As the Abu Dhabi Film Festival returns to the capital for its fourth year, it brings with it the same strong mix of local and international talent, a dazzling selection of must-see movies and a spattering of celebrities for the glitz and glamour of opening and closing night ceremonies.
It does, however, bring a new name to the occasion. Cementing it’s own identity, the decision to change the title from the Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF), more fittingly to Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF) is another step to make sure the limelight stays focused on the capital.
And with good reason too. This year film fanatics are in for a real treat; with the likes of Adrien Brody, Juliette Binoche and Kristen Scott Thomas lighting up screens in feature length narratives, while entertaining and thought-provoking documentaries – including a return from the What in the World Are We Doing to Our World series returns – there’s something for all tastes. We’ve captured just a few of the many must-sees on page 18 to help get you in the mood for a ten whole days of film fever.
Another focus this week in the capital will see the Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival making a splash with its debut on 16th October. Abu Dhabi Week tested the water with Emirati swimming champion Saeed al Jasmi who will be in on the action and aiming for first place at the finish line. See what it takes to be able to dive in at the deep end on page 20.
And if that’s not enough action for one week, join us on twitter at www.twitter.com/AbuDhabiWeek where we’ll be tweeting the latest from Emirates Palace as we hang out with the celebrities preparing to stroll down the red carpet at this year’s ADFF. It’s a tough job …
Charlie Kennedy
