Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2012 Opening

Everyone that attended  the star-studded Opening Night Gala of the Abu Dhabi Film Festivalgot a taste of movie star glamour when they joined film stars and movie makers on the red carpet at Emirates Palace. The opening ceremony of Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2012 was supported by watch design experts Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Screen legend Richard Gere, the star of the opening night thriller "Arbitrage," was joined by co-star Nate Parker, one of Hollywood’s rising stars, along with the films’ director Nicholas Jarecki, and producers Mohammed Al Turki, Brian Young and Kevin Turen.

Leading lights of Arab cinema joined the audience at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival for the screening, including Menna Shalabi, Bassem Samra, Elham Shahin, Carmen Lebbos, Jamal Soliman, Bassel Khayat and Hatem Ali. From the Gulf region will be Ibrahim All Moulla, Mohammad Al Mansour, Abdel Aziz Jasimm, Daod Husein, Bothaina Al Rais, Salah Al Moulla and Zahara al Khargi attended.

Indian cinema icon Mammootty and his wife flew in especially for the Festival opening.

The public also got their first sight of some of the filmmakers whose films will screen over the 10 days of the Festival, as well as the jury members who will awards prizes to films in competition.

From the Narrative film jury, film stars Shabana Azmi and Niki Karimi joined Cédomir Kolar, Samir Farid and Ismaël Farroukhi on the red carpet, along with Documentary jury members Miguel Littin, Carles Bosch, Safinez Bousbia and Mohamed Hefzy.

Visitors from the New Horizons jury, Françoise Bonnot and Vimukthi Jayasundara, felt the warmth of Emirati hospitality in the company of Nawaf Al-Janahi, a leading local talent.  Emirates Film Competition Jury members Rida Behi, Ahd Kamel, Ali Al Ali, Suha Salem and Bader Ben Hirsi was also at the film.

Representatives of films screening during the Festival who walked the red carpet included: Actor Khaled Nabawy and Director Sam Kadi for U.S. production "The Citizen;" Doaa Eladi and Hazem Al Hamwi for "As if We Were Catching a Cobra;" Algerian Director Moussa Haddad and Producer Amina Haddad representing "Harraga Blues;" "Mumbain's King" Director Manjeet Singh from India; Italian Director Enzo D'Alo and Producer Maricla Affatato for the feature animation film "Pinocchio," Producer Jub Clerc from Australia for "Satellite Boy" and the Director of Malaysian production "Songlap," Effendee Mazlan.

View more from EYES IN Film on the Jaeger-LeCoultre partnership with the film festival here: "Jaeger-LeCoultre at Abu Dhabi Film Fest."

Source: Abu Dhabi Film Festival