In a very enthusiastic atmosphere and in the presence of a number of prominent Arab and international personalities, the curtain was drawn today for the ninth edition of the Dublin Arab Film Festival (DAFF), sponsored by Irish director Jim Sheridan and Moroccan director Zahra Moufid, in the famous Stella cinema hall, where seven Arab films and a Moroccan film were screened with the opening of the ninth edition with the film "Gaza Mon Amour." The festival continued until the 26th of November 2022. The Dublin Arab Film Festival was founded in 2014 by the initiative of director Zahra Moufid and Oscar-nominated global director Jim Sheridan in an attempt to provide the Irish audience with the opportunity to enjoy the best new and classic Arab films ever, as well as to get to know Arab and particularly Moroccan culture. In this regard, Zahra Moufid, the organizer of the International Film Festival, expressed: "We tried to hold this edition despite the limited resources currently available, but out of respect for cinema and loyalty to this distinguished annual appointment, we decided to hold this edition, which was admired by all. However, there are many important surprises in the tenth edition, and I hope that from now until that date, I hope the Moroccan Ministry of Culture and Youth, led by the young minister who believes in the value of art, will support us even morally, because we consider ourselves ambassadors for my great country Morocco, which we see wherever we go."
The festival, which has been presented and supported since its establishment by Dubai Duty Free and a number of Arab embassies, including Saudi Arabia represented by the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Ireland, Nayel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, as well as Ambassador Ahmed Kattoua and his wife Mrs. Sarah Al-Sheibi, Oscar-winning director Jim Sheridan, and Moroccan director Zahra Moufid. We also do not forget Mr. Ahmed Younis, CEO of the Arab-Irish Chamber of Commerce and Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, and Morocco, in which some prominent actors, filmmakers, and celebrities have participated over the years. It is noted that the late international artist Omar Sharif launched the inaugural edition of the Dublin Arab Film Festival in 2014 and was the guest of honor throughout the festival. Other famous figures who have supported the festival over the years include The Edge, actress Fionnula Flanagan, singer Damien Dempsey, and actor William Cunningham from the "Game of Thrones" series. This year, the festival includes many films exploring the life of Arab women, and the audience will also have the opportunity to watch works by some of the most prominent Arab female directors.