Short Film News (SFN)- At GFF2011, world-renowned Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami challenged more than 45 emerging and established filmmakers from the Arab world, Iran, Germany and Denmark to produce a short film interpreting ‘Loneliness’ during his 10-day master class.

The Festival is screening the resulting 39 short films for the first time this year, via two ‘Cherries of Kiarostami’ screenings.

Also, GOING... Directed by:Salem Salavati, The SOUND OF RAIN Directed by:Jalal Saedpanah and FOR HIM Directed by:Seyed Morteza Sabzeqaba are Iranian Films among the films scheduled to be screened at the festival.

The lineup, which is presented free to the public, includes 82 world premieres, 12 international premieres, 27 Middle East premieres, 11 GCC premieres and four UAE premieres.

The festival will also screen 153 vignettes crafted by avant-garde French filmmaker Courant, including 134 of the four-minute personal sketches of UAE residents and GFF guests that are now part of the world’s longest movie, Cinematon. Another 19 films by Courant, including documentaries on Dubai and short portraits with luminaries including German director Werner Herzog, will be screened on special monitors across the festival venue.

The festival will screen nine films in its Official Gulf Feature Competition; 47 films for the Official Gulf Shorts; 30 films for the Official Students Shorts and 15 films for the International Shorts competitions; and seven films in its special ‘In Focus: Jordan’ programme. 

The fifth edition of the Gulf Film Festival will run from April 10-16 at Grand Cinemas Dubai Festival City.