Emily Blunt presents IWC filmmaker award to Abdullah Boushahri

“For a third successive year, we have received excellent submissions from the region and are as always greatly im- pressed with the  way GCC filmmakers tell their stories.  It gives us great pleasure and honour to be able to contribute towards supporting local talent and developing creativity, thus  boosting  the  quality of filmmaking in the  region as  a whole,” commented Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaff- hausen. Speaking  at the event,  Emily Blunt said:  “What a great  experience being  part  of the  IWC Filmmaker Award jury has been.  The region is a treasure chest  of stories  and thus  the  submissions were  brilliant. I  am  proud  to partici- pate with such a noble initiative that supports the ambitions and aspirations of the region’s filmmakers. It was a real task picking out the winner from the entries received which each had the ability to touch the hearts and minds of audiences the world over.” Actress  Emily Blunt selected the  winning project  together with Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, Abdulhamid Juma, Chairman of DIFF, Masoud  Amralla Al Ali, Artistic  Dir­ ector   of  DIFF, Mark  Adams,   film critic,  Karoline  Huber, Brand  Director of IWC Schaffhausen Middle East  & India, and  Marc Forster,  IWC brand  ambassador and  award­ winning film director.  “I like the idea of an award  for artists who contribute to local storytelling by letting their images speak. Filmmaking is still one  of the  most  popular  instru- ments to entertain people because it can transform passion and love into a unique story and give local and regional cultures a voice,” said Marc Forster. Guest of honour Emily Blunt was joined by international VIP guests and  celebrities,  including other  notable  IWC brand ambassadors, at the “For the Love of Cinema” gala dinner hosted by IWC and  DIFF. Among the guests present were IWC brand  ambassador His Royal Highness  Prince Abdulaziz Turki Al Faisal, IWC brand ambassador and mas- ter  of  ceremonies  Raya  Abirached,   celebrities  from  the region such  as Ali F. Mostafa, Diala Makki, Hussein Bazaza as well as international celebrities such as Lee Daniels and Virginia  Madsen. The  star­studded gala  dinner  was wrapped up with a solo performance by IWC brand ambas- sador  Aloe Blacc.  Following the dinner, the doors  opened for the  after­party  where  Aloe Blacc  and  his  band   per- formed  for an  additional  500  guests. The evening  ended with DJ Jack  E playing the latest hits till the early hours. AND  THE  AWARD GOES  TO  … This year, three  filmmakers were shortlisted  for the award: Emirati filmmaker Saeed Salmeen  Al­Murry for his project “Going to Heaven”,  Saudi  Arabian filmmaker and  actress Ahd Kamel for her film “Sandfish” and Kuwaiti director and producer Abdullah Boushahri for his project “The Water”.

Abdullah Boushahri  was  chosen as  the  winner by the  re- vered jury, and was presented with the USD 100,000 prize by Emily Blunt. Boushahri  also  received  an exclusive IWC timepiece. Abdullah   Boushahri   produced  the   feature   length   film “Losing Ahmad”, which made  its world premiere  at DIFF in 2006,  going on to win the Best Documentary in the Gulf at the Emirates Film Competition 2007 and touring more than 30  international  film festivals  around  the  world.  In 2008, Abdullah Boushahri  was  recognized as  the British Council Award  Winner  of  the  year  for  his  achievements.  “The Water” tells the story of a sweeping wave of drought  which hit the small city of Kuwait at the beginning of the last cen- tury before  the  discovery  of oil. In the  city’s dry alleys we find Mohammed,  a  young  man  with a  great,  melodious voice, who is in love with a beautiful girl named  Taiba. The two lovers face a multitude of social obstacles as the city’s residents turn to desperate measures to get water. IWC  SCHAFFHAUSEN With a  clear  focus  on  technology  and  development, the Swiss  watch  manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has  been producing  timepieces of lasting value since 1868.  The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion  for innovative  solutions  and  technical  ingenuity. One of the world’s leading brands in the luxury watch seg- ment,  IWC crafts masterpieces of haute  horlogerie at their finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design. As an ecologically and  socially responsible company, IWC is committed to sustainable production, supports institu- tions around the globe in their work with children and young people,  and maintains partnerships with organizations dedicated to climate and environmental protection. DUBAI  INTERNATIONAL  FILM  FESTIVAL The Dubai International  Film Festival (DIFF) is the  leading film festival in the Middle East and Africa. Since its inception in 2004,  the festival has served  as an influential platform for Arab filmmakers and  talent at an international level by spearheading  the  cinema  movement   in the  region.  The 11th edition of DIFF will take place from 10 to 17 December 2014.   For  more   and   updated  information  about   DIFF, please  visit www.diff.ae or join DIFF on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.