Story of hope and despair from Mexico to Mongolia at DIFF’10

A compelling showcase of films, from as far afield as Mexico to Morocco to Mongolia, is among the highlights of the seventh Dubai International Film Festival, today (Wednesday, Dec. 15).

Director Sebastian Hiriart's debut feature, ‘A Stone’s Throw Away’ is an imaginative reflection on the desire and need of so many Mexicans to find their way, whatever the obstacles, to the promised land of the United States. Screening at 12.45pm at Cinestar 8, MoE.

Passion

‘The Dead Sea,’ another Mexican film by director Ignacio Ortiz Cruz, is shot in a grainy, noir style and is a powerful contemporary commentary on the age old concepts of sin, transgression and redemption. The film will screen at 4 pm at Cinestar 11.

In ‘The Qandil Mountains,’ Iranian director Taha Karimi sets his first, beautifully filmed, dramatic feature against the violent yet stunning backdrop of the mountains, casting veteran stage and screen actor Ghotbedin Sadeghi with a set of younger actors playing the sons and daughters of the conflict, attempting to draw on the common concerns that link Arabs with Kurds, Turkmen with Persians. The film will screen at 3.15pm at Cinestar 6.

Director Jillali Ferhati

Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Mongolian landscape, Byamba Sakhya's 'Passion' is a fascinating look at Mongolian film history. The film will screen at 3.30pm at Cinestar 5.

In director Jillali Ferhati’s ‘At Dawn,’ Keltoum and her husband, Omar, live in a village in the heart of the Moroccan mountains. They are both actors, but do not have much work and have been dreaming of staging a play for years. The film screens today at 7pm at Cinestar 12, and at Dec. 17, 3pm at Cinestar 5.