Watch it!

Fatima Tapya enjoys an evening of student film screenings at the American University of Sharjah.

Students and faculty of mass communications - MCM 473 - presented Sight Unblocked an evening of student film screenings and visual displays at the American University of Sharjah recently.

The highlight was the premiere of Hollywood Dreamin, a documentary by Susan Smith, assistant professor of mass communication, for Al Jazeera International.

"My film is about the AUS students who created a package of films and took them to USC [ University of Southern California] to an international premiere." USC, Steven Spielberg's film school, was a "fun connection" for Susan Smith, who graduated from the institute.

Clever campaign

The department had created a clever ‘TEAser' campaign to advertise the event. The main visual was the tea bag alongside the words Sight Unblocked. Teabags could also be seen dangling from handbags, key chains and even sunglasses!

After the student films had been shown, viewers were asked to cast their votes on the film they felt was the best student project.

Professors voted as critics.

Critics' Choice Award
Winner: Nashwa Mohammad Al Darawy - Representin' 06
Runner-up: Mariam Ahmad - It's Filmi

Student's Choice Award
Winner Nashwa Al Darawy - Representin' 06
First runner-up: Nashwa Mohammad Al Darawy – Ante-Forever
Second runner-up: Mais Abdul Mawla and Hasmik Babikan

WINNERS SPEAK

Nashwa Mohammad Al Darawy - winner of the Critic's Choice Award and Student's Choice Award for her docu-drama Representin' 06 and first runner up in the Student's Choice awards for her docu-drama Ante-Forever.

"I try as much as I can to make my films in compliance with my religion. I feel that films, and media in general, are extremely effective in sending messages across, and if used well, can influence people strongly. Many of us today are negatively influenced by the media, and so I try to send

a message across as a wake-up call to the youth, hoping and praying that I may be able to cause a positive change.

"I like to use different genres such as comedy, drama, suspense, and film-noire, or a combination of all in each film.

"My films won first because of Allah's blessings. I also think that the audience was able to relate to the characters well because they were echoing real people's thoughts and actions. People who we see and/or deal with everyday."

Mariam Ahmad – runner-up for the Critic's Choice Award for her documentary It's Filmi

"It's Filmi is a light-hearted documentary that shows glimpses of Bollywood and why Bollywood films don't get their due credit. I love Indian cinema and I think Indian films are not emphasised much here [in this university] and I hope that my film can change that. It looks at popular Indian cinema and tries to prove that although it isn't Hollywood, it's another art form and a lot of hard work goes behind their films. So it shouldn't be considered any less of a movie."

Nourah Al Maiman – director of Empty

"My movie is about the loneliness and isolation people put themselves in because of sorrowful past experiences. When watching the movie, one is required to have patience and an intellectual way of thinking."