Celebrate 13th DIFF with Free Cinema under the Stars at THE BEACH!

The Dubai International Film Festival’s (DIFF) free-to-attend Beach Screenings in partnership with Meraas, return to THE BEACH, opposite JBR for eight nights of movie magic. Kicking off on the Festival’s opening night, December 7th, the hugely popular open air screenings will unite the community under the stars to provide a truly unique cinematic experience.

Film fans will get to watch all the Festival’s Opening Night action unfold live from the Red Carpet on December 7th before THE BEACH hosts the premiere of Jordan Robert’s American adventure comedy-drama ‘Burn Your Maps’ starring Vera Farmiga and Jacob Tremblay. This is a quirky adventure following a young American boy, Wes, who is convinced he is born in the wrong place and believes that he is in fact a Mongolian goat herder.

On December 8th, THE BEACH will show the animated masterpiece ‘The Red Turtle’ from Michaël Dudok de Wit. The enthralling story of a man who attempts to escape from a deserted island but finds all his efforts are obstructed by a giant red turtle, the film picked up the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year along with many other accolades.

‘Mail Blues’, the powerful non-fiction from Lutz Gregor explores the power of music in promoting peace. The soulful film will showcase on December 9th and will be brought to life with a live performance from the ‘desert blues’ group Amanar, who are based in the Northeast of Mali. A contemporary take on the classic Tuareg guitar, which is often used in Mali music, the band combine their guitars with flute and percussion, and also add elements of rap and electric piano.

On December 10th the screening of the classic 1964 spaghetti western film ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ will come to THE BEACH, directed by Sergio Leone. Starring Clint Eastwood in his first leading role, the film follows a lone cowboy who outsmarts two rival families for his own benefit.

Screening on the 11th, Iman Kamel’s creative and compelling documentary 'Egyptian Jeanne d'Arc' fuses dance and poetry to explore the situations of women in Egypt today. Providing an immersive film experience, the screening will be followed by a live performance from Egyptian singer and guitarist, Dina El Wedidi. Inspired by the identity of her home city, Cairo, Wedidi merges local and international musical styles to create a unique sound that is sourced from traditional genres.

One of the most beautiful films ever to be shot, Otto Bell’s ‘Eagle Huntress’ will screen at THE BEACH on December 12th. The inspiring story follows a young Mongolian girl fighting patriarchal traditions as she trains to become the first ever female eagle huntress.

On December 13th, THE BEACH will show the 1966 American superhero film ‘Batman’, to mark the 40th anniversary of the film. Directed by Leslie H. Martinson and staring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, ‘Batman’ is the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the DC Comics character, Batman, and was based on the popular television series.

Closing DIFF’s beach screenings on December 14th is the romantic science fiction adventure drama ‘The Space Between Us’. Directed by Peter Chelsom and starring Asa Butterfield and Gary Oldman, the story follows the unusual life of a boy who was born on Mars. Reaching the inquisitive age of 16, he is eager to get to Earth and experience all of the wonders he could only read about during his time on the red planet.

Commenting on this year’s unique screenings at THE BEACH Abdulhamid Juma, DIFF’s Chairman said: “DIFF’s screenings at THE BEACH – opposite JBR are fundamental to fulfilling the values of the Festival as an event that successfully brings people together to share unforgettable moments. From classics of days gone by to some of 2016’s most anticipated creations and live performances which will bring the screenings to life, there will be something for everyone at this unique screening location.”

The 13th edition of DIFF will see films screened over eight days at the Madinat Jumeirah Arena, Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah and VOX Cinemas, Mall of the Emirates and THE BEACH – opposite JBR.