The festival will provide support in bid to strengthen Lebanese documentary film-making.

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has signed a strategic partnership with Lebanese independent film-making organisation, Beirut DC, to strengthen local documentary making.

DIFF will provide an incubating fund of $10,000 to Beirut DC’s documentary workshop “Two Sides Of The Coin”. The festival will then select a project from the course to be presented at its co-production market, Dubai Film Connection, to be held during this year’s edition of the festival (December 12-19).

In addition, Beirut DC will take an active role in promoting the various initiatives of DIFF and encourage submissions for the festival’s Muhr Arab awards. Beirut DC will also suggest a shortlist of participants for the Producer’s Coaching Programme for up-and-coming film-makers held on the sidelines of DIFF 2010.

“One of the founding objectives of DIFF is to promote regional film-making talent,” said DIFF managing director Shivani Pandya. “Through collaborations with committed organisations like Beirut DC, we can reach out to the creative community and assist them in realising their dream.”

Founded in 1999, Beirut DC aims to support Arab film-making through production support, workshops and a film festival – Cinema Days of Beirut.

DIFF also recently signed a partnership with the Royal Film Commission – Jordan (RFC) to promote filmmaking links between the two organisations.

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