December 6th 2004 marked the opening night of the much-publicised film fest that welcomed press, industry and lovers of cinema from not only Dubai, but every part of the world. Featuring Hollywood delicacies such as Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s 12” and Robert Zemeckis “The Polar Express” to indie favourites such as Walter Salles “Motorcycle Diaries” and Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me", to even the contemporary world cinema relishes in the form of China’s “Hero” and Russia’s “The Return”, DIFF is determined to appeal to every film enthusiast’s taste buds!

With the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), the Middle East confirms its move from chronic savouring of the purest imitation of life – cinema – to having finally sunk its teeth into the culture, décor and ambience of this important medium of art.

The DIFF program is divided into three main sections - Gala Screenings, Film Programs, and Special Events. The Gala Screenings will be held each night of the DIFF at Madinat Jumeirah and outstanding films will be shown. The Film Programs is the main section of the DIFF program which showcases films, documentaries, and shorts. The Special Events will have social events and panel discussions. Read Program Details...

Films screened at DIFF 2004 will be shown at Century Cinemas in Mercato Shopping Mall, Madinat Arena, the Madinat Theatre in Souk Madinat Jumeirah, and the Dubai Media City (DMC) Amphitheatre. For details to which movies are playing on which days of the festival, visit the film screening schedule.

DIFF 2004 Celebrity Attendants
Here are a few of the celebrities that attended DIFF 2004 - Anil Kapoor, Billy Boyd, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daoud Abdel Sayeed, Deepa Metha, Desmond Tutu, Fardeen Khan, Farroukh Khan, Feroz Khan, Gillian Slovo, Gurinder Chadha, Hanan Tork, Laila Elowi, Lubluba, Menna Shalabi, Morgan Freeman, Nicholas Cazalé, Nilli, Nour El Sherif, Orlando Bloom, Rahul Khanna, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Subhash Ghai