Love stories from Syria and Iraq in the spotlight at DIFF’10

September Rain

Powerful movies from Syria and Iraq are gaining strong audience interest at the seventh Dubai International Film Festival. With strong historical overtures, the films have a backdrop of love and emotional bonding, which finds universal resonance.

Damascus With Love

Legendary actor-director Abdullatif Abdulhamid’s ‘September Rain,’ opens in 1940s Damascus, where a young man is listening to a broadcast of the songs of the buzuq player, Muhammad Abdul Karim. Flipping to the present day, the young man is now a father with a fruit-selling business, bringing up his large, musical family alone, following the death of his beloved wife, and surviving in a world of corrupt officialdom and class divides. Abdullatif Abdulhamid evokes the family and community dramas of both generations brilliantly in this witty, affectionate yet devastating portrayal of life in the Syrian capital. September Rain will screen on Dec. 17, 5.45pm at Cinestar 5, MoE.

Acclaimed Iraqi director Kassem Hawal’s 'The Singer', brings an insight into the era of dictatorship in Iraq, with the story of Bashir, a singer who is due to perform for the despot. The film screens on Dec. 15, 9.30pm at Cinestar 2 and on Dec. 18, 3.45pm at Cinestar 8.

Director Mohamad Abdulaziz’s ‘Damascus With Love,’ is about Rima, a Syrian-Jewish girl who is about to emigrate from Damascus. When her father reveals an old secret to her at the airport, she cancels her trip and returns to explore the past. 'Damascus With Love' is a film about love, people, memory and place. The film will screen on Dec. 16, 6.45pm at First Group Theatre in Madinat Souk and on Dec. 18, 10pm at Cinestar 8.