Hollywood star Tom Cruise walked the red carpet of the 8th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) for the world premiere of “Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol”, along with director Brad Bird and co-stars Paula Patton, Simon Pegg, Lea Seydoux and the Indian acting legend Anil Kapoor.

The highly anticipated film was partly shot in Dubai. In one scene, the 49 year old American actor is seen climbing the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Fans lined up at the Madinat Jumeirah for hours to catch a glimpse of the glamorous cast.

When Tom Cruise finally arrived, he interacted with his loyal fans for around two hours, chatting and signing autographs. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Prime Minister, joined him later creating a wave of excitement and typically Dubai style glamour.

H.H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and actor Tom Cruise attend the 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' Premiere during day one of the 8th DIFF. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for DIFF)

But it wasn’t all Hollywood stars and photo opportunities. DIFF’s organising committee also honored the Egyptian actor Gameel Ratib, who turned 83 this year. As the year draws to a close, the star paid homage to more serious events of 2011, dedicating his prize to the January 25th martyrs.

The festival, which closes on December 14, includes 171 films compared to last year’s 157, coming from 56 countries and in 32 languages.

The Emirate’s annual, week-long, celebration of film features a variety of big-budget blockbusters to indie shorts and probing documentaries. When the event debuted in 2004, there was just one world premiere. This year, there are 46 world firsts, 78 premieres from the Middle East and North African region and seven GCC premieres.

“The Descendants” starring George Clooney, family-friendly “The Muppets” and the Egyptian film “Wahed Sahih” (A Whole One) starring Hani Salama will be screened as well as part of the red carpet galas.

Music and film are showcasing together at the free-to-attend open-air theatre under the festival’s “Rhythm and Reels” programme. Music themed pictures are screened, such as a restored version of the 1929 silent film “Pandora’s Box” accompanied by the 60-piece UAE Philharmonic Orchestra.

Industry professionals are attending a variety of panels and master classes, as the people at DIFF continue to provide a platform to encourage filmmakers in the region. Daily networking sessions, usually in the form of informal gatherings, are designed to facilitate new business relationships.

Among many activities and efforts towards encouraging Arab cinema, DIFF hosted the Cinemoz team who are launching their premium online Video On Demand service for the Arab region. It goes live on December 12 and is available to the public.

Founded in June 2011, Cinemoz was created by a team of seasoned entrepreneurs, film industry experts, web and mobile specialists and advertising professionals.

The application showcases entertainment from and for the Arab World, where audiences are able to stream high definition content, anytime, anywhere and for free. It’s a cutting edge, interactive experience custom tailored for each Arab country.

Cinemoz founder Karim Safieddine and his team.(Courtesy of Cinemoz)

For the first time, viewers are going to be able to access entertainment from the region which will enable the promotion of better Arab content worldwide.

A red carpet gala and screening of “My Week With Marylin” is due to close the festival on Wednesday. It’s directed by Simon Curtis and stars Michelle Williams in the role of Marilyn Monroe, Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier and Julia Ormond as Vivien Leigh. Undoubtedly, the lights will shine again on Dubai’s red carpet, as the GCC waves in celebration to the final festival of the year.