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The excitement in the air was palpable when we visited the DIFF headquarters at the Madinat Jumeirah - early on Saturday morning.
The venue was bustling with DIFF officials, volunteers and technicians, each preparing for their role in the opening red carpet gala and the hectic week to follow.
A 120-metre-long red carpet was already laid out at the entrance and technicians were busy fixing hundreds of spotlights to shine on the many celebrities expected to walk down the red carpet.
Four florists stood amidst rows of orchids, chrysanthemums and lilies deftly preparing beautiful floral arrangements. "Before the opening gala we have to make over 25 large arrangements, which will be placed along the red carpet, in the reception areas and in the Madinat Arena," said supervisor Rico Castillo.
A group of volunteers stood beside the red carpet listening intently to the instructions given by their trainer. "Be professional and concentrate on your job. And that means no taking pictures of the celebrities on the red carpet on your cell phones or cameras," they were firmly told.
Posters
Inside, the venue looked festive with colourful DIFF posters on the walls. Several film buffs were already at the box office studying the festival guide to book their tickets. "The line-up this year is exciting. I have not seen such a variety of films from every part of the world at any festival," said visitor Maria Jensen.
The media registration and the publicity and protocol sections looked busy. "We are expecting 1,000 media persons including 120 from outside the region. We are here to provide them with information and arrange celebrity interviews," said Chris Paton, press and publicity manager.
Next door, the guest relations section was preparing for the arrival of DIFF guests. "We are expecting over 700 international guests, including celebrities. During the last few weeks we have been busy arranging accommodation and flights for them and sending out invitations for the galas and other events. We are now gearing up to receive the guests, arrange the transportation according to their itineraries and make all other arrangements to look after them well," said Judith Hobby, director of guest relations and hospitality.
Theatre
But the real action was in the Madinat Arena. A host of technicians were at work giving finishing touches to the exclusive venue for the gala screenings. The entire ballroom has been converted into a luxurious theatre with plush seats, impressive lighting and a 21m by 9m cinemascope screen.
"This year we have increased the capacity to 1,362 seats. And we have many exciting surprises in store for the audience," said technical director, Willy Lunardi.
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