The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) has announced that it will present Mohamed Diab's Clash (Eshtebak) to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) for Golden Globe Awards consideration.
The recommendation comes within the DIFF's newly launched annual initiative to present two exceptional Arab films to the HFPA for the Golden Globe Awards.
The second film that will see DIFF's support is Halal Love (Bil Halal), directed by Lebanese filmmaker and television director Assad Fouladkar.
Members of the HFPA will view the two films in a special screening on 14 November.
The Dubai International Film Festival's initiative aims at promoting and supporting Arab cinema at an international level and building innovative and strategic partnerships with relevant partners all over the world.
Produced in 2016 and co-written by Khaled Diab and director Mohamed Diab, Clash is a co-production between France, Egypt, Germany and the UAE.
Clash explores the confrontations between pro and anti-Muslim Brotherhood demonstrators that emerged following the removal of president Mohamed Morsi from power on 3 July 2013.
The film premiered at the Un Certain Regard section at the 69th Cannes Film Festival. The Hollywood Reporter named Clash one of the 10 best films at the Cannes Film Festival.
Clash also competed in the 60th BFI London Film Festival.
Most recently, Clash won three awards – Best New Director, Best Director of Photography, and the Sociograph Award, which is voted for by the audience – at the 61st Valladolid Film Festival (Seminci, Spain), which was held between 22 and 29 October.
The film is also set to screen in the 28th round of the Cairo International Film Festival (15 - 24 November) as part of a special section dedicated to showcasing the best Egyptian productions of 2015-2016, subtitled in English, to acquaint foreign guests with high quality Egyptian cinema.
