'Santa' nabs Dubai fest award

LONDON -- Oliver Dieckmann's "When Santa Fell to Earth" acquired the Individuals Choice Award in the Dubai Film Festival, which wrapped Wednesday. The worldwide critics' prize for Arab films, granted by FIPRESCI, visited Hady Zaccak's "Marcedes" for the best docu, "The direction to Paradise" from Gaul's Uda Benyamina for the best short, and Susan Youssef's "Habibi" for the best feature. Japanese helmer Yoko Ide nabbed a persons Privileges Film Network award, targeted at encouraging and marketing films that address human privileges issues, for "Shoji To Takao." Best film within the Muhr AsiaAfrica feature section visited Eric Khoo's "Tatsumi," while Nujoom Alghanem's "Amal" nabbed first prize within the Muhr Emirati section. Nadim Mishlawi's "Sector Zero" acquired best Arab documentary, while Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb's "This Isn't a movieInch nabbed best docu within the Muhr AsiaAfrica category. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com