Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF) (Oct 23-Nov 1) has announced the selection for this year’s Emirates Film Competition (EFC).

The upcoming edition of the competition features a total of 53 films, of which 37 films are directed by women, across a variety of genres.

The line up also features films by Emirati filmmakers such as Nasser Al Tamimi’s Female Scream, Nasser Al-Yaqoubi’s Haneen, Hassan Kiyani’s Marwan The Boxer and Ali Mostafa’s musical Rise. In addition, Sarah Al Agroobi’s Super Lochal is among the selected films.

Desire by Hala Matar (Bahrain, starring Johnny Knoxville) has been selected for ADFF’s Short Film Competition along with Koshk, from Emirati director Abdullah Al-Kaabi. These two films will participate in both EFC and the Short Film Competition.

Highly anticipated films from the GCC region include Now Showing directed by Abdullah Al Daihani (Kuwait), Rainbow directed by Mahmood Al-Shaikh (Bahrain) and 623 directed by Shaikha Al-Naimi (Qatar).

ADFF director Ali Al Jabri said: “We have registered an increase in the total number of submissions over the last year.

“We are particularly delighted with the significant rise in the number of female filmmakers as well as the great diversity of genres within the submissions themselves.

“Short films are witnessing a renaissance and we are showcasing a strong body of work from the region.”

EFC was launched in 2001 and hosts annual workshops, as well as interviews between directors, students, those interested in cinema and film industry.

François Truffaut tribute

ADFF has also announced it will screen a selection of restored films by late French filmmaker François Truffaut for the first time in the Arab world.

The titles include The 400 Blows, Jules And Jim, The Wild Child, The Man Who Loved Women, Small Change, Oscar-winner Day For Night and The Last Metro, which was screened in Cannes Classics in May.

Emirates Film Competition 2014

Short Narrative Competition

Abu Mohammed directed by Heba Abu Musaed
UAE 2014 -16 min.

Desire directed by Hala Matar
Bahrain 2014 -15 min.

Female Scream directed by Nasser Al-Tamimi
UAE 2014 -15 min.

Hind’s Dream directed by Suzannah Mirghani
Qatar 2014 -9 min.

Kalelis directed by Shahad Al Shehhi
UAE 2014 -7 min.

Koshk directed by Abudllah Al-Kaabi
UAE 2014 -13 min.

Nagafa directed by Abdulrahman Al-Madani
UAE 2014 -12 min.

Now Showing directed by Abdullah Al Daihani
Kuwait 2014 -9 min.

Rainbow directed by Mahmood Al-Shaikh
Bahrain 2014 -15 min.

Rise directed by Ali Mustafa
UAE 2014 -15 min.

Shadows directed by Mohammed Hanafi
UAE 2014 -13 min.

Super Lochal directed by Sarah Al Agroobi+ Omnia Al Afifi+Mariam Ashour+Majida Al Safadi+Mahiya Sultani+Maram Ashour
UAE 2014 -6 min.

Taboo directed by Aisha Al Hammadi
UAE 2014 -7 min.

Telephone directed by Thabit Al Miwaly
UAE 2014 -5 min.

Zainab directed by Mohammed Ibrahim Mohammed
Bahrain 2014 -17 min.

A Dream directed by Faisal Al-Duwaisan
Qatar, Kuwait 2014 -16 min.

Cholo directed by Muzna Al Musafer
Oman 2014 -21 min.

Clemance directed by Mahdi Rafea
Bahrain 2014 -4 min.

Don’t Leave me directed by Khaled Al-Mahmood
UAE 2014 -12 min.

Eye & Mermaid directed by Shahad Ameen
Qatar, KSA 2014 -14 min.

Girl & It directed by Mohammed Fikre
UAE 2014 -40 min.

Half a Chicken directed by Abdullah Ahmed
KSA 2014 -14 min.

The Neighbour directed by Nayla Al Khaja
UAE 2014 -18 min.

Student Short Narrative Competition

38 directed by Haya Haj Mourad
UAE 2014 -5 min.

623 directed by Shaikha Al-Naimi
Qatar 2014 -10 min.

Belonging directed by Joud Al Amry
UAE 2014 -2 min.

Conquer directed by Ayse Ozkul
UAE 2014 -2 min.

Fashla directed by Munirah Al-Shami
UAE 2014 -7 min.

Hidden songs of the past directed by Hind Al-Ali
UAE 2014 -12 min.

Khitam directed by Tala Mooti
UAE 2014 -4 min.

Level directed by Al-Hamza Al-Sadr + Ibrahim Mohammed
UAE 2014 -5 min.

Negative Feeling directed by Ibrahim Mohammed
UAE 2014 -6 min.

Senior directed by Deena Stevens
UAE 2014 -12 min.

Shattered directed by David Moore
UAE 2014 -6 min.

Till When directed by Aya Al Gergawi
UAE 2014 -3 min.

Tolerance directed by Jameel Jomard
UAE 2014 -5 min.

Transit directed by Marwan Al Hammadi
UAE 2014 -5 min.

Zentai directed by Areeb Al-Shathri
UAE 2014 -6 min.

Short Documentary Competition

Haneen directed by Nasser Al-Yaqoubi
UAE 2014 -15 min.

Kings & Queens of Qatar directed by Shamir Allibhai
Qatar 2014 -36 min.

Marwan the Boxer directed by Hassan Kiyany
UAE 2014 -23 min.

New Frontier directed by Sofia De Fay
UAE 2014 -29 min.

One directed by Daniel Malak
UAE 2014 -15 min.

Student Documentary Competition

Behind School Walls directed by Asma Hinawi
UAE 2014-12 min

Beyond Fear directed by Hana Mire
UAE 2014 -18 min.

Dates directed by Fatma al ghanim
UAE 2014 -7 min.

Ice Flower directed by Shereen AbouOuf
UAE 2014 -15 min.

Lulu: A pearls Story directed by Mariam Sulaiman, Sheikha Al-Amri
UAE 2014 -10 min.

No More, The Return directed by Ayaz Kamalov
UAE 2014 -9 min.

Protect me, Leave me directed by Khawla Al Maamari, Noura Al suwaidi
UAE 2014 -14 min.

The Blind Side directed by Aisha Abdullah
UAE 2014 -4 min.

Through Emirati Eyes directed by Fatma Saeed, Fatma Obeid
UAE 2014 -15 min.

Yussef directed by Hamed Al Harthi
UAE 2014 -9 min.