Four Gulf Talents Shortlisted For 2017 IWC Filmmaker Award

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) and Swiss luxury watch
manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen, ‘Supporting’ Sponsor and Official ‘Festival-Time’ Partner of
DIFF, have revealed a shortlist of talented Gulf filmmakers for the sixth IWC Filmmaker Award. The
award will be presented during the 14th edition of DIFF, which takes place from 6 to 13 December
2017. Four directors from the region will vie for a cash prize of USD 100,000 and the opportunity to
bring their vision to life in front of a global audience.

With a passion for film, IWC has partnered with DIFF for the sixth consecutive year to recognize and support talented filmmakers in the Gulf region. The nominees for the 2017 IWC Filmmaker Award are: Emirati director and
screenwriter Nayla Al Khaja, for “Animal”; Bahraini filmmaker Mohamed Rashed Buali, for his project “Kombars”;
Saudi director Haifaa Al Mansour, for her feature “Miss Camel”; and Omani filmmaker Muzna Almusafer, for “The
Crown of Olives”.

The four shortlisted directors will present their projects at DIFF, where an acclaimed jury headed by Academy
Award–winning actress and IWC Schaffhausen brand ambassador Cate Blanchett will determine the potential of
each film project and select the winner. Joining Cate Blanchett will be IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr, DIFF
Chairman Abdulhamid Juma, Tunisian actress and IWC brand ambassador Hend Sabri and DIFF Artistic Director
Masoud Amralla Al Ali. The award will be presented to the winning filmmaker at an exclusive gala event on Thursday, 7 December 2017, at the One&Only Royal Mirage in Dubai.