The Gulf Film Festival, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) unveiled the short films that have been selected for the Festival’s Official Competition, featuring a diverse breadth of stories, all depicting the myriads facets of life in the region – some compelling stories of personal anguish, others succinct tales of the society vis-à -vis politics and for the first time, a short in 3D from the Arab world.
GFF will award the first, second, and third place winners in the shorts category with cash prizes up to AED 60,000, and a special jury prize worth AED 20,000 for the most promising project.
Masoud Amralla Al Ali, Festival Director, said: “The short-listed films offer a unique insight into the Arab world. The subject matters in these films are a reflection of contemporary realities approached from an individual and collective perspective. These shorts also highlight the strong evolution of film-making in the region, and how more young talent are coming forward with narratives using the medium of films, one of the most powerful entertainment tools for social change.â€
The short-listed entries are from across the Middle East region including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq, among others.
The Emirati short films include Jamal Salim’s My Home, which depicts the story of an Emirati struggling to find a job. Levity – Xero Error Minus 1 by Ashraf Ghori is based on the creation of the first naturally-intelligent cyborg, XE7 that is sent back in time to record lost history. The story of a little girl awaiting her father’s return near the village gates is picturised in Amjad Abu Al Ala’s Teena.
The struggles of an illegitimate son are narrated in Mohamed Alsaadi and Talal Mahmood’s Al Suhayli, while Noura’s Apple by Manal Bin Amro illustrates the relationship shared between two childhood friends and their bond that has built over time. Bin Amro’s film won the Script Competition for Emirati short films at the festival last year.
Ghaimat Shrooq by Ahmed Zain narrates the tale of five teenagers who escape from school, while Fadel Al Muhairi’s Night Guard depicts the life of a night guard who spends his time solving the problems of others. Solo by Ali Al-Jabri depicts the tale of a musician unable to achieve his dream.
Filmmakers from Saudi Arabia have submitted films covering a vast array of themes. Hamzah Tarzan’s Debts addresses daily issues faced by a Saudi society, while The Shoemaker by Ahd Kamel is the story of Saber, an Iraqi shoemaker, who returns to his family after being wrongfully detained by the occupation forces for two years.
The social issue surrounding child marriage is discussed in Reem S. Al-Bayyat’s Doll. The story of a man on edge of his life is portrayed in Abdulmuhsin Almutairi’s The End of a Man on the Edge of an Abyss: The Last Part. The Incomplete Chronicles of a Folk Tale discusses the aftermath of crimes committed in the past in a reflective film by Abdulhmohsen Al Dhabaan.
In the most unpredictable of times, Aayesh holds himself together and praises the Lord in a short film by Abdullah El-Eyaf. Self perception is a tricky subject, as explained by Abdullah Al Ahmed in The Meaning or the Way I Look at Myself in the Mirror. On the other hand, Sameer Arif’s Waiting, describes the choices a man is faced wait after awakening from a 6-month coma.
Return by Hussain Alhulwah discusses a man’s next steps after retiring from his job, while Tawfik Al Zaidi’s Exit tells the story of the tensions that arise between two couples and the effect it has on their children. A victim of his past, Salah is stuck in a rut when his finds himself fighting for his love and the future he hopes for in Dark by Bader Al Homoud. Fahad Alestaa’s An Experiment in the Seventh Floor describes the difficulties associated with filming short movies in restrained conditions. The section also includes Al Riyadh by Talal Ayeel.
Budding filmmakers from Kuwait have submitted short films based on assorted topics. Dawood Shuail’s The Neighbourhood Cop highlights a struggle between a cop and a gang of thieves in old Kuwait. Omar Al-Masab takes the audience on a journey to explore the thoughts that are embedded deep within one’s mind in The Last Mortal Journey, the first-ever 3D movie directed and produced in the GCC region, while Tareq Al Zamel’s Disturbance explains the effect of satellite television on the mind.
Suffering endured by an old Palestinian man in his drive for freedom is narrated in Ahmad Alkhalaf’s Salam, while Mustache by Meqdad Al Kout depicts the life of an old man and his inability to grow a moustache. Hasan Abdal’s Who Knows? tells us the story of a man and his son living different lives in the same house, and Steps to PK by Anwar Rashid and Abdulaziz Al-
Ballam depicts the efforts of a young man trying to popularise parkour, a physical dance form, in the Gulf.
Upcoming Iraqi filmmakers have addressed a number of social issues through their submissions including political corruption in Jassim Mohammed Jassim’s So What?; A single mother copes with societal conflicts in Um Abdullah by Sahar Al-Sawaf, while an Iraqi girl endures living with a conservative family in Hussein Hassan’s Shut Up It’s Shameful. Storks by Jamal Amin Alhassani introduces us to the relationships between different nationalities living in Denmark.
Bahraini filmmaker Mahmood Alshaikh addresses the lack of loyalty and faithfulness in his short film titled Just A Toy. Mohammed Rashed Bu Ali’s Canary describes the fate of a man, a woman, and a young girl, all of whose decisions are based on the one canary they spot. Layla by Ali Al Ali depicts the lives of individuals affected by diabetes and how society should deal with the disease. Mohsin Al Mataqwi’s Rah AlBahar illustrates the sorrows of a fisherman who discovers the water in the sea has turned to sand.
The up-and-coming Omani filmmaker Khalid Al-Kalbani portrays the pain of betrayal in The Guard, while Jasim Albutashi’s Bara’ah teaches one that the light of hope shines even in the darkest times.
The third edition of the Gulf Film Festival will be held from April 8 to April 14. The festival is supported by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and is held in association with Dubai Studio City. More details on the festival are available online at www.gulffilmfest.com.
