Dubai: The Gulf Film Festival from April 8 to 14 has short-listed 21 films for the annual student competition in the short film category.
This year's student competition will reward makers of the top three documentaries and short films with cash prizes up to Dh90,000. There will also be a special jury prize of Dh15,000 for a documentary or short film.
In all, the competitions will feature prizes worth Dh485,000.
Masoud Amralla Al Ali, Festival Director, said: "The Student Competition at the Gulf Film Festival offers a window of opportunity for young filmmakers to reach out to a wider audience and potentially pursue a rewarding film career. The short-listed films are indicative of the rich creative competencies of our youngsters. Their attention to detail, the affinity for new technology and the narrative brilliance are encouraging signs that the film industry in the Gulf region is evolving dramatically." Student filmmakers in the UAE have submitted entries on a range of issues — family, friendship and the challenges faced by the society at large.
Among those is Hamda Al Bastaki's El Laileh (The Night), which depicts a contest to see who collects the most sweets on Hag Al Lela.
Common social issues and conflicts are portrayed in Nasser Jaber Al Rahma's And the Silence Remains. The traditional game of hide-and-seek is parodied on screen in Lahg by Khalid Al Abdullah while Mohammad Ahmad Fikree's mini series Omar! To School is the story of a boy who cannot seem to get to school in time due to the absence of his father.
Jealousy and hatred is the theme of Shhh by Shamma Abu Nawas and Hafsa Al Mutawa, while Mariam Al Khayat portrays the innocence of young love and the challenges in Neighbours. The search for the illusion of truth is handled by Hamad Saghran in Al Gubah (Midst of the Sea).
A college student torn between traditional marriage and love is shown in Madhi Ali Ali's Champs Elysees, Je T'aime (Champs Elysees, I Love You), a French-Qatari production.
