Thought Provoking Documentaries

16 Arab filmmakers are all set to highlight various issues facing the Middle East through original and thought provoking documentaries being shown at the Gulf Film Festival.

Filmmakers from the GCC, Iraq and Switzerland will compete for first, second and third prizes in the Documentary sections and stand to win AED 25,000, AED 20,000 and AED 15,000, with a Special Jury Prize of AED 20,000.
  
The official entries to the In-Competition documentary segment from Iraq depict the struggles of different segments of the Iraqi society. Directed by Tariq Hashim, “www.gilgamesh.21” depicts the lives of two Iraqis, one in exile in Denmark and one in Baghdad, communicating through internet. Hadi Mahood’s, “Nights of Gypsy’s Descent”, revolves around the lives of gypsies subjected to hatred following the fall of the regime in 2003. The film beautifully captures the depth of despair and destruction in the daily lives of a gypsy village; “One Day in Khadimya Prison for Women” by Oday Salah depicts the life of Iraqi women in the war ravaged nation and “War, Love, God and Madness” by Mohammed Al Daradji leads us on a voyeuristic journey inside Iraq as fiction and reality blur in the gritty aftermath of 25 years of dictatorship, 3 wars and the wake of three occupations.

Themes for the documentaries from Kuwait seek inspiration from real situations and reflect the voices of the common man. “When the People Spoke” by Amer Al Zuhair deals with the subject of youth empowerment and the changes their combined power can bring to society; “Freedom Time” by Ahmed Hamada is a collection of memoirs regarding war and peace, narrated by 9 individuals from 9 different countries; and “Symphonic Poem” from Habib Hussein is a musical documentary about a Kuwaiti artist conveying the importance of music and harmony in today’s world.

Three documentaries from KSA explore various issues shaping the Saudi society whilst holding onto tradition and prestige. “Seeing through the Sand” by Noor Al Dabbagh follows the travels of a group of Harvard graduate to the Kingdom discussing issues the country is facing with Saudi’s of all ages, as it goes through crucial stages of development; Osama AlKhurayji’s “The Truth” captures the life of a convert to Islam and “Kebriea’a” by Nedhal Al Damashqi highlights the art of falconry examining the relation between the bird and the trainer.

3 filmmakers from the UAE have been selected to showcase their brilliance in the documentary segment. “Mountain Sheik” by Naser Al Yaqoobi captures the essence of men in the UAE; Shaikha al Ayali’s “Heat the Beat” highlights the growing musical phenomenon of rapping amongst men and women in the UAE and their mission to succeed without any external support, and “Al Mureed” by Nujoom Al Ghanem captures the life of the UAE’s most respected Emirati Sufi Sheikh, Abdul Raheem Al-Mureed and his annual event Mawlid Nights, that celebrates the birth of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H).

The final two entries to the segment are from Qatar and Switzerland; “The Oryx Return” by Qatari Hafiz Ali Ali revolves around the role of human beings in preserving the living organisms which God has created on earth, and which have been exposed to extinction due to man's urbanisation achievements. Swiss Aida Schlaepfer’s “Gangs of Baghdad” highlights the seriousness of the psychological issues that victims of atrocities in Baghdad must live with.

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