The eighth edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) has announced a new industry initiative aimed at further driving the global and regional outreach of Arabic films.

Distributors who acquire Arabic films being showcased at Diff stand to win $60,000 in prize money through the new Diff Distribution Award.

The Diff Distribution Awards are presented this year to the distributors of two Arab feature films and two long feature-documentaries each, for eventual screening in two markets each – within the Middle East and outside, taking the total number of awards to eight.

For each feature film acquired to be distributed in the Middle East and outside the region, the distributor will get $10,000 each, while the distributors of the two documentaries in the two markets will get $5,000 each.

Shivani Pandya, managing director, Dubai International Film Festival, said: “Over the past years, Diff has nurtured the Arabic film industry through our comprehensive script-to-screen initiative, the Dubai Film Market. From co-production support to post-production funding and invaluable industry connections, Diff has assisted several talented filmmakers in the Arab world to accomplish their projects.

“The Diff Distribution Award further builds on this single-window approach of the festival, whereby we are encouraging regional and international distribution houses to acquire film titles from Diff.”

“It will complement the film distribution platform of Diff, the Dubai Filmmart, which had supported the sales of a record 224 films from around the world last year. Most importantly, the Awards will give greater visibility for Arabic films, not only in the region but globally,” Pandya added.

For distributors to compete for the award, the selected films must be part of the Muhr (Arab feature, Arab documentary, Emirati), Gulf Voices, and Arabian Nights segments of the eighth edition of Diff held until December 14.

These must be films by an Arab director, and with a run time of more than 59 minutes, produced before January 1, 2011, and not have a distributor attached to the film before the eighth Diff.

Award winning overseas distributors must ensure that the acquired film will be released within a year from December 14, 2011, in at least one commercial cinema, in a minimum of two cities, while winners for distribution in the Middle East must screen the film or documentary in at least two countries in the region.

They must also commit that the award money will be utilised for the Prints & Advertising (P&A) of the films.  Eligible P&A costs include technical expenses, media campaign and conception and production of publicity material.

Diff 2011 is screening 171 films from 56 nations representing the best of national, regional and world cinema until December 14 at the Mall of the Emirates, Madinat Jumeirah and The Walk at JBR. – TradeArabia News Service