Jake Gyllenhaal will appear at next month’s Dubai International Film Festival.
The Donne Darko and Southpaw actor is the first A-list guest announced as attending the city's annual celebration of film. He will receive an award at the event from entertainment trade magazine Variety, which will name the 34-year-old its International Star of the Year.
Gyllenhaal is also expected to meet fans at a ticketed Q&A event, and will doubtless stroll a few red carpets while in town.
His appearance follows widespread speculation that the actor visited Abu Dhabi last month, after reports he had been spotted at a Corniche hotel with a film crew in tow.
Variety presents the award annually at Diff in recognition of a personality's outstanding contribution to the world of film.
Previous recipients include Colin Farrell in 2010 and Owen Wilson in 2011.
Gyllenhaal rose to fame after playing the eponymous lead in Richard Kelly's 2001 cult favourite, Donnie Darko.
Other celebrated roles include the lead in Sam Mendes's Jarhead (2005) and a BAFTA-winning performance in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain (2005). He was most recently seen in this year's true-life mountaineering drama, Everest.
"Jake Gyllenhaal's promise as an actor was clear almost from the beginning of his illustrious career," said Steven Gaydos, Variety's vice president and executive editor.
"Donnie Darko is a cult classic and his work in films such as October Sky, The Good Girl and Moonlight Mile signalled the emergence of a major new acting talent. While his Oscar-nominated turn in Brokeback Mountain delivered on that promise, the last few years have witnessed an explosion of great work that matches the best actors of any generation."
Gyllenhaal's other film credits include in David Fincher's Zodiac (2007), Jim Sheridan's Brothers (2009), Duncan Jones' Source Code (2011) and Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners (2013).
Gyllenhaal won numerous accolades for his part in last year's Nightcrawler, directed by Dan Gilroy. This year, he appeared in Everest and gritty boxing biopic Southpaw.
Diff chairman Abdulhamid Juma said: “Jake Gyllenhaal is a huge talent and undeniably one of the most accomplished actors of his generation.
"We are absolutely delighted to honour his extraordinary talents with Variety magazine's International Star of the Year Award at this year's festival."
• The DIFF box office is open now at www.dubaifilmfest.com
rgarratt@thenational.ae
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan v Juventus
Saturday, 10.45pm (UAE)
Watch the match on BeIN Sports
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Ways to control drones
Countries have been coming up with ways to restrict and monitor the use of non-commercial drones to keep them from trespassing on controlled areas such as airports.
"Drones vary in size and some can be as big as a small city car - so imagine the impact of one hitting an airplane. It's a huge risk, especially when commercial airliners are not designed to make or take sudden evasive manoeuvres like drones can" says Saj Ahmed, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research.
New measures have now been taken to monitor drone activity, Geo-fencing technology is one.
It's a method designed to prevent drones from drifting into banned areas. The technology uses GPS location signals to stop its machines flying close to airports and other restricted zones.
The European commission has recently announced a blueprint to make drone use in low-level airspace safe, secure and environmentally friendly. This process is called “U-Space” – it covers altitudes of up to 150 metres. It is also noteworthy that that UK Civil Aviation Authority recommends drones to be flown at no higher than 400ft. “U-Space” technology will be governed by a system similar to air traffic control management, which will be automated using tools like geo-fencing.
The UAE has drawn serious measures to ensure users register their devices under strict new laws. Authorities have urged that users must obtain approval in advance before flying the drones, non registered drone use in Dubai will result in a fine of up to twenty thousand dirhams under a new resolution approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Mr Ahmad suggest that "Hefty fines running into hundreds of thousands of dollars need to compensate for the cost of airport disruption and flight diversions to lengthy jail spells, confiscation of travel rights and use of drones for a lengthy period" must be enforced in order to reduce airport intrusion.
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
