Hollywood star Samuel L Jackson will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the opening ceremony of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) next month.
Jackson is long-celebrated as one of cinema’s most talented and intuitive actors with over four decades in the industry and featuring in more than 100 films.
“Jackson has crafted a diverse and successful career in Hollywood and beyond and earned multiple awards and accolades for his efforts,” a DIFF statement said.
Also being recognised for their work is legendary Rekha, one of the greatest actresses in Hindi cinema, and Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy award-winning French Lebanese composer Gabriel Yared.
The 13th festival, which runs December 7–14, has unveiled its full line-up of 156 films from 55 countries.
It will include a total of 57 world premieres and international premieres, 73 MENA premieres, 12 Middle East premieres and 9 GCC premieres, the statement added.
DIFF’s Opening Night Gala will present the international premiere of John Madden’s political thriller, ‘Miss Sloane’, the story of a ruthless lobbyist starring Jessica Chastain.
Closing the curtain will be one of the most anticipated releases of the year – ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ about a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction.
The movie is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker.
Abdulhamid Juma, chairman of DIFF, said: “What amazes me every year about the festival is its ability to both inspire the community and film lovers from around the world, as well as have a tangible impact on the region’s film industry and that is evident as we unveil another diverse programme for 2016.
“We are incredibly proud to be able to say that DIFF makes a valuable and real contribution to Arab cinema, whether that is by bringing local talent together with international industry representatives, support through the Dubai Film Market, or giving hands-on experiences to the next generation of filmmakers.
“For residents and visitors to the UAE, the festival is a time to celebrate the magic of cinema. People have the chance to hear stories from around the region and the world they may never be exposed to through our varied and rich slate of films; to celebrate the most anticipated films of the year at public screenings and interact with their directors in person; and to hear first-hand from legendary international talents that have helped shape the industry.”
