Abu Dhabi Fest To Open With ‘Life of Crime’

Abu Dhabi Fest To Open With ‘Life of Crime’ | Variety

THE ABU DHABI FILM FESTIVAL HAS UNVEILED ITS LINEUP FEATURING A WIDE RANGE OF WORKS FROM EMERGING AND ESTABLISHED ARAB FILMMAKERS, COMPRISING NINE WORLD PREEMS FROM THE MIDDLE EAST UNSPOOLING ALONGSIDE SELECTED ENTRIES FROM THE CREAM OF THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL FEST CIRCUIT CROP.  Fest will open with a gala screening of U.S. helmer Daniel Schechter’s Elmore Leonard adaptation “Life of Crime,” getting its Mid-East preem after bowing in Toronto.  Abu Dhabi’s seventh edition — the second headed headed by Ali Al Jabri — will also fete Palestinian multi hyphenate Hiam Abbas with its Black Pearl Career Achievement Award.  Abbas, who starred in Steven Spielberg’s “Munich,” Thomas McCarthy’s “The Visitor,” and Eran Riklis’ “Lemon Tree,” among other films, made her directorial debut in 2012 with Palestinian frontier zone family saga “Inheritance.” The latest pic in which she stars is Ghazi Albuliwi’s “Peace After Marriage,” which will world preem in Abu Dhabi’s Showcase section.