Tunisian actress Hend Sabry has been selected as the final jury member of the fourth annual IWC Filmmaker Award, as part of the 12th Dubai International Film Festival (9- 16 December). The award is sponsored by Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen, and offers a US$100,000 prize to help aspiring film makers from the Gulf take their script from page to screen.
Sabry said of her role: “I am honoured to be part of the IWC filmmakers Award. I strongly believe in the importance of developing Gulf cinema, and this generous award will give birth to a new filmmaker from the Gulf region, enriching Arab cinema altogether. My jury co-members and I are very committed to reading all the competing scripts and giving them a fair chance.”
Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee, Omar director Hany Abu-Assad will head the jury, and will be joined by Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen; Abdulhamid Juma, Chairman of DIFF; and Masoud Amralla Al Ali, Artistic Director of DIFF as jury members; alongside 23 award winning actress Hend Sabry.
Three directors are currently competing for the award: Qayari Khalifa Al Muraikhi for his screenplay Sahaab, Saudi Shahad Ameen for her screenplay Scales, and Emirati Layla Kaylif for The Letter Writer. The award will be presented during the IWC gala event on December 10 2015.
cnewbould@thenational.ae