Film buffs and celeb spotters alike, here’s one for you.

Dubai International Film Festival is getting closer, and we’re beginning to hear about the stars who will be jetting in for the occasion. Not that it’s rare for big names to visit our city – hi JLo – but this will be a particularly good week for it.

The festival runs from December 6 to 13, so make a note to look out for some famous faces around town that week. If you clocked Will Smith and Samuel L Jackson last year, here’s who to have on your radar for 2017.

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Sir Patrick Stewart is confirmed to make the trip, and for his trouble, he’s being honoured with an event to mark his achievements over the years. The man has starred in over 150 films – he deserves a bit of a boost. Stewart came up through London’s Royal Shakespeare Company, and is instantly recognisable these days for his roles in Star Trek and the X Men franchise.

Around here, we love him just as much because he fosters a pit bull called Ginger:

Adopt don’t shop indeed.

Joining Stewart at the opening night gala will be Cate Blanchett, who we’ve seen most recently as villain Hela in Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok. The veteran Australian actress and director has mixed blockbusters with artier fare throughout her career, starring in Lord of the Rings as well as the experimental Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There. We’re particularly looking forward to her role in the forthcoming Ocean’s Eleven spinoff with an all-women cast.

Sarah Jessica Parker is also set to attend, film festival organisers say. While she’s still probably best known for playing Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City (a show with endless re-watch value), Parker has since starred in the HBO series Divorce as well as films like New Year’s Eve and The Family Stone. One thing is certain: we’ll be checking out her outfit at that opening night bash.

A post shared by SJP (@sarahjessicaparker) on

Hit us up if you want a shopping buddy while you’re here, SJP. Documentarian Morgan Spurlock will also be in town, along with Bollywood star Irrfan Khan and a host of other film luminaries both local and international.

The festival opens with director Scott Cooper’s Hostiles, a western starring Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike. No word yet on whether its stars will be on the ground for the event, but you never know.

Closing the calendar will be Star Wars: The Last Jedi. A must-see for fans of the franchise, the film features Carrie Fisher in her final role and is pipped as one of the best Star Wars films ever.

In between those two events, of course, is a programme packed with surprise and delight. 140 films from 51 countries will be shown, with 38 languages represented. The event is all about storytelling, festival chairman Abdulhamid Juma says.

“DIFF is a time when friends, family and film lovers come together to enjoy the magic of storytelling at its very finest,” he explains. “Whether you want to enjoy an outdoor beach screening, attend a red carpet gala or simply catch a new release in the cinema, there really is no excuse not to immerse yourself in the silver screen this December.”

Well said. See you at the movies. Tickets and a full schedule are available on the festival website.

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Images: Getty