A Hollywood dramatic film Michael Clayton kicked off the fourth Dubai International Film Festival on Sunday evening at Madinat Jumeirah, a coastal resort of Dubai.

A total of 141 features, shorts and documentaries from 52 countries will be screened during the eight-day film festival, 16 of which will see their premieres.

This year's Dubai International Film Festival will for the first time have China as a special focus of its Asian section.

Audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy five films from China during the festival -- "Season of the Horse" by Ning Cai, Getting Home by Zhang Yang, Tuya's Marriage by Wan Quan'an, The Banquet by Feng Xiaogang and Exiled by Johnnie To.

The Dubai International Film Festival was launched in December 2004 under the theme "Bridging Cultures. Meeting Minds."

The past three editions of the Dubai International Film Festival have presented more than 250 films from more than 48 countries.