Bahraini filmmaker Zahraa Shams is set to release a new short film later this year that delves into family dynamics, loss, remembrance and the courage to begin anew.
Written and directed by the 27-year-old, the eight-minute film was shot in Sicily, Italy, in partnership with KODAK as part of the Terre de Cinéma (TDC) programme, an initiative that combines a film festival with hands-on training for young and emerging filmmakers, directors and cinematographers.
‘One, Two ,Three, Jump’ follows Elena, a young woman who returns to her family home to reconnect with her younger brother, Matteo, and settle the remnants of their shared past. As grief and unresolved emotions surface, Elena faced the painful reality of what her life has become.
“I applied to the programme in October 2024; but I was a bit late and was placed on a waiting list,” Ms Shams told the GDN. “I was accepted this year and attended from September 4 to 21. It taught me so much about myself and really challenged me.”
One of her biggest obstacles was the tight schedule. “Each director only has one day – 12 hours – to shoot their film,” she said, adding that she just had three days to prepare everything from the actors, locations, art direction and more. “I even had to shoot some scenes in a single take. It was, surreal, but it served the story well.”
It was also Ms Sham’s first time shooting on film, which required careful planning. “We had a limited number of film rolls, so I rehearsed several times with the actors and camera before actually shooting,” she explained. “Once the camera started rolling, we were all completely present. That was the most beautiful part.”
The crew shooting a scene next to the water
Shooting on film presents other challenges such as the need for careful light metering to avoid over or underexposing shots. Other issues include physical film handling problems such as light leaks or damage, higher costs for film and developing and the lack of re-dos.
The project is still in post-production, awaiting footage from Rome. “The crazy thing about film is that you do not get to see the footage right away,” she said, adding that what they planned on paper evolved once the shooting began.
“I wrote the story to be flexible and collaborative, and the actors and crew helped bring it to life; it was team work. It was a privilege to have such an amazing team and also an interesting experience to be able to collaborate with people from all around the world, with different stories and different backgrounds yet we came together to create something beautiful that we could all relate to.
“I also made a decision to pick my team based on their interest in my story and not on their experience in the field and that’s always been my way of working. I believe in working with people who believe in you and your vision more than anything.”
Behind the scenes of the crew
Reflecting on the experience, Ms Shams said the TDC programme taught her to trust the process and people around her. “I learned not to cling to the small details and to live in the moment. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or even this afternoon. Letting go and trusting yourself is essential.”
She also acknowledged the challenges of filmmaking in Bahrain. “Sometimes, we have to step back from projects we are passionate about just to make a living,” she said. “Find any opportunity that will give you the space to truly be yourself. Don’t wait for people to believe in you – just start and trust the process.”
Ms Shams is currently working on a new short and a feature project, hoping to shoot one of them on film again.
She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Directing for Cinema and Television from École Internationale de Création Audiovisuelle et de Réalisation, in Paris in 2019 and later completed her Master of Fine Arts in New York City after receiving a Fulbright scholarship in 2021.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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