This year's winners of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) Muhr Awards were announced today.

In the Muhr Emirati Awards category, Emirati writer and journalist Nasser Al-Dhaheri won best director award for his film A Tale of Water, Palm Trees and Family.

Omnia by Emirati director Amna Al Nowais won best Muhr Emirati Short award.

The Best Muhr Emirati Feature award went to Going to Heaven, by director Saeed Salmeen.

In the Muhr Gulf Short Awards category, Peddiers (UAE) by Saudi director Hind Al Fahhad won the Special Jury prize.

The Best Muhr Gulf Short went to The Boss (UAE/Iraq/Qatar) by Iraqi director Rizgar Husen.

As for the Muhr Short Awards category, Mariam (UAE/France/Saudi Arabia/USA/Qatar) by Saudi director Faiza Ambah won Special Jury Prize.

The Best Muhr Short Award went to Ave Maria (France/Germany/Palestine) by Palestinian director Basil Khalil.

In the Muhr Feature Awards category, Egyptian actress Menna Shalabi won Best Actress award for her role in Nawara (Egypt). Tunisian actor Lotfi Abdelli won Best Actor award for his role in Borders of Heaven (Tunisia/UAE). 

As for the Best Director award, it went to Egyptian filmmaker Mahmood Soliman for his film We Have Never Been Kids (UAE/Egypt/Qatar/Lebanon). The film also received the Best Muhr Non-Fiction Feature award.

Let Them Come (Algeria/France) by  Franco-Algerian Salem Brahimi won the Special Jury Prize Muhr Feature award.

The Best Muhr Fiction Feature went to As I Open My Eyes (France/Belgium/Tunisia/UAE) by Tunsian director Leyla Bouzid.

This year’s edition of DIFF ran between 9-16 December.

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