For its part, Washington welcomes the Iranian-Arab competition over eliminating ISIS.
I took a huge risk travelling to Cairo for the Arab Idol competition more than a year ago, spending two whole days held up by Egyptian forces at the border.
"While studying for an M.F.A. in directing, I watched several art-house films and fell in love with the way the directors of those films approached the craft, but I also realized they were limited in their appeal," Mr. Haddad said at the Dubai International Film Festival, where the film was selected for the Arab feature competition.
This special report opened by arguing that the causes of conflict in the Arab world the competition for energy, the conflict with Israel, the weakness of Arab statehood and the stagnation of politics—are taking on the characteristics of a chronic condition.
His presence in Dubai, at the helm of their prestigious Arab film competition will ensure a brand new chapter for cinema in and from that region.
When I first heard that Irish filmmaker, writer and producer Jim Sheridan was going to head the Jury for the Muhr Arab Feature Competition at the 10th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival, I was at a loss for words.
With the tiniest bit of money he got to finish his film, then he got to bring his documentary to an Arab film competition -- Doha Tribeca Film Festival -- where an international jury gave him an award.
Kuwait City hosted its very first public art exhibition back in 1958 under the Department of Culture, the oddly titled "Arab Champions Competition" exhibition took place on the sidelines of the Fourth Arab Literary Conference that Kuwait was hosting then.
Draganja, who will have an Arab name in competition, won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics.
The much larger, louder group was waiting beside the Church of the Nativity, to welcome a returning local hero, winner of the regional talent competition Arab Idol.
