Competition 12 Narrative Feature Competition 18 Documentary Feature Competition “What in the World Are We Doing to Our World?” 24 World Cinema Showcase Chosen for their remarkable vision and the freshness of their storytelling, these new fiction films are the work of a diverse 30 Special Programs group of beginning and established filmmakers from the Middle The power of film to educate, inform, and inspire is central to this 32 “What in the World Are We Doing to Our World?” East and around the world. group of films that help us understand the global environmental 34 New Cinema from Turkey crisis and call for us to take action to protect our planet for future 37 Short Film Competition Narrative Feature films compete for the following Black Pearl generations. 40 Emirates Film Competition Awards: Best Narrative Film, Best New Narrative Director, Best Middle Eastern Film, Best New Middle Eastern Narrative Director, 42 Special Events Best Actor, and Best Actress. New Cinema from Turkey 43 Index 45 Daily Screening Schedule Documentary Feature Competition Chosen by the editors of the vanguard Turkish film magazine 51 Sponsors Altyazı, this selection of recent films shows a remarkable burst of cinematic creativity from a place that has long been at the Whether recording major events or uncovering little-known crossroads between the Middle East and Europe, offering an stories, whether focusing on social issues or personal outstanding example of the success of a small, local film industry. explorations, the filmmakers in this section demonstrate the power of nonfiction filmmaking to help us understand each other and our world. > An updated version of this publication will be available during the Festival with added information about festival Short Film Competition programs, jurors, celebrity guests, and panels. Documentary Feature films compete for the following Black > Log onto www.meiff.com for daily updates about the Festival. Pearl Awards: Best Documentary Film, Best New Documentary Both a training ground for up-and-comers and a familiar terrain Director, Best Middle Eastern Documentary, Best New Middle to which established directors return to explore new approaches, Eastern Documentary Director. short films often take us closest to the essence of the art of cinema. The films in this competition – including two programs World Cinema Showcase of student projects – come from all over the world and represent an amazing diversity of visions and styles that are sure to surprise and delight. Content Advisory: Selected from among the year’s festival award winners and As at all international film festivals, some of the films have not G Suitable for all ages international highlights, these narratives and documentaries, Short films compete for the following Black Pearl Awards: Best been officially rated and may not be appropriate for all ages or all screening out of competition, offer a rich and exciting view of Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Middle Eastern viewers. As a service to festival attendees, MEIFF has devised the 15 + Suitable for ages 15 and up what is happening in filmmaking around the globe today. Short, and three Best Student Short prizes. following rating system: 18 + Suitable for ages 18 and up 04 www.meiff.com 05 How to Festival Locations Ticket Prices MEIFF ‘09 will have screenings at the following locations: General Screenings – AED 20 • Emirates Palace Auditorium Gala Screenings at Emirates Palace – AED 30 • Cinestar Cinemas, Marina Mall (Theaters 1-5) • Grand Cinema, Abu Dhabi Mall (Theater 1) Students and Seniors (65 and over) – AED 10 • ID required Additional festival events will take place at the MEIFF Festival Tent at the Emirates Palace, on the main terrace behind the hotel. Package of 10 vouchers – AED 150 The MEIFF Festival Tent is open to the public throughout the • Vouchers are good for all screenings, except opening and festival. closing night galas, which are by invitation only. Festival Pass – AED 200 • Good for all screenings, except opening and closing night galas, which are by invitation only. How to Buy Tickets Ticketing Policies Ticket sales start September 28. • Tickets may be purchased using cash, MasterCard, or Visa. • No exchanges or refunds on purchased tickets, vouchers, On the Internet at www.meiff.com. or passes. • All screenings are subject to change without notification. In person every day from noon to 10 pm at any of the four We will do our best to publicize changes on festival box offices: www.meiff.com. Free Festival Shuttle Service Shuttle Routes: • All screenings are general admission seating – there are • Emirates Palace Hotel – at the main entrance lobby, no reserved seats. MEIFF will operate a free shuttle bus service throughout the Route A travels from the Emirates Palace Hotel, to the Marina and on the auditorium level • You must be seated 15 minutes before the scheduled festival (October 8 -17) between each of the three theater Mall, then to the InterContinental Hotel, and back to the Emirates • Cinestar Cinemas, Marina Mall – main box office screening time. Late admission is at the discretion of the locations – the Emirates Palace Hotel, Marina Mall, and Abu Palace, from 8:00 am to 2:00 am, every 15 minutes. • Grand Cinema, Abu Dhabi Mall – main box office theater manager. Dhabi Mall – as well as the InterContinental Hotel. Route B travels from the Emirates Palace Hotel, to the Tickets may be purchased at any box office until three hours InterContinental Hotel, then to the Marina Mall, and back to the before screening time. After this time, tickets will only be Emirates Palace, from 8:00 am to 2:00 am, every 15 minutes. available at the theater where the film is being screened. Route C travels between Marina Mall and Abu Dhabi Mall, from 2:00 pm to 2:00 am, every 30 minutes. Stand-by Tickets: If tickets for a screening are no longer available, a limited number of “stand-by” tickets may be made available at the box office 15 minutes before the scheduled screening time. 06 www.meiff.com 07 Galas Opening Night Centerpiece Gala Closing Night Blue Anthony D’Souza Capitalism: A Love Story Michael Moore The Informant! Steven Soderbergh The Men Who Stare at Goats Grant Heslov The Messenger © 2009 Galatée Films - Roberto Rinaldi Oren Moverman The Traveler (Al Mosafer) Oceans (Océans) The Men Who Stare at Goats 15+ G 15 + Oceans Egypt | 2009 | 125 mins | Color | 35 mm | Arabic w/ English Subtitles | Middle East Premiere France | 2009 | 103 mins | Color | 35 mm | French w/ Arabic, English Subtitles | World Premiere USA | 2009 | 90 mins | Color | 35 mm | English w/ Arabic Subtitles | Middle East Premiere Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story Director / Screenwriter: Ahmed Maher Music: Fathy Salama Directors: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud Director: Grant Heslov Cast: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Producer: Egyptian Ministry of Culture Cast: Omar Sharif, Cyrine Abdel Nour, Khaled El Screenwriters: Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud, Screenwriter: Peter Straughan Spacey, Jeff Bridges, J. K. Simmons, Robert Patrick Yousry Nasrallah Cinematographer: Marco Onorato Nabawy, Amr Waked, Sherif Ramzy, Basma François Sarano, Stéphane Durand, Laurent Debas Producers: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Editor: Tamer Ezzat Producers: Jacques Perrin, Nicolas Mauvernay Paul Lister Shorts Editors: Catherine Mauchain, Vincent Schmitt Cinematographer: Robert Elswit Robert Rodriguez Music: Bruno Coulais Editor: Tatiana S. Riegel The Traveler Ahmed Maher Nearing the end of his life, Hassan realizes he can recall only three days. In The team behind Winged Migration returns with their most breathtaking In this quirky dark comedy inspired by a real-life story you will hardly believe This film is also part of the Narrative Feature Competition 1948, Hassan (Khaled El Nabawy) begins his first job by delivering a telegram film to date – a trip across and through the oceans themselves.