30 November 2014
Bahrain Film Days concluded
Combining a number of countries and continents in sound, image and the spirit of the cinema, Bahrain Film Days concluded today (November 30).
The festival was held under the theme Sea Cinema and held its closing ceremony at City Centre Bahrain cinema, screen 12 in the presence of Culture Ministry Culture and Arts director Aqeel Abdulqader, who was deputised by Culture Ministry Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, as well as a number of artists and filmmakers, both regional and international.
The Culture Ministry helped produce 13 short films that feature the sea as a symbol, which were entered into the festival competition. The winners were announced during the closing ceremony, decided on by the jury, which was made up of Ali Abu Shadi (from Eygpt), who will head the jury, as well as Lena Hunain Hassan (Syria) and Mohammed Hassan Ahmed (UAE). The winning films were: “Pick Up” by Salah Nass and Layla Albayti for Best Scenario, “Shrine (Hathraa)” by Salman Yousif for Best Director, “Hymn on the Bank (Tarneema Ala Ilthafaaf)” by Hussein Al Jamari for Special Jury Prize and “Nostalgia” by Ahmed Al Fardan for Best Film.
The festival screened some of the best Asian films released this year, in conjunction with the Culture Ministry’s Our Year of the Arts slogan and Manama Asian Tourism City 2014.
The festival also honoured Sayed Khalifa Shaheen from Bahrain, Khalid Sadeeq from Kuwait and Sayed Dawood Abdel Sayed from Egypt at the opening ceremony in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the field of art image in the Arab world and the world.
Fifty-five Bahraini, Arab, Asian and international films were screened over the five-day festival, from 11am to 12pm at City Centre Bahrain and Bahrain Fort. A number of films will be screen tomorrow (November 27) from 12:30pm to 10:30pm, as well as a series of short films at Bahrain Fort's seaside courtyard at 8pm.
Among the Arab films are Egyptian movie Messages From the Sea (Rasa’il Min Il Bahar), Tunisian movie The Season of Men (Mawsim Il Rijal), Palestinian film My Love Will Wait For Me By The Sea (Habibi Biyistanani Enid Il Bahar), Emirati film The Sea’s Voice (Sawat Al Bahar) and Algerian movie Warship (Haraka). International films presented will include features from the US, Mexico and Denmark, alongside Asian films from several countries, including the Philippines, China, Iran, Turkey and Cambodia. Naqsh Short Film Festival winners will also have their films screened, as well as several movies shown in collaboration with the Bahrain Cinema Club. Some movies will be screened outside at the Bahrain Fort seaside courtyard.
Two seminars were also held at Bahrain Fort. “Sea in Film” on Friday November 29 with panelists Dr Amal Al Jamar, from Egypt and Mr Ibrahim Al Arees from Lebanon. “Film and Television: Diverge or Separate” on Saturday November 30 with panelists Khalil Al Damoon from Morocco, Mamoon Albani from France and Adnan Madnaat from Jordan.
