47 Shorts Compete For Jury Prize At The Gulf Film Festival

47 shorts from the GCC and Iraq will compete for top prizes in the competition segment for shorts at the Gulf Film Festival (GFF).     

The selected shorts from Bahrain, Kuwait, KSA, UAE, Oman and Iraq cover various issues of concern to the region and the Arab world.

Bahrain is represented through 6 shorts. “The Coma” by Jamal Alghailan and first time director Sadeq Mohammad Jaafar Alsmak’s “Expatiated” depict the unexpected turns in life and the uncertainty and intrigue they bring, Young Hussain Al Riffaei’s “A Dinner” explores the taboo subject of adultery and its consequences in a Muslim state, presented as a dialogue between a girl and her family; Mohammed Rashid Bu-Ali’s “Absence” deals with the poignant subject of loneliness in a fast moving society. In a different vein, “Bluetooth” by Nidhal Bader and debuting Abdul Ameer Howaidah’s “Remote Control” highlight various usages for technology in present day society.

Several of the shorts from Kuwait deal with realization and commitment.  Hind Al Awadi’s “Eigengrau” is an experimental short that attempts to convey the urge to be heard when confronting one’s private moments; Meqdad Al Kout’s “Paradoxes” captures the lives of a group of people wretched with social deformities; “Tired” by Mousaed Khaled is a visual representation of the emotional characteristics of people around us; Meqdad Al Kout’s “Mousaed in Screen-Three Shots and a Half” observes characteristics of an individual during a game of cards; “The Lost Years” by Abdul Rahman Al Khalifi deals with self realization and salvation; “Determination” by Faisal Al Duwaisan captures the killer instincts and the determination to succeed of an arm wrestler; Ahmed Hamada’s “Eyesalt” is a monologue narrative of a chronic insomniac trying to unravel the mystery surrounding his disorder; “Sharq” by Erik Sandoval is the story of six friends on their search for the world’s strongest soccer ball, beckoning them away from their familiar Bedouin deserts to the sprawling cityscapes of modern Kuwait;Tarek Al Zamel’s “In a Blink of an Eye” is a mystery drama that explores the importance of being responsible in life and “Lone Woman” by Monira Al Qadiri is about a woman’s broken spirit destroyed by never ending loneliness.

11 In-competition shorts from Saudi Arabia make it the second largest contributor to the segment. “After the Ashes” by Jasim Al Oqaili talks about life and its difficulties and the struggles after death crying for that one chance to re-visit the wrongs and improve; Mohammed Al Basha’s “Paradise Birds” is a narrative on the fantasies of life ; “Cobwebs” by Sameer Arif questions if laws are designed to eliminate crime or to keep it under control for the exclusive right of the elite; “Nothing” by Abdulamusin Almutairi looks into the exciting distractions in life that provide momentary relief; “If” by Mohammed Al Batli talks about the various absurdities of life; “Rain” by Abdullah Al Eyaf highlights the defining moment of loss and gain; “Shattered Thoughts” by Abduljalil Al Nasir delves into the uncertainties about the future experienced by a section of the youth in the Gulf ; “Arrival” by Talal Ayeel reaffirms the age old saying “better late than never” ; Mohammed AL Hamoud’s “Schizophrenia” is the search of an imaginary person who brings about change; “The Bus” by Abdulmohsen AlDaaban narrates the troubles of a child plying to an fro in a school bus and “Child Task” by Mamdouh Salem explores the sufferings of a child and his mother after being abandoned by the father.

The UAE leads in the number of entries to the shorts segment with 13 films; “A Split Decision” by Omar Butti talks about the effect of decisions that shape the course of our lives; “Tenbak” by Abdullah Hassan Ahmed addresses the issues of racism and the pull between love and despair between two friends; “Sea Shells” by Ahmed Zain highlights enduring love amidst sadness and despair; Ali Jamal’s “Brother” is about family ties and a brother’s fight to protect his ill sibling; “Hammer and Nails” by Hamad Alawar philosophically addresses the war between the powerful and the not so mighty, proving that might is not always right; “Rayhaan” by Talal Mahmood depicts the principles that govern the protagonists family; “Something” by Hana al Shatery is about the overpowering elements that constitute our daily existence; Saeed Salmeen Al Murry’s “Bint Mariam” is about the sufferings of the girl child; “From the Agenda of Betrayal” by Manal Ali Bin Amro is a suggestive representation about satan and his mission to corrupt mankind; Khalid Al Mahmood’s “Bint Al-Nokhitha’s” deals with the relationship between a grandson and his story-telling grand mother; “Miriam’s Paradise” by Mohammed Al Hammady deals with discontentment and the never ending desires of humans; Saeed al Dhaheri’s “The Rescue” is about the adventures of a man stuck in the desert and “Supplication” by Omar Ibrahim depicts a day in the life of a child in a mosque.

4 films from Oman have made it to the final selection. “Alzahra” by Jasim Albtashi captures the travels of different people with a mythological background; “Hmdan” by Abdullah Albtashi explores the quests of a child to find the defining moment of life through an art canvas; “Belooh” by Amer Alrawas depicts a mysterious incident that affects the lives of 4 girls during a game of hopscotch and “Realization” by Mazin Habib is about that particular moment when self realization dawns upon an individual.

“The Death Road”, directed by Sanan Najim, selected for the In-Competition Shorts segment, revolves around the everyday dangers faced by taxi drivers in the Iraqi capital, turning innocent people into terrorists. The other selection to the shorts category includes Assad Kareem Alwan’s “Dar Dur”, which focuses on the depilating economic situation in Iraq and the failure of successive governments to combat poverty and death.

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