The third edition of 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), today, awarded the winners of the Student and Official Competitions and Emirati Short Film Script Competition.
Gulf Film Festival, this year, had screened 194 films from 41 countries. Entry was free for the public and there was enthusiastic turnout for the 94 screenings – some of them featuring a collection of shorts and documentaries – held over the past six days.
The in-competition sections of Gulf Film Festival offered in all a prize bag of AED485,000 to professionals, students and Emirati script-writers. Entries in the Official Competition were invited in three categories: Feature Films, Short Films, and Documentaries. Students compete in short films and documentaries only.
In all 54 films competed in the Official Competition for best feature (7), documentary (9) and shorts (38). The Student competition featured 33 entries for the best documentary (12) and shorts (21).
The film jury was headed by accomplished Moroccan filmmaker Jillali Ferhati. He was joined by Saudi Arabian filmmaker and critic Mohammed Aldhahri; Emirati actor Ibrahim Salim; Yemeni filmmaker Khadija Al-Salami and Artistic Director of the International Film Festival Bratislava in Slovakia Matthieu Darras. The jury for the Script Competition comprised Qatari scriptwriter Widad Al Kuwairi, Saudi columnist Badriya Abdullah Al Bashar and UAE writer Amina Abu-Shehab.
Script Competition for Emirati Short Films:
The winners are:
•   Third prize: Film Hindi by Muhsen Suliman Hassan
•   Second prize: Sebeel by Mohammed Hassan Ahmed
•   First prize: Malal (Bored) by Nayla Al Khaja
Student Competitions:
The winners in the Students Competition – Short are:
•   Special mention for SHHH – UAE, by Hafsa Al Mutawa and Shamma Abu Nawas
•   Third prize: Malak Quota for SET IN SOLITUDE – USA
•   Second prize: Muzna Al Musafir for NIQAB – Oman
•   Special Jury prize: Mohammed Al Tamimi for AL JANTTA (THE BAG) – Saudi Arabia
•   First prize: Amjad Al Hinai and Khamis Ambo-Saidi for TASREEB (LEAKING) – Oman
The winners in the Students Competition – Documentary are:
•   Special mention: MAHAR AL MAHERA (THE DOWRY) – UAE, by Maitha Hamdan
•   Third prize: Mohammed Naeem for AL HALLAQ NA’EEM (NA’EEM THE BARBER) – Iraq
•   Second prize: Moath Bin Hafez For AHLAM TAHT AL INSHA’A (CONSTRUCTING DREAMS) – UAE
•   First prize: Hashim Al Efari For GHURABA’A FI WATANIHEM (STRANGERS IN THEIR HOMELAND) – Iraq
Official Competition:
The winners in the Official Competition – Short are:
•   Special mention: SOLO – UAE, by Ali Al-Jabri
•   Special mention: HARES AL LAYL (NIGHT GUARD) – UAE, by Fadel Al Muhairi
•   Special mention: GHAIMAT SHROOQ – UAE, by Ahmed Zain
•   Best script: Hussam Alhulwah For AWDAH (RETURN) – Saudi Arabia
•   Third prize: Jassim Mohammed Jassim For THUMMA MATHA? (SO WHAT?) – Iraq
•   Second prize: Ahd Kamel For AL QUNDARJI (THE SHOEMAKER) – Saudi Arabia
•   Special Jury prize: Sahar Al-Sawaf For UM ABDULLA – Iraq
•   First prize: Abdullah Al-Eyaf For AAYESH – Saudi Arabia
The winners in the Official Competition – Documentary are:
•   Special mention: Richard Latham for the cinematography of ITLAQ AL HILM (TO FLY A DREAM) – Iraq
•   Third prize: Hameed Haddad For 80-82 – Iraq
•   Second prize: Luay Fadhil For PASTEL – Iraq
•   First prize: Soniya Kirpalani For DOBUY – THE FABRIC OF FAITH – UAE, India
The winners in the Official Competition – Feature are:
•   Second prize: Haider Rashid For AL MIHNA (TANGLED UP IN BLUE) – UK, Iraq, Italy, UAE
•   Special Jury prize: Ali F. Mostafa For DAR AL HAYY (CITY OF LIFE) – UAE
•   First prize: Shawkat Amin Korki For KICK OFF – Iraq, Japan
Lifetime Achievement Awards:
Internationally renowned Iraqi actor and playwright Khalil Shawki; Emirati actress Raziqa Al Tareshand internationally Kuwait’s applauded actress Hayat Al Fahad received the Lifetime Achievement Awards at the opening ceremony of the festival.
The Gulf Film Festival was supported by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and is held in association with Dubai Studio City.
