The 8th Abu Dhabi Film Festival, ADFF 2014, kicked off Thursday evening with the premiere of seven Arabic films that were shown on the international level for the first time.
A large number of filmmakers and celebrities from different countries around the world are taking part in the international event, which runs until November 1.
Some of the finest Arabic and international cinema works will also be featured during the festival, including a special program entitled "The Arab Diaspora", which profiles exiled Arab filmmakers around the world, and features their significant accomplishments.
This year, participating films will be categorized in narrative, documentary, and short competition segments. A number of short films and productions by Gulf filmmakers will also be shown exclusively during the event in the "Emirates Film" competition.
Other competition segments include "New Horizons" for documentary and narrative films, "Our World", devoted for broadening awareness of significant environmental issues, and the "Child Protection Award", which aims to ensure safety and security of children, as well as ensuring implementation and regulation of child protection legislation, policies, and best international practice.
The Abu Dhabi Film Festival provides a platform for Arab films to compete alongside international films as they are evaluated on the same criteria by the event's organizers.
The festival is keen on bringing and showcasing the best of world cinema productions, seeking at the same time to show the best of Arab cinema productions to the world.