The film is inspired by a children's book series published by Al Hudhud in Dubai.
Khadija Kudsi’s short film Suhail, which recently won the Best Short Film Award at the Al Ain Film Festival, provided some insight into the daily life of an autistic boy.
According to a study published in the medical journal Autism Research, one in every 10,000 children worldwide is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
Suhail stars Suhail Al-Sharqi, Michele Ziolkowski, and Abdullah Al-Sharqi. It is produced by Salma Azam, edited by Roberto Risto, and lensed by Saad Aldin.
MAD Solutions is managing the film’s distribution worldwide.
The film’s story is set in the beautiful mountains of Fujairah, where a boy named Suhail suffers from autism. Through interviews with Suhail’s family members, teachers, and therapists, the film uncovers more about the young man’s life and his strengths and weaknesses.
The UAE, where Suhail — the titular protagonist of a short film — lives is one of the top 10 countries with the highest autism rates in the world, recording 112.40 children on the spectrum in every 10,000.
Suhail begins with a mother expressing her feelings after learning that her son has autism, asking: “Is it my fault?” “Have I done something wrong when I was pregnant?” is a common sentiment shared by all mothers who have children with special needs.
As the film progresses, we see Suhial in a variety of shots from his daily life, including how he communicates, his body language, and his connection to nature.
We also learn more about his family, their thoughts and feelings about Suhail, along with their hopes and fears for him. Moreover, we gain insight into his life as a student at the Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Center in the UAE, including how teachers there support students like him in their efforts to communicate and learn, and their views on the unique challenges that children on the spectrum face.
All in all, Suhail is an emotional film that frames the daily challenges and occasional hardships that every loving and devoted family who has a child with special needs faces, and the enormous efforts they exert to ensure their child is afforded the same opportunities as other children.
