It was announced today that the first International Showbiz Expo will take place in Abu Dhabi from October 20th to 22nd 2014 at ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company).  It will feature heavyweight speakers from Hollywood, Asia, India and the Middle East as well as a variety of diverse initiatives that will make it an integral, annual global launch pad for new creative content and ideas.  Partners already confirmed include Gulf Film LLC, NOVO Cinemas, Empire International, REEL...

Abu Dhabi executives have appointed former Tribeca creative director Peter Scarlet as the new executive director at the Middle East Film Festival. He will take over from former Slamdance founder Jon Fitzgerald, who served two consecutive years and launched the Abu Dhabi fest in 2007. The third edition of the Middle East Film Festival unspools Oct. 8-17. Tribeca Film Festival had announced Peter Scarlet resignation late february. "We are grateful to Peter for his leadersh...

The Film Financing Circle (FFC) is an integral program in the inaugural Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi and takes place from October 15 – 17, 2007 at the Emirates Palace. The FFC today announced two-time Academy AwardÒ-winner Paul Haggis will teach a master writing class for 50 exceptionally talented filmmakers, that is sure to provide an engaging discussion about socially and politically astute filmmaking in the Middle East.  Haggis’ writing credits include Academy Aw...

 The Film Financing Circle (FFC) is an integral program in the inaugural Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi.  The FFC takes place from October 15 - 17, 2007 at the Emirates Palace, and presents a multifaceted approach to elevating the international entertainment community's awareness of Abu Dhabi's emergence onto the film scene. The FFC encompasses several extraordinary events guaranteed to optimize networking connections between international financiers and film executives f...

The Middle East International Film Festival - Abu Dhabi (MEIFF) today revealed its Closing Night Film, director Paul Haggis's IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH, which is a story about a war veteran and his wife who are in search of their son, a soldier who recently returned from Iraq but has since gone missing. The Festival also named Nadine Labaki, director of CARAMEL, as the recipient of the Variety Middle East Filmmaker of the Year Award. In support of Emirati filmmakers, the Abu Dhabi Media Company will...

The Middle East International Film Festival – Abu Dhabi (MEIFF) is thrilled to announce their Special Presentations including the Opening Night Film.   MEIFF will kick off its impressive first annual event on Sunday, October 14th with Joe Wright’s ATONEMENT starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. Veteran choreographer Otis Sallid will direct the Opening Night and Closing Night Galas’ dance numbers.   His Excellency Mohamed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei, Director General of Abu Dhabi Authority ...

His Excellency Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan Chairman, Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage invited the Cannes festival professionnals at Mint Villa to celebrate the launch of the Middle East International Film Festival and The Abu Dhabi Film Commission.Embracing both the art and business of film, the Abu Dhabi Film Festival aims to become the essential destination for film-makers looking to reach global audiences. The upcoming Abu Dhabi Film Festival will play host to financiers, studi...

Four years ago Dubai commenced their international film festival and today in Abu Dhabi, another Persian Gulf  town approximately 150 km south of Dubai, officials announced that they too will hold an international film festival during the second half of October.Dubai is well on its way to establishing itself as an regional film hub, and its own international film festival, set to run December 9-16, will be a direct competitor with Abu Dhabi's.  Although according to Abdulhamid Juma, Ch...