Big Diff: Dubai film fest red carpet to star Freida Pinto, Cuba Gooding Jr, Kevin Spacey

In a week that saw Dubai announce plans for a spectacular new city and plans to ensure the World’s Tallest Hotel will be on schedule here in the emirate, the Dubai International Film Festival announced a mega line-up of films.

Set against a scale and backdrop that is bigger and glitzier than ever before, Emirates 24|7 can reveal that the year’s two biggest films – Ang Lee’s 'Life of Pi' and 'Hitchcock' starring Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren will be premiered at the festival.

At a Dubai Film Festival press conference today, it was announced that the 2012 show will have two gala nights, 161 films from 64 countries and 52 world premieres.                 

Diff 2012 will include movies in 43 languages and 60 Arab films out of a total of 2,100 submissions.

‘Wadjda’ a Saudi film, the first directed by a  female and James Cameron's ‘Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away’ in 3D are the other big draws.

International stars that will be attending include Cate Blanchett, Colin Firth, Kristin Davis, Kevin Spacey, Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi) Frieda Pinto and Cuba Gooding Jr.

Music legend Bryan Ferry will also attend.

Representing the Arab galaxy will be Laila Eloui, Khaled Al Nebaway and Caroline Khalil among others.

Among the other big draws are Amour (Love) which won the Palm' Dor at Cannes this year and the The Sapphires, which will close the fest.
A total of $600,000 in prize money and $1m in grants will be on offer as well.
 

(All pictures agency supplied)

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