Dubai: The Asian movies in the Dubai International Film Festival range from a spectacular hit from Korea about a human-eating monster that spreads a deadly virus to the social cost of a dam project in China.

"Asian cinema has been developing rapidly for more than 15 years, becoming increasingly well-known, with films like The Ring and Crouching Tiger... breaking the cultural barrier and attracting millions of viewers," said Simon Field, programmer of the Insights from Asia segment in the Festival which runs from December 10 to 17.

"We have selected a diverse array of pictures that represents the kind of creativity, vision and exuberance fans have come to expect from Asian cinema," he said.

Some of the films featured include Hana from acclaimed Japanese director Kore-eda Hirokazu. The director will be in attendance on December 12.

This story of a racoon that transforms into a beautiful woman and falls in love with a handsome prince, is told by Japanese director Seijun Suzuki, in an eccentric musical.

Jueteng Kubrador (The Bet Collector) takes the viewer to the Philippines, where Amelita makes her living collecting the proceeds of the illegal but widely played numbers game, jueteng.

Silver sponsors of the Festival are Gulf News, ArtWorks, E-Vision, Filmworks, MAC Cosmetics, Motivate Publishing, the Dubai Road and Transport Authority, Realmedia, Showtime, and Sony Professional Solutions M.E.