Arab Spring an inspiration for filmmakers: DIFF chief

A Dubai International Film Festival contingent in Cannes announces a new documentary film prize.

Documentaries are among the popular genres of cinema from the Arab world, says Shivani Pandya. Courtesy DIFF

DUBAI // The Arab Spring will provide important stories for documentary filmmakers to explore as they develop new projects, according to the managing director of the Dubai International Film Festival.

"Recent events around the Arab world will undoubtedly be a spur for many filmmakers," Shivani Pandya said at the Cannes Film Festival. "Documentary filmmaking's versatility, depth and honesty are vital to gain understanding of any period of time and any society, perhaps more so in the Middle East because of the sheer volume of stories from this diverse, critically important and tumultuous part of the world."

She was speaking after Diff's announcement at Cannes that it was stepping up the support given to documentaries by its Dubai Film Connection programme, which selects 15 regional projects to receive potential production support each year.

The initiative has showcased 64 project pitches over the five years since it was launched, with 18 of the films made and a further six in production.

The extra backing will include a new $25,000 (Dh92,500) documentary prize from Diff, the provision of earmarked funds from regional and international partners and a number of new collaborations. The programme also announced a new partnership with the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival.

"We are very proud of the Dubai Film Connection's success rate - a significant measure by any industry standard - and we look forward to expanding the footprint of Middle Eastern cinema around the world," said Ms Pandya. "With the recent rise in documentary filmmaking and events around the world sparking debate, we feel this is an important category that is worthy of recognition and encouragement within the Arab world."

But in addition to the violence and political change that has unfolded in recent months in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Syria, there will be no shortage of other stories for filmmakers to tell.

"Over the past eight years, we've seen stories from the intensely personal to hard-hitting societal exposes emerge from the region, sometimes from the least likely environments," said Ms Pandya. "Documentary has historically been one of the most popular genres of cinema from the Arab world, which is why Diff makes every effort to support it."

Ms Pandya is part of a delegation at Cannes that includes senior officials, Emirati filmmakers, festival award-winners and other members of the Diff team. The Abu Dhabi Film Commission has also sent a delegation, which includes four local filmmakers, and is hosting a pavilion at the event.

The closing date for submissions to Dubai Film Connection is August 1. General submissions to the festival, which runs this year from December 7 to 14, will be accepted until August 31.