Film festival ends with praise all around

Anna Seaman and Melanie Swan

• Last Updated: October 18. 2009 12:43AM UAE / October 17. 2009 8:43PM GMT

ABU DHABI // The third Middle East International Film Festival drew to a close last night with actors and film makers hailing the event as a success.

On the red carpet, the British actor Orlando Bloom said he was looking into film production in the region. The actor, who has starred in such films as Pirates of the Caribbean and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, said Abu Dhabi was now considered by the international film community as a new source of funding.

“I have been in a couple of meetings with some people here about my production company, which I’ve been running for a couple of years,” he said. “There are so many opportunities here.”

Two of Hollywood’s most glamorous leading ladies, Naomi Watts, star of films including the 2005 remake of King Kong, and Eva Mendes also graced the evening.

Dressed on the red carpet in a short blue and purple outfit by Dolce & Gabbana and a stunning Chopard gold and diamond necklace, before changing into a full-length floral gown, Watts said she was excited to be in the Middle East again.

“I’ve had a very relaxing day in Abu Dhabi on the beach, and although it’s been a whirlwind trip I’m very open to filming here,” she said.

Mendes was wearing a full-length cream gown by J Mendel, and Cartier accessories she said were flown in from New York, where she is working with the actor Will Ferrell on a film called The Other Guy.

At the awards ceremony, Peter Scarlet, the festival’s director, said the event had won praise from around the world, with attendance up 300 per cent on last year.

“MEIFF’s viewers have been showing up in great numbers but have been attentive and cordial and have shown themselves in the question- and-answer sessions to be sympathetic, well informed and thoughtful,” Mr Scarlet said.

The success of the newly added environment programme will be felt long after the festival’s close, according to Werner Boote, the director of Plastic Planet.

“I have talked to the Ministry of Environment and some royal advisers and they are interested in finding solutions for the country,” the Austrian filmmaker said.

“This is important because I’ve been to the supermarket here and I’ve seen how much plastic is used. There are lots of improvements that can be made.”

The award for best actress was shared by Alicia Laguna and Sonia Couoh for the Mexican film Northless. The prize for the best narrative feature film went to Valery Todorovsky from Russia for Hipsters.

From the showcase of Turkish cinema, which was new to this year’s festival, Orhan Eskikoy picked up the award for the best Middle East documentary with his film On The Way To School, and Pelin Esmer won as best Middle East narrative director for the film 10 to 11.

The jury gave a special mention to the documentary feature The Age Of Stupid, starring Pete Postlethwaite and directed by Franny Armstrong, as well as a host of short films from Ireland, Palestine, Egypt, Argentina and the US.

The first Black Pearl award for lifetime achievement was presented to Vanessa Redgrave on the opening night of the festival on October 8.

Last night’s award ceremony ended with the screening of The Men Who Stare at Goats, starring George Clooney and Ewan McGregor, about the US Army’s exploration of New Age concepts and the potential military applications of the paranormal. Instead of watching an appearance by the film’s stars, the audience was left laughing as five live goats were led on stage.

“If there are men who stare at goats,” Mr Scarlet said, “there are most certainly goats who stare at men.”

The evening ended with a party with music and fireworks.

aseaman@thenational.ae

mswan@thenational.ae