DUBAI // Some of the year's most acclaimed films will be showing at the Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) next month as part of its Cinema of the World programme.
Perhaps the most anticipated is 127 Hours, by Danny Boyle, the British director behind Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting. The movie depicts the real life story of Aron Ralston - played by James Franco - a climber who became trapped beneath a boulder in 2003 and had to make a gruesome choice to escape death.
The movie has provoked controversy despite receiving critical acclaim. Some audience members fainted during the more graphic scenes at its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff) in September. Mr Ralston is said to have broken into tears at Franco's portrayal of his decision to amputate his own arm to save himself.
But for those who can stomach the gore, the film, which is tipped for an Oscar nomination, could make for a memorable experience. As The Washington Post said in its review: "It's a movie worth seeing, even when it's barely watchable."
Cameron Bailey, the co-director of Tiff, worries the movie's gory reputation could put potential viewers off unnecessarily.
"If you hear the description, it sounds a bit gross, like something most people couldn't watch. But the film doesn't play like that at all. It plays like a character study," he said.
Mr Bailey attributes this to Boyle's storytelling abilities.
"The way Danny Boyle makes movies is very different. 127 hours has the energy of Slumdog Millionaire, it has some of that inspiring narrative of people in difficult circumstance who ultimately triumph. It's really about the triumph of the human spirit."
Mr Bailey said that the movie was received "rapturously" at Tiff. "It got a huge ovation," he said.
Also generating Oscar buzz is the Mexican film, Biutiful, whose star Javier Bardem won Cannes' best actor award for his portrayal of the repentant crimeboss, Uxbal. Bardem rejoins the director of Babel and Amores Perros, Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, for the portrayal of a criminal trying to leave the underworld before he dies of cancer.
Other films in the programme include the Swedish thriller Corridor, about a shy medical student who becomes embroiled in the drama between a girl and her abusive boyfriend and the German-made Suicide Club, the tale of five strangers who want to leap to their deaths from the same rooftop.
Meanwhile, one of France's most famous leading ladies, Isabelle Huppert, teams up with her real-life daughter, Lolita Chammah, in Copacabana. Ms Huppart plays Esmerelda, a woman who cannot seem to act her age and is becoming an embarrassment to her daughter.
Sheila Whitaker, the director of International Programming at Diff, said: "While filmmaking techniques and technology have evolved dramatically, good cinema still has to deliver a powerful narrative, exemplary performances and the ability to touch your heart and set you thinking. The films in Cinema of the World will, I hope, provide just that."
Diff runs from December 12 to 19.
smclain@thenational.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What is double taxation?
- Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
- Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called "accidental Americans" who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
- The double taxation policy has been a contentious issue for decades, with many overseas Americans feeling that it punishes them for pursuing opportunities abroad
- Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.
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Dh3.7 million
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50
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The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
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Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The Gandhi Murder
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
