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Sir Ben Kingsley, who was in the capital on Saturday to receive the Black Pearl award for his Oscar-winning role in Gandhi, voices his opinion on making movies in the UAE.
More than 25 years after its release, Sir Ben Kingsley was honoured for his Oscar-winning portrayal of Gandhi.
The British actor was presented with the honorary Black Pearl award for cross-cultural contribution to cinema during a private dinner at Emirates Palace after a special screening of the 1982 movie at the Middle East International Film Festival on Saturday.
Kingsley said he was "drawn to the UAE like a magnet" to bring the 188-minute long classic into Arab territory.
"It's about time it happened to be honest," said Kingsley after accepting the award. Dressed in a sky blue suit, complete with white pocket handkerchief in his top pocket, Kingsley was in good spirits as he graciously accepted the award.
"Me and my production company SBK Pictures are very glad to be here and are already talking quite seriously about co-productions here. We have four important films on our slate that they're already interested in."
Organisers of the festival, which has attracted a host of international stars, said the award was a special recognition of both the importance of the film and Kingsley's performance.
Kingsley said it was just a "flying visit" and complained that he wanted to stay longer.
"I wish I could see more! The architecture of the Emirates Palace is extraordinary. It's always a flying visit, of course, but if things work out I will be spending longer here in serious creative meetings, bringing everybody here to discuss everything. It is a beautiful and very exciting place."
Kingsley, 64, who was also honoured with an award for his contribution to film, received his award alongside Nacer Khemir, the Tunisian director, whose film The Dove's Lost Necklace closed the second day's events.
Gandhi, directed by Sir Richard Attenborough, earned Kingsley an Academy award for best actor. The film also won Oscars for best picture and best director.
Pleased
More than 130 actors and actresses worked on the new version of the film dubbed in Arabic to produce something Kingsley could only describe as "exquisite".
"I really like the dubbed version. It was exquisitely done; really brilliant actors and so many different voices. I was particularly pleased with the performance by the actress who voiced my wife in the film."
Festival director Nashwa Al Ruwaini, said she was honoured to have met Kingsley in person and added she was thrilled the festival was doing so much for film across continents.
"Cinema has no religion, it has no nationality and it has no colour or language," she said. "It is a great manifestation of how culture breaches all boundaries and unites the world."
A modest private dinner ended the ceremony which organisers estimate attracted more than 1,000 people to
the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Did you know?
Gandhi, directed by Sir Richard Attenborough, earned Sir Ben Kingsley an Academy Award for best actor. The 1982 film also won Oscars for best picture and best director.
The son of an Indian doctor and a British fashion model, Kingsley became the first man of South Asian descent to win the Oscar for best actor.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – widely known as Mahatma, meaning "Great Soul" in Sanskrit - was a political and spiritual leader of India. He pioneered the Satyagraha -nonviolent resistance movement -leading India to independence.
Kingsley who is one of the few actors to have been awarded all four major motion picture awards - the Bafta, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Academy awards - was knighted in 2001.
For more information about MEIFF visit www.meiff.com
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