Three leading figures in Arab cinema will be recognised for their contributions and influence to the region’s film industry at the sixth Bahrain International Film Festival (BIFF), running from November 5 to 10.
The awards span film culture, lifetime achievement and contributions to world cinema, reflecting the honourees’ diverse careers and lasting impact on the industry.
Mr Al Maskati
Bahraini film pioneer Nader Al Maskati will receive the Film Culture Pioneer Award for his role in establishing the Bahrain Cinema Club in 1980 in a bid to spread film culture, raise cinematic awareness and stimulate the local and regional filmmaking movement in the Gulf.
“He will be honoured for his lasting contribution to nurturing film culture in Bahrain,” the festival organisers said in a statement on social media platform Instagram. “Some legacies are built not only through films, but through a lifelong commitment to cinema itself.”
Yousra
Egyptian actress Yousra will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her distinguished career, memorable performances and influence on generations of artists and audiences.
She is best known for her roles in classic and contemporary Arabic blockbusters and television dramas, including Terrorism and Kebab (1992), The Yacoubian Building (2006) and Birds of Darkness (1995).
Mr Massoud
Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud will be presented with the Contribution to the World Cinema Award for his work in Arab and international productions.
He is best known in Western audiences for playing Saladin in Ridley Scott’s 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven. His other credits include Syrian television mini-series The Chant of Rain and Haitham Hakki’s Memories of the Forthcoming Age.
The festival also announced the jury members for its competition categories covering Bahraini and student films, short narrative films, documentaries and animation.
- The animation jury comprises UAE writer and animation creator Haidar Mohamad, Saudi animation director and producer Abdulwhed Alabdlee and Jordanian film critic and cultural writer Suad Awadalla.
- The Bahraini and student films jury includes Australian writer and Brisbane International Film Festival founding artistic director Dr Anne Démy-Geroe, Emmy-nominated Bahraini filmmaker Huse Monfaradi and Bahrain Theatre Artists Association president Mohammed Al Saffar.
- The Documentary jury comprises Bahraini television and film director and media executive Dr Ali Khalil, Dutch producer and filmmaker Dewi Reijs and Italian lawyer and Donà dalle Rose Foundation president Chiara Modica Donà dalle Rose.
- The Narrative jury includes French-American film producer Luc Hardy, film critic and journalist Alice Kanterian and award-winning Egyptian director Ragia Hasan Ibrahim.
BIFF received 894 submissions from 55 countries, marking a significant milestone as the festival opened its competition to international entries for the first time this year.
While previous editions primarily showcased Bahraini and regional productions, this year’s competition has attracted filmmakers from across the world, reflecting the festival’s expanding international reach.
Alongside film screenings, the programme will feature workshops, panel discussions and other events aimed at supporting and developing Bahraini filmmaking talent. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks.
The festival is also expected to welcome actors, directors, producers and other cinema professionals from Bahrain and abroad, further strengthening its position as a platform for international collaboration and the exchange of ideas and industry expertise.
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