Dubai fest expeccted ‘The King’s Speech’ Golden Globe citing

DUBAI - The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) organisers were so sure about British actor Colin Firth’s film The King’s Speech sweeping the Golden Globe nominations that they held a special open-air screening before they were announced.

The film, which also flagged off the DIFF Sunday, bagged seven Golden Globe nominations, which were announced Tuesday.

It’s fantastic. We were expecting its Golden Globe nomination. I think it’s fantastic for the film, for him and things are looking positive. He’s very excited about it. In anticipation of this nomination we already did a large screening, free for the public at the Jumeirah Beach Residence and I think around 1,400 people attended that. We were before every one, DIFF managing director Shivani Pandya told IANS.

The film depicts how the Duke of York (Colin Firth), a shy man afflicted with a dreadful stammer, goes through unorthodox treatment and finally delivers a significant speech on BBC radio when he succeeds his father King George V, as King George VI, before World War II.

Festival chairman Abdulhamid Juma claims that DIFF has repeatedly proved to be lucky for many Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) winning films and actors.

We congratulate Colin Firth and probably Dubai has brought him good luck for him as it always has (for others). Films like ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ ‘Avatar’ and actors like George Clooney and Morgan Freeman, who came here went on to win Oscars, Golden Globe and BAFTA. So we also give credit to the selection team of the film festival as they have proven to the world that they only choose the best, Juma said.

The eight-day festival will conclude Dec 19.