DUBAI INT'L FILM FEST BEGINS ANNOUNCING LINE-UP

The Dubai International Film Festival (Dec 10th - Dec 17th) has begun announcing it's line-up and there are a number of Arab films of note.

Premiering at the festival is director Khaled Youssef's KHIYANA SHAREYYAH (Justified Cheating), whose work tends to be influenced by the style of his mentor, acclaimed Egyptian filmmaker, Youssef Chahine. According to a festival press release, the film "tells the story of a young, rich man, Hani Salama, who kills his wife and brother when he finds them in a compromising situation. Told from shifting perspectives in the style of Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon, the film captures the imagination of the audience with its brilliant screenplay and technical execution." Historically speaking, Egyptian cinema has not been known to mess with narrative structure. This departure will turn out either surprisingly inventive or typically cringy. Despite the fact that I wasn't a fan of two of his other films, AL-ASIFA and ENTA OMRI, I'm sure I'll see this one because I'm a sucker for the boyish charms of Hani Salama. (Or, as I often refer lovingly, Hani Salami)

Also competing for best Arabic film is Moroccan Faouzi Bennsaidi's "WWW -- WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD", Michel Kammoun's "FALAFEL" and the movie I may never shut up about, Rachid Bouchareb's "INDIGENES."

I'm hoping to attend the fest this year so there should be lots more where this came from. Get excited!