Five to watch: Thursday, Dec 7

Our pick of today's films at the Dubai International Film Festival

Saoirse Ronan in On Chesil Beach directed by Dominic Cooke. Courtesy Diff

On Chesil Beach

Dominic Cooke directs Saoirse Ronan, Emily Watson and Billy Howle in this big screen adaptation adaptation of Ian McEwan’s acclaimed 2007 novel. Howle and Ronan’s uptight newlyweds may both be successful Cambridge students, but when it comes to matters of physical intimacy, they haven’t got a clue. This very British comedy of repression and romance straddles the line between gentle comedy and groaning despair by the sea, at the cusp of the free and easy swinging sixties.

Madinat Arena, 6pm

Orchestra Class

French-Algerian auteur Rachid Hami embarks on an exploration of the magical power of music in this lovable tale of triumph against the odds. Disillusioned violinist Simon ekes out a living teaching. One of his students is Arnold, a shy, awkward student who is fascinated with the violin and discovers that he has a real talent for it. With Arnold’s raw talent and the joyous energy of his class, Simon gradually rediscovers the joys of music. Together, they will overcome many obstacles and succeed to enroll the class in an end- of-the-year concert at the prestigious Paris Philharmonic.

Madinat Arena 9.30pm

The Song of Scorpions

Nooran (Golshifteh Farahani) is a young Rajasthani woman, who has a magical ability to heal scorpion bites by singing. Aadem is a handsome camel trader, plying his wares in the Thar desert. He falls hopelessly in love with Nooran, whose grandmother Zubaida disappears, leaving Nooran with little choice but marriage. But all is not what it seems, and Nooran is soon the victim of a traumatic betrayal, at Aadem’s hands. Love, heartbreak and redemption swirl throughout this enchanting, powerful tale that marks another success for director Anup Singh.

Mall of the Emirates Vox 1, 6pm

My Generation

Michael Caine takes us back to 1960s London in this latest movie from prolific documentarian David Batty. An all-star cast of interview subjects from among Caine’s friends and contemporaries includes Paul McCartney, Twiggy, Marianne Faithfull, David Bailey, Roger Daltrey and Mary Quant, while archive footage and Caine’s memories of being a man-about-town evoke the era, and Caine’s journey to “Cockney lad made good” brilliantly.

Madinat Theatre, 10pm

Mountain

Award-winning, BAFTA nominated Jen Peedom is renowned for her gripping, intimate portraits of people in extreme circumstances. The likes of Sherpa (2015) and Miracle on Everest (2008) have received critical acclaim globally, and Peedom's latest, Mountain, is tipped to follow suit, as audiences are taken on a journey to the highest peaks in the world, and witness their spellbinding power to shape lives and dreams.

JBR the Beach, 7.30pm