The Gulf Film Festival, held under the patronage of Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) unveiled the short films that have been selected for the Festival's Official Competition, featuring a diverse breadth of stories, all depicting the myriad facets of life in the region – some compelling stories of personal anguish, others succinct tales of the society vis-à-vis politics and for the first time, a short in 3D from the Arab world. GFF will award the first, second, and third place winners in the shorts category with cash prizes up to 60,000 dirhams, and a special jury prize worth 20,000 dirhams for the most promising project. Masoud Amralla Al-Ali, Festival Director, said: “The short-listed films offer a unique insight into the Arab world. The subject matters in these films are a reflection of contemporary realities approached from an individual and collective perspective. These shorts also highlight the strong evolution of film-making in the region, and how more young talent are coming forward with narratives using the medium of films, one of the most powerful entertainment tools for social change.” The short-listed entries are from across the Middle East including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq, among others. Over 20 Saudi films are taking part in the annual Gulf Film Festival in Dubai, among them a short portraying the trials and tribulations of the disabled, and one the first Saudi attempts at the horror genre. Director Mousa Al-Thunaiyan's short film “Blue Bird”, with writer Fadhel Al-Shulah taking his script from a story by Abdullah Al-Khamees, is set on a school sports field where a paralyzed boy finds himself alone and without a wheelchair. Shot at Qatif Schools and taking a symbolic slant, the story follows the boy's exasperation as waits for help and decided to confront his situation on his own when it fails to arrive. “Blue Bird” was produced by Qithara Production and Distribution and the Friends of Qatif Group, and stars actors Mesh'al Al-Nahhash and Saleh Aal Thunaiyan. Director Al-Thunaiyan won acclamation at the Abu Dhabi, Saudi, and Jeddah film festivals in 2008 for his work “Leftovers”. “Invisible Evil”, meanwhile, is a horror film directed by Muhammad Hilal and written by Bandar Bajaba' starring actors Saleh Khalaqi, Fahd Ghazouli and Mushari Hilal. Hamzah Tarzan's “Debts” addresses daily issues faced by a Saudi society, while “The Shoemaker” by Ahd Kamel is the story of Saber, an Iraqi shoemaker, who returns to his family after being wrongfully detained by the occupation forces for two years. The social issue surrounding child marriage is discussed in Reem S. Al-Bayyat's “Doll.” The story of a man on edge of his life is portrayed in Abdulmuhsin Almutairi's “The End of a Man on the Edge of an Abyss: The Last Part.” “The Incomplete Chronicles of a Folk Tale” discusses the aftermath of crimes committed in the past in a reflective film by Abdulhmohsen Al-Dhabaan. In the most unpredictable of times, Aayesh holds himself together and praises the Lord in a short film by Abdullah El-Eyaf. Self perception is a tricky subject, as explained by Abdullah Al-Ahmed in “The Meaning or the Way I Look at Myself in the Mirror.” On the other hand, Sameer Arif's “Waiting,” describes the choices a man is faced wait after awakening from a six-month coma. “Return” by Hussain Alhulwah discusses a man's next steps after retiring from his job, while Tawfik Al Zaidi's “Exit” tells the story of the tensions that arise between two couples and the effect it has on their children. A victim of his past, Salah is stuck in a rut when his finds himself fighting for his love and the future he hopes for in “Dark” by Bader Al Homoud. Emirati shorts The Emirati short films include Jamal Salim's My Home, which depicts the story of an Emirati struggling to find a job. “Levity – Xero Error Minus 1” by Ashraf Ghori is based on the creation of the first naturally-intelligent cyborg, XE7 that is sent back in time to record lost history. The struggles of an illegitimate son are narrated in Mohamed Alsaadi and Talal Mahmood's “Al Suhayli,” while “Noura's Apple” by Manal Bin Amro illustrates the relationship shared between two childhood friends and their bond that has built over time. Bin Amro's film won the Script Competition for Emirati short films at the festival last year. Other shorts Upcoming Iraqi filmmakers have addressed a number of social issues through their submissions including political corruption in Jassim Mohammed Jassim's “So What?” and a single mother copes with societal conflicts in “Um Abdullah” by Sahar Al-Sawaf. Bahraini filmmaker Mahmood Alshaikh addresses the lack of loyalty and faithfulness in his short film titled “Just A Toy”. “Layla” by Ali Al-Ali depicts the lives of individuals affected by diabetes and how society should deal with the disease. The third edition of the Gulf Film Festival will be held from Thursday to April 14. The festival is supported by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority and is held in association with Dubai Studio City.
