Dubai's Enjaaz fund backs Venice, Toronto-bound Habibi

The film will have its world premiere in Venice, followed by its North American premiere in Toronto.

The story is set in Gaza in 2001, as a modern update of the Sufi parable Majnun Layla. In the film, two college students return to their families in Gaza, where he attracts attention by graffiting love poems on the walls of her town.

Susan Youssef directed, wrote, edited and produced Palestine-US-Netherlands-UAE. Production.

The Enjaaz fund, set up in 2009, awards up to $100,000 per project for up to 15 films per year. Other projects backed include Cairo Exit and Leaving Baghdad.

Masoud Amralla Al Ali, Artistic Director, Dubai International Film Festival, said: “The international acclaim earned by films identified and supported by DIFF underlines the quality of our selection process, our dedication to Arab, Asian and African filmmakers the world over, our reputation as a springboard to global success for these deserving films and our success as a destination for discovery of pan-Arab and regional cinema.”

Director Susan Youssef added: “Habibi is made 100% through grants, donations and supporters including Enjaaz, and we are deeply indebted to the Dubai International Film Festival and the Dubai Film Market team for their unstinting support and belief in this project.”