Third Dublin Arabic Film Festival announced

October 2017

The third Dublin Arabic Film Festival (DAFF) will open on Friday, November 11th at the Irish Film Institute (IFI) in Dublin’s Temple Bar and run until Sunday, 13th November. 

Building on the success of the two previous events this year’s festival includes seven films, two of which, The Band’s Visit and Outside the Law, will be screened at the Chester Beatty Library.  The films showing over the festival at the IFI include opening film Clash, After Spring, Hedi, Sand Storm, and As I Open My Eyes.

The Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce is a main sponsor of the festival alongside Dubai Duty Free (presenting sponsor) and the Jumeirah Hotel group.

Commenting on this year’s programme, Jim Sheridan said, “DAFF allows Irish audiences a wonderful opportunity to experience a flavour of Arabic life and culture through the medium of film.  Last year’s festival boasted sell out screenings at the IFI and we hope that DAFF goes some way to meeting the clear demand that exists for the cinema of the Arabic world”.

The festival opens with a special screening of Mohamed Diab’s Clash, the highly regarded opening film at this year’s “Un Certain Regard” strand at the Cannes Film Festival. Set in Egypt in 2013 amid the toppling of President Morsi and the ensuing political instability, a group of rioters are rounded up and bundled into the back of a police van.  All the film’s scenes take place here where warring parties of all factions have been thrown together. Diab brings real cinematic flair to the claustrophobic scenario and skilfully portrays multiple characters and their motivations in a lucid and empathetic manner.

Speaking about some of the movies that will be shown at the festival, Jim Sheridan added, “As this year’s programme of films came into focus, certain commonalities and themes began to assert themselves – the conflict between traditional and modern values in Arabic countries, as evidenced in both Hedi and As I Open my Eyes; the place of women in what are predominantly patriarchal societies; the impact of the Arab Spring, which is explored in the stunning Clash, the opening night film, and the poignant documentary After Spring.  I know audiences will be moved, inspired and entertained by what is most certainly one of our most thought provoking DAFF programmes to date.”

Joe Geoghegan, Chairman of the Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce, and Honorary Chairman of the DAFF, complimented Jim Sheridan and Zhara Moufid, Festival Director, on putting together another high quality programme for this year’s festival, and thanked Dubai Duty Free for their loyal and generous support for the third year in a row.

Colm McLoughlin, the Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Presenting Sponsor, Dubai Duty Free said, “Dubai Duty Free is involved with the Arts for many years.  Through our sponsorship of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), we have seen that film is a great medium that crosses cultural divides and creates greater understanding of different people’s beliefs and everyday lives.  Congratulations to Jim Sheridan and Zhara Moufid for bringing the DAFF to Dublin for the third time. We are delighted to support the festival once again and look forward to being entertained.”

DAFF runs from the 11th – 13th of November 2016 at the IFI and the Chester Beatty Library.   For more details or to purchase tickets see www.ifi.ie/daff or www.dublinarabicfilmfestival.ie / or www.cbl.ie/Plan-A-Visit/What-s-On.aspx