Editor

According to Variety Janet Fine, Neil Stephenson is about to sue the festival over the termination of his contract in february.
Neil Stephenson was instrumental in the establishing of the festival on the map as an important place for bridging the gap of culture between the continents.

Herewith the article reproduced from Variety.com

"Breaking his silence on whether he'd jumped or been pushed, former Dubai Film Festival chief Neil Stephenson held a tumultuous press conference in Cairo saying he was forced out.

Claiming that he could not get fair press in Dubai, he spoke on Tuesday to Egypt media, some of whom hotly challenged his statements when he said he was fired in February.

Stephenson, who said he'd declined three months' severance pay, has hired lawyers to ensure his "efforts over the past five years to create DIFF are given due and fair credit."

Patricia Glaser from the law firm of Robert Shapiro (who was on O.J. Simpson's team during his murder trial) will represent Stephenson. She's previously repped Kirk Kerkorian, MGM Studios and Bob Barker. Stephenson accused Dubai Media City official Abdulhamid Juma, who was hired as fest chairman last year, of usurping the role he had played as director of the event since June 2003. ..."

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