100 Cans, produced by Anasy Media and directed by Mazen Al Khayrat, has won multiple awards at international and local festivals.
Trends Research and Advisory, in collaboration with Anasy Media, organised a special premiere screening of the Emirati documentary 100 Cans. The film sheds light on the persistent and harmful impact of landmines on civilians and communities long after conflicts have ended.
The screening was followed by a panel discussion titled ‘Artwork in Conflict Zones: Re-Imagining Lives and Livelihoods’. Panelists included film director Mazen Al Khayrat, artist Saif Chilmiran, and researcher Shamma Ahmed Al Qutbah. They discussed topics such as art as a means of recovery, fostering dialogue in war-torn societies, the challenges and risks of producing art in conflict zones, empowering local communities through collaborative art projects, art’s role in highlighting and addressing social issues, and art as a tool of representing people under siege. Additionally, the panel touched on documentary filmmaking as a tool for advocacy and social change, as well as challenges and responsibilities regarding scientific research and knowledge production in conflict zones.
Mazen Al Khayrat, film director at Anasy Media, spoke about the physical and psychological challenges faced by artists working in conflict zones, noting the significant obstacles the 100 Cans team encountered during filming and production amid landmines and security risks. He emphasised the need for courage and resilience in transforming artistic messages into impactful tools that inspire hope.
Al Khayrat also discussed the use of artwork to raise global awareness of pressing issues, such as the devastating impact of landmines, and the call for improved policies and humanitarian assistance for affected communities. Further, he highlighted the role of documentaries in conveying human stories from conflict zones, noting that films like 100 Cans do not just document civilian suffering but also serve to raise global awareness and mobilise audiences in support of humanitarian causes.
Shamma Ahmed Al Qutbah explained that 100 Cans carries a global message that transcends geographical and cultural boundaries, targeting all who have a beating heart and a conscious mind. She highlighted that knowledge is a weapon stronger than violence, and scientific research can turn stories of pain into hope, illuminating the darkness of conflicts with understanding and awareness.
100 Cans, produced by Anasy Media and directed by Mazen Al Khayrat, has won multiple awards at international and local festivals, including the Golden Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards in the U.S. and Best Director at the Falcon GCC Film Competition of the Al Ain Film Festival.
The film has participated and been nominated for awards at 17 international film festivals in France, Berlin, Madrid, Canada, Moldova, New York, California, North Carolina, Sweden, Chicago, Rhode Island, and Italy. It was also screened at Soho House in Hollywood, U.S.A.
The premiere event was attended by Col. Dr. Saif Suleiman Al Ghaithi from the Ministry of Defence, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Ali, CEO of Trends Research and Advisory, the Anasy Media team, as well as a large number of researchers, journalists and Trends employees. Dr. Al Ali opened the screening and panel discussion with a welcoming address, commending the efforts of Sheikha Alyazia bint Nahyan Al Nahyan, the first Extraordinary Ambassador for Culture to the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) and the founder of Anasy Media.
