| The National

From volunteer to talent Abu Dhabi Film Festival couldn't exist without the tireless work of the many, many volunteers and seasonal staff that keep everything held together behind the scenes, a fact that was recognised by the festival director Ali Al Jabri in his opening speech preceding the premiere of From A to B on Thursday night. For at least one volunteer, however, things have changed pretty dramatically. Fadi Rifaai, who spent last year’s festival helping guests from around the world to make the most of the event, received a call from the organisers over the summer to see if he would be available to return to his role this year. His response? “I’ll have to check with my agent. I’m kind of starring in the opening film.” Rifaai made his feature film debut in Ali F Mostafa's From A to B . As far as we could tell, he wasn’t handing out programmes. Star turn Bahraini filmmaker Hala Matar raised a few eyebrows at last year's edition of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival when she arrived with a debut short, Streetcar , starring Chloe Sevigny ( Kids ) and Buck Henry ( The Graduate ). Of course, that kind of thing would never happen again, said everyone, until she entered her new short, Desire , into this year's Emirates Film Competition. It stars none other than the star of the Jackass television show and films, Johnny Knoxville. So how does Matar keep pulling off these casting coups? “I typically approach fun and curious actors that I think my projects would resonate with them,” she says. “My screenplays tend to have surreal elements and absurdist humour with a very strong aesthetic that I think entices them.” From A to B sells out; third screening added The Abu Dhabi Film Festival opened on Thursday with the gala screening of From A to B , the sophomore film from Emirati director Ali F Mostafa. This was followed by a sold-out public screening at Vox Cinemas Marina Mall on Friday night. The movie, the first home-produced movie to open the festival, was well received by audiences (see www.thenational.ae/adff for our review). Demand for tickets was so high that, in a break with festival tradition, a third screening has been added at Vox at 9.15pm on Saturday, November 1. The producers also announced before Thursday's screening that the movie would be released in cinemas across the Middle East on January 1. cnewbould@thenational.ae