Directed by Alyazia Bint Nahyan the film seeks to highlight the need to follow the truth behind every rumour.
Bassam Al Zawoudi, head of the Gulf Falcon Competition Committee at Al Ain Film Festival 2021, has announced that the Emirati fantasy short film Athel won the ‘Best Film Award’ in the ‘Falcon Emirati Short Film’ competition.
Distributed by Mad Solutions, Athel was produced by Toaster Productions and Anasy Media, directed by Alyazia Bint Nahyan, starring the Egyptian actress Hala Shiha, the veteran Emirati artist Mansour Alfeeli, the British actor Keith Dallison, the young actors Ahmed Al Hosani and Haydar Al Lami, producers Afra Al-Marar and Haifa Al-Haidari, and filmed by Alex Martella.
Based on the long-forgotten story and rumours of the short-lived life of the pre-Islamic Arabian poet, Tarfa Ibn Al-Abd or historically known in the world of literature as “the murdered boy”, Alyazia Bint Nahyan steps into the shoes of directing, driven by the wish to gain insights on the untimely death of the poet and finding the truth behind the rumours.
The events of the film revolve around Tarfa the poet and a present-day presenter Salma, preoccupied with filming an episode of her poetry show. Soon enough, she discovers that fate hides something far from reality, changing the course of the story.
The film seeks to highlight the need to follow the truth behind every rumour, with the conclusion at the end: “Not everything you hear, must be believed, seek for the truth”
Athel won various awards and trophies like the Platinum Award for Best Fantasy Short at the Independent Short Awards in Los Angeles – USA, the Gold Remi Awards at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival in USA, Finalist at ARFF Amsterdam 2020 International Awards in Netherlands, Finalist & Nominated for the Viewer’s Choice Award at Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival in Canada, Award Winner at Calcutta International Cult Film Festival in India, Outstanding Achievement Certificate at Berlin Flash Film Festival in Germany, as well as being officially selected at Corto Creativo Short Film Festival in Mexico, Rome Independent Prisma Awards in Italy, Toronto Lift-Off Film Festival in Canada, Madrid Film Festival in Spain, the 38th season of Cult Critic Movie Awards 2021 in India, VIFF Vienna Independent Film Festival in Austria, Amsterdam Lift-Off Film Festival in Netherlands and at the Bridges International Film Festival in Loutraki-Corinthia, Greece.
