Distributed by Mad Solutions, the film is produced by Toaster Productions and Anasy Media and directed by Alyazia Bint Nahyan.
Emirati short film Athel has won an award at the Calcutta International Cult Film Festival in India, qualifying to compete for the Golden Fox Awards at the annual live screening gala of CICFF in the City of Joy, which will be held in January 2021.
Distributed by Mad Solutions, the film is produced by Toaster Productions and Anasy Media and directed by Alyazia Bint Nahyan. The film stars Egyptian actress Hala Shiha and Emirati artist Mansour Alfeeli. Taking part also are the upcoming actors Ahmed Al Hoseni and Haydar Al Lami. The film is produced by Afra Almarar and Hayfa Al Haidary and filmed by Alessando Martella.
The film deals with a new style and subtraction in a light witty drama template, about the story of the famous pre-Islamic poet Tarfa Bin Al-Abd or the “murdered boy” as it became known throughout history, a poet killed at the height of his glory and bewildered many thinkers and intellectuals in relation to his fate.
The film revolves around Salma, a widely known presenter, who is filming a poetry show about Tarfa, the pre-Islamic poet. With a sand storm disrupting the episode shoot and Salma’s son being lost for days, the presenter remains calm. Perhaps too calm, her mind distantly quiet, the loud crew then drives off forgetting her at the location.
The film was officially selected at Corto Creativo Short Film Festival in Tijuana, Mexico, Rome Independent Prisma Awards in Italy, and at Amsterdam Lift-Off Film Festival in the Netherlands.
The film has also won Outstanding Achievement certificate at the Berlin Flash Film Festival in Germany and the Gold Remi Award at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival in the USA, as well as Officially Selected at the Madrid International Film Festival in Spain, the VIFF Vienna Independent Film Festival – Austria, Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival in Canada, as Finalist at the ARFF Amsterdam 2020 International Awards, Netherlands and Finalist & nominated for the Viewers’ Choice Award at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival, Canada.
