Olga Kurylenko presents 5th IWC Filmmaker Award to Abdullah Hassan Ahmed from the UAE at DIFF 2016

Actress Olga Kurylenko presented the fifth IWC Filmmaker Award to Abdullah Hassan Ahmed from the United Arab Emirates for his project “Sunrise” during the IWC “For The Love of Cinema” gala event at the One & Only Royal Mirage in Dubai. The winner also received a grant of USD 100,000 for his project and an exclusive Portugieser Automatic (Ref. IW500704) from the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer at the 13th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF).

“Every year, we receive a diversity of excellent submissions for the IWC Filmmaker Award, and this year was no different. As always, it is our pleasure to support and encourage talented filmmakers from the region in order for them to unleash their creativity and skill with their projects,” comments Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. Now in its fifth year, the annual IWC Filmmaker Award honours one talented filmmaker from the region with a grant of USD 100,000 and an IWC Portugieser Automatic This year, the film ventures were evaluated by a jury headed by American actor Ali Suliman. Other jury members included IWC Schaffhausen CEO Georges Kern, DIFF Chairman Abdul Hamid Juma, and DIFF Artistic Director Masoud Amralla Al Ali.

AND THE WINNER IS …

Emirati director Abdullah Hassan Ahmed returns to the Dubai International Film Festival this year after being awarded the Best Script prize at DIFF 2006. “Sunrise” tells the story of a worried father who receives tragic news about his son, who is fighting in a distant war. With a pregnant wife to take care of, he is unsure how to deliver the news without causing too much anguish. The two other projects shortlisted for the Filmmaker Award are “Salem” by Arabic director Nujoom Alghanem and “The Search for the Star Pearl” by Qatari director Hafiz Ali Ali. The event’s master of ceremonies were IWC brand ambassador and television personality Raya Abirached and TV presenter Bassel Alzaro. The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer also welcomed IWC brand ambassadors Tuba Büyüküstün and Hend Sabry as well as HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faisal. Other international and local personalities included TV presenter Diala Makki and editor-in-chief of gheir.com Zoya Sakr. The 13th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is running from 7 to 14 December 2016.

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 segment, 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 institutions 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 cinema in the region. The 13th edition of DIFF will take place from 7 to 14 December 2016. For further current information about DIFF, please visit www.diff.ae or join DIFF on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.