Films from UAE, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Egypt to screen during capital’s first festival of contemporary Arab culture

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) and the Gulf Film Festival will present a selection of award-winning Emirati and Arab films in London this month, as part of Shubbak (July 4 -24), a festival of contemporary Arab culture.

Films screening as part of the event include Khalid Al Mahmood’s Sabeel, which scooped first prize at the fourth Gulf Film Festival, and runner up in DIFF’s inaugural Muhr Emirati Awards; Nayla Al Khaja’s Malal (Bored), winner of the Muhr Emirati Award in 2010; Mohammed Al Hushki’s Jordanian feature Transit Cities, winner of the FIPRESCI award and the Muhr Arab special jury prize for feature films, 2010, and Egyptian drama Microphone.

Organized by the Mayor of London, the Shubbak festival includes more than 70 arts events in more than 30 venues across the city