A YOUNG Bahraini filmmaker has been nominated for his first short movie at the Dubai International Film Festival.
Ahmed Al Kuwaiti, aged 22, is among 60 filmmakers nominated in the Muhr Gulf Short category for feature fiction and non-fiction – the award for which will be presented during the festival which will take place from December 6 to 13 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.
His 11-minute film, A Time to Pray, is inspired by a trip his mother and her best friend took in 1980.
The 14th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) will be held under the patronage of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Over 120 films from the Arab world and beyond will feature in the festival, including the première of Grain of Sand, a documentary by British musician Jason Carter that highlights Bahrain’s pearling industry.
“The film is set in the UAE and was shot in Dubai and Sharjah because it was done as my graduation project for university when I was studying in Mohamed Bin Rashid School for Communication in the American University in Dubai,” said Mr Al Kuwaiti, who is based between Bahrain and Dubai.
“It is about a young Emirati woman who goes on a trip with her pregnant Egyptian friend.
“After their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, they seek help from the only nearby source – a mosque.”
He told the GDN that winning the category would broaden his horizons and push his filmmaking career forward.
“Since I was in school I’ve had a big interest in films and shooting films.
“I studied Digital Production and Storytelling to be part of this industry and luckily my graduation project made it to the film festival that I always dreamed to be a part of, especially the Dubai International Film Festival which is the biggest film festival in the region.
“(Winning this) will push me forward to make better and bigger work.
“I would also be truly happy because this award goes to Bahrain and the UAE for both giving me the chance to present my ideas.”
Meanwhile, Grain of Sand, which will be screened for the first time at the festival, features members from Dar Burshaid Shebab Al Hidd, who perform traditional music dating back to the 19th century played by pearl divers at sea.
The songs, considered to be Bahrain’s most original genre of music, were played by Dar Burshaid Shebab Al Hidd in collaboration with Mr Carter and local flautist and composer Ahmed Al Ghanem.
Mr Carter, who spearheaded the project, told the GDN he was excited to screen the documentary at the festival in Dubai and other film festivals around the world.
“The film was accepted to première four weeks ago as I finished the first rough cut at the end of September, but (festival officials) wanted to see more, so I did a second rough cut that had a clearer direction and based on that it was accepted,” he said.
“Timing wise the film has come out at the right time, so for me it’s the beginning, even though it’s the end of an up and down and sometimes frustrating process, I’m excited to see where the film goes.
“I’m excited to get on the road with this film - it’s just the beginning before we go to other film festivals in the Gulf and Middle East and then further afield like the Raindance Festival and all the festivals that I feel will understand the film as well as other festivals in the region that are much smaller but still very worthwhile.
“I’m taking the film to three (festivals) in Iraq and one in Lebanon, Kuwait and Oman and that will lay the ground work to send it further afield.”
Seven pearl divers from the film, along with Mr Al Ghanem and Mr Carter will perform after the screening which will take place on the beach at the JBR in Dubai on December 8 at 7.30pm.
“The Bahrain Embassy in London and Washington DC have also expressed interest in having a VIP screening next year,” added Mr Carter.
A number of celebrities have confirmed their attendance at the Dubai Film Festival, including Cate Blanchett and Stranger Thing’s David Harbour, along with Warwick Thornton, Billy Howle, Rob Reiner, Simon Curtis, Madison Iseman and Alex Wolff.
Bollywood talent expected to attend includes Sonam Kapoor and Shabana Azmi.
steph@gdn.com.bh
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