A Bahraini filmmaker is garnering international acclaim as his horror short film sweeps the global festival circuit, picking up a string of prestigious awards along the way.
Hope, an 18-minute narrative directed by Ahmed Zayani, delves into the universal themes of loss and grief while weaving in elements of Bahraini cultural identity.
The film has been officially selected for 19 film festivals, with responses still pending from another 50. It has also won two notable awards – the Audience Choice Award at Horror Haus in Los Angeles in October and the Programmer’s Award for Cinematic Excellence in Sherman Oaks Film Festival in Los Angeles last month.
Speaking to the GDN, the 40-year-old filmmaker from Riffa said he set out to create something culturally authentic while pushing beyond what audiences typically associate with Bahraini cinema.
“While I wanted to keep Bahraini culture tied to the film, I also wanted to create something this country has not really seen before and present it on the international stage,” he said.
The non-traditional love story is set against the backdrop of a world that is still grieving from a pandemic and the challenges faced by individuals who suffered losses as a result of it.
To appeal to a global audience, Mr Zayani incorporated both Arabic and English dialogues into the narrative.
“In group scenes, the characters speak English, while in one-on-one conversations, they switch between Arabic and English,” he explained.
“I wanted people to enjoy the film without it being overly complex or dramatic, and for its message to resonate with everyone, regardless of where they are from.”
The film was shot in two locations in the kingdom – a house in Saar and the Almoayyed Creative Agency in Sanad.
Mr Zayani, who studied public relations at Bentley University in Boston, explained that while Bahraini films contribute greatly to cinema, they often focus on drama or comedy.
“I chose the horror genre because I believe it is one of the most universal forms of storytelling,” he said.
“Different things make us laugh or cry, but fear is universal; losing a loved one is something that would frighten anyone.
“While grief affects us all, people experience and process it differently – and that’s what this film aims to show.”
Work on Hope began in 2023, with production starting in 2024. The film premiered in May at the Chicago Horror Film Festival and has since been screened in several countries, including the US, UK, Mexico, Spain, Indonesia and Norway. It also opened the Bahrain Film Festival in November last year.
Looking back on the success, Mr Zayani confessed it feels almost unreal, as directing his first film was a dream he had long cherished.
“I work as a relations manager at BBK, so making Hope was a true personal milestone, and I would be satisfied even if the film’s festival run ended at this point. I’m incredibly grateful for how well it has been received both internationally and locally.”
He added that the project would not have been possible without the support of producers Mohammed Fareed and Bayan Al Tamimi, who also served as assistant director, as well as Mohammed Fakhroo, who was instrumental throughout the filmmaking process as a producer and editor.
The film will be screened at the Film Invasion Lima in Peru and Angealica Film Festival in Los Angeles this month and at the Oddities Film Festival in London and Night Terrors Film Festival in Denmark in February.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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