The official Black Pearl Awards ceremony for the second annual Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF), organised by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) was presented at Emirates Palace on Sunday 19th October.
The awards were the culmination of ten action–packed days of cinema, with 152 movies and 186 screenings shown in five Abu Dhabi venues. A total of 76 feature films and 34 short films from over 35 countries competed for the MEIFF 2008 Black Pearl Awards.
Winners of the US$1 million MEIFF 2008 Black Pearl Awards were announced at the festival´s closing night ceremony, directed and choreographed by Otis Sallid.
Director Ridley Scott´s latest film "˜Body of Lies´ made its Middle East premiere at MEIFF´s Closing Night Gala, attended by star of the film, Michael Gaston, along with British actor Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love) and well–known French actress Eva Green (Kingdom of Heaven, Casino Royal). A host of Arabic personalities also attended including Yousra, Elham Shaeen, Solaf Fawakherji, Mostafa Shaban, Abdulaziz Al Jazem and Khaled Saleh.
MEIFF 2008 Black Pearl Award Winners:–
| The Black Pearl for Best Narrative Film – $200,000 |
| Disgrace |
| Director: Steve Jacobs. Producers: Anna Maria Monticelli, Emile Sherman, Steve Jacobs |
| The Black Pearl for Best Documentary – $150,000 |
| Stranded |
| Director: Gonzalo Arijon. Producer: Marc Silvera |
| The Black Pearl Special Jury Prize– $125,000 |
| Youssou N´Dour: I Bring What I Love |
| Director and Producer: Elisabeth Chai Vasarhelyi |
| The Black Pearl for Best Actress – $75,000 |
| Fawzia: A Special Blend |
| Actress: Ilham Shaheen |
| The Black Pearl for Best Actor – $75,000 |
| Wild Blood |
| Actor: Luca Zingaretti |
| The Black Pearl for Best Artistic Contribution – $75,000 |
| Laila´s Birthday |
| Screenwriter: Rashid Masharawi |
| The Black Pearl Audience Choice Award |
| Saving Luna |
| Co–Directors: Suzanne Chisholm & Michael Parfit. Producer: Suzanne Chisholm |
| The Black Pearl for Best Narrative – Short Film– $75.000 |
| The View |
| Co–Directors: Hazim Bitar & Rifqi Assaf. Producer: Amman Filmmaker Cooperative |
| The Black Pearl for Best Documentary – Short Film– $75.000 |
| Breadmakers |
| Director: Yasmin Fedda. Producers: Jim Hickey & Robin Mitchell |
| The Black Pearl for Best Animation– Shot Film– $75.000 |
| Jacinta |
| Director: Karla Casteneda. Producer: Luis Tellez |
| Best Advertisement – Cultural Category – $25.000 |
| Anti Slavery |
| Director: Eric Lynne. Producer: Partizan Films – Midi Minuit |
| Best Advertisement – Consumer Category – $25.000 |
| Battle |
| Director: Traktor. Producer: Partizan Films – Midi Minuit |
| Best Advertisement – Artistic Contribution – $25.000 |
| Great Pretender |
| Director: Patrick Bergh. Producer: Partizan Films – Midi Minuit |
| The Black Pearl for Best Narrative – Student Films – $25.000 |
| Illusion |
| Director: Burhan Qurbani. Producer: Fabian Gasmia |
| The Black Pearl for Best Emerging Filmmaker – Student Films– $25.000 |
| Lullaby |
| Director: Serena Abi Aad. Producer: IESAV |
| The Black Pearl for Best Animation – Student Films – $25.000 |
| Adherent |
| Director: Julian Nazario Vargas. Producer: Rube Baggerud |
MEIFF online press centre
Materials including filmmaker´s biographies and filmographies, still images from the film, trailers as well as photographs from each event are available for press use on line:
http://www.meiff.com/page.aspx?id=press_login
Username: meiff_press
Password: press4meiff08
