Abu Dhabi - In celebration of Damascus being named the UNESCO 2008 Cultural Capital of the Arab World, the Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF) will present Syrian Minister of Culture Riyad Nassan Agha with the MEIFF Black Pearl award on Friday.

As part of the celebration, the MEIFF screened Syrian director Rimon Boutrous' film "Hasiba" last Sunday. Prior to screening, Agha introduced the film to the audience.

Depicting historical events between 1927 and 1950, the plot centres on several female characters from Damascus aspiring to a better future with determination and confidence.

"Hasiba" is Boutrous' third film, and his first screen adaptation from a literary source, being based on the writings by prominent Syrian novelist Khairy al-Zahabi.

The MEIFF, which ends next Sunday, is part of Abu Dhabi's attempts to become an important player in the global film industry. An array of stars from Hollywood and the Middle East attended the opening, which took place on October 10. (dpa)