Dubai International Film Festival is coming back next year after a decade-long hiatus.
The announcement has given the UAE’s film community a date to work towards – and the prospect of a homecoming for an event that many have missed since its last edition. Diff will return on December 8, 2027.
A festival brings more than just red-carpet premieres. Across its first 14 years, Diff helped trailblazing Arab filmmakers finance and finish their films, find international audiences and meet major players who could help them take the next step in their careers.
Speaking to filmmakers and creatives about its return, I was struck by how formative the event was for so many.
Egyptian director Mohammed Mamdouh secured his first internship on Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol through a connection he made at Diff. He now teaches filmmaking at American University of Sharjah, and wants his students to experience that same sense of possibility.
Emirati filmmaker Majid Al Ansari, meanwhile, spoke about what was missing when his latest film, Hoba, travelled abroad: the chance to bring it back to the community that had celebrated his debut Zinzana at Diff in 2015, inspiring the next generation of local talent.
Emirati director Nayla Al Khaja has already been on the phone to fellow filmmakers, discussing whether they could get something ready for 2027. Al Khaja screened her first documentary, Unveiling Dubai, at the first Diff in 2004.
There is plenty to revisit in the festival’s history, from its famous guests to the premiere of Ali Mostafa’s City of Life. But the Arab film community is more excited about what comes next.
The news comes alongside a setback for this year’s festival calendar. The sixth Red Sea International Film Festival has been postponed until late 2027, having been scheduled for December 3 to 12 in Jeddah. Its foundation’s funding and development programmes will continue, with year-round screenings and other activities due to begin in November.
That continuing support will be especially important for filmmakers whose plans have been disrupted, and hopefully Saudi films will get the homecoming they dreamt of.
International filmmakers, meanwhile, keep returning to the UAE. I recently spoke to actor Michael Kelly, who came back last week after filming Jack Ryan: Ghost War here. He shared stories from behind the scenes of his skyscraper stunt in the film, and also raved about his overall experience in the UAE, on and off set.
“They welcomed us with open arms here to do Jack Ryan, and we felt the love from the minute we got here,” he told me.
While regional disruptions have affected the cultural calendar, it's heartening to see the positive impression that the region continues to make on people from across the world. For the filmmaking community, the most exciting times are surely to come.
Christie's to hold first Abu Dhabi fine-art auction in November
Christie’s will hold its first fine-art auction in Abu Dhabi on November 1, bringing together more than 70 works by artists from across the Middle East and North Africa to mark 20 years since its inaugural UAE sale.
Mawasim: 20 Years of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art will take place at the Abu Dhabi Edition hotel, with works by Paul Guiragossian, Samia Halaby, Mohamed Melehi, Nabil Nahas and Marwan among the highlights. The selection spans more than six decades, and includes pieces from Beirut’s Dalloul Collection and Sharjah’s Barjeel Art Foundation.
The move brings an established London auction to Abu Dhabi as the capital expands into a place where art is traded and seen. Frieze Abu Dhabi will bring galleries and collectors to the city in November, followed by Guggenheim Abu Dhabi’s opening on December 11.
Ridha Moumni, chairman of Christie’s Middle East and Africa, says future auctions in Abu Dhabi will depend on the results of this edition and decisions about the company’s international calendar.
“This event is not a one-off,” Moumni tells The National. “We are coming with the intention of being more present and more visible in the city.”
Find more here.
Young Arabs want more Arabic content – but say much of it feels outdated
Young Arabs find much of the Arabic content available to them dated compared with its English-language equivalent, according to new research examining how the language is used across the region.
The Congress ACI Arab Youth Pulse Survey 2025 found that 71 per cent of respondents prefer media in Arabic, while 67 per cent believe Arabic content feels outdated.
Selected findings were discussed during the fifth Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries, held at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, which covered publishing, artificial intelligence, film, music and intellectual property.
Find more here.
Dates for your diary
Nagham at Space42 Arena, Abu Dhabi – October 9
Mohandis Al Thauq Al Aam at Dubai Opera – October 9 and 10
Jamie Lever at Emirates Theatre, Dubai – October 10
Other highlights
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