Diff opening night lights up with stars

Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended the inaugural function of the Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) 2011, which got off to a glittering start on Wednesday, in the presence of eminent film personalities from across the world.Hollywood icon Tom Cruise wooed the cheering crowd as he walked down the Red Carpet along with a galaxy of film stars from across the world who had descended on Dubai to attend the international premiere of his much-awaited Hollywood production,     Mission Impossible —  Ghost Protocol,which marked the launch of the festival.Tom Cruise’s co-stars Paula Patton, Simon Pegg and Anil Kapoor, besides director of the film Brad Bird and producer Bryan Burk, also attended the premiere.  Veteran Egyptian actor Gamil Ratib led the popular actors from the Arab film circle, which also included eminent actress Yusra. Indian music virtuoso AR Rahman was another popular star to walk the Red Carpet.AR Rahman and Gamil Rateb were also  honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Diff. Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority,  presented the awards  at the opening night gala.Visiting celebrities were accorded a warm welcome by Diff chairman Abdulhamid Juma.A visibly excited Oscar-winning filmmaker Brad Bird, whose film was screened at the gala ceremony to mark the beginning of the festival, said he was thrilled with the attention given to films here. He also appreciated the organising committee for selecting his production as the fest’s opening film.Besides director Brad Bird, Hollywood icon Tom Cruise and his fellow actors in the film Mission Impossible — Ghost Protocol were all praise for Dubai where they shot a major part of the action-packed drama. During an interaction with the media, prior to the film’s international premiere, the cast and crew of the mega-successful Mission: Impossible franchise said they have returned to Dubai to celebrate as the movie is being described as the most inventive, action-filled and visually arresting film yet.The MI4 team extensively filmed in the city, including shoots spanning its old town, downtown financial hub and offshore Palm island development. The film showcases the ultra-modern face of the emirate.Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Anil Kapoor and Bird were thrilled as they recalled the experience of shooting incredible stunt sequences for the movie, including the now iconic scene of Cruise scaling the world’s tallest tower, Dubai’s stunning Burj Khalifa.“It was nerve-wracking although he (Cruise) was doing action scenes exactly as we had planned,” said Bird.Cruise said he loves adventure and keeps observing new locations wherever he goes in the world. “I was excited to see the tallest tower coming up and always wanted to shoot a film in this modern city built in the desert,” he said.Indian actor Anil Kapoor, who has played a cameo role in the film, said he has been visiting the emirate for the past 25 years, but realised the actual beauty of the city only after watching this film on the screen. “No one else has ever shot this city so beautifully on celluloid,” he said.Recalling his experiences, Simon Pegg remarked: “It was all adventure, be it breaking into the Kremlin or running over the tallest building of the world.”When asked about the reason for recreating locations in Dubai to shoot the parts actually shown as shot in India, the director said it was due to financial reasons.“We found a place in Dubai which was perfect for the film and never before shown in any other movie. We turned it into an Indian palace. It was a huge saving for us,” he said.The festival, which runs till Dec.14, will showcase 171 films from 56 nations, A-list global talent, high-octane free events and a bustling industry portfolio.