First edition of Gulf German Film Festival all set for ‘blended’ debut

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A still from Undine by Christian Petzold
A still from Undine by Christian Petzold

Dubai - Virtual screenings will take place in three GCC countries

By Team WKND

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Published: Tue 10 Nov 2020, 1:32 PM

Last updated: Tue 10 Nov 2020, 1:33 PM

Ten award-winning German films will be showcased at the first edition of the Gulf German Film Festival, due to take place from November 19-21.

Co-produced by Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, the festival will feature on-the-ground film screenings (and popcorn) at Cinema Akil — as well as live streamings throughout the UAE, Bahrain and Oman.


Undine by Christian Petzold, one of Germany’s most beloved auteur directors, will kick off the line-up — which includes Gundermann, a film by acclaimed director Andreas Dresen, and System Crasher by Nora Fingscheidt, who won numerous awards, including Best Film and Best Director at the German Film Awards this year.

Some international co-productions that viewers can also expect on the screening list include Saudi-German film The Perfect Candidate by Haifaa Al-Mansour, Indo-German film Dust by Udita Bhargava, and Terrence Malick’s US-German film A Hidden Life.


Although organisers were hoping for a star-studded event to mark the occasion, they will now proceed with a ‘blended’ version in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. They are, however, optimistic about the future of cinema. “I am convinced that the culture of cinema-going will rebound from the pandemic like it has rebounded from crises and wars before,” noted Fareed Majari of Goethe-Institut in a statement.

Live screenings are free and do not require registration. For more info, visit www.goethe.de/abudhabi

wknd@khaleejtimes.com


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