myDylarama

Palestine 36 - Harrowing and all too rare retelling of the pre-Nakba period

Mydylarama team — 2025-09-18T15:54:53Z

Palestinian cinema is distinctly prolific. The more efforts are made to erase Palestinians as a people and Palestine as a slice of West Asian land, the more urgent the storytelling becomes. 2025 has already seen a number of much hyped premieres and releases, but the novelty this year seems to be the rare inclusion of historical dramas, films set around the time of the Nakba or earlier. These have been few and far between on the mainstream festival/distribution circuit. The Time That Remains or The Gate of the Sun come to mind from the last couple of decades...

This year saw the Summer premiere of Palestinian American filmmaker's All That's Left of You, which she has described as a “Palestine origin story.” The film is built around a Jaffa family saga, covering post 48 decades (the Nakba, the war of 1967, the First Intifada) but the focus remains on the dynamics and the fate of one particular family.

Annemarie Jacir (Salt of this Sea, Wajib - a film that just gets better with every viewing) tackles the pre-Nakba peasant revolt of 1936 and the wider colonial context in ambitious and wide-reaching epic Palestine 36. The film begins in (the titular) 36 in Palestine, then under British administration following the end of WW1 and the fall of the Ottoman Empire. Tensions have been escalating for years in the form of strikes, insurrections, and demonstrations, and culminate in an all-out Palestinian revolt against British colonial rule and the growing number of Zionist settlers.

In order to weave together quite dense geopolitical context and fictional plot, Jacir has quite deftly created a patchwork of characters - the young Yousef who hails from a small village, Afra and her family of farmers, Amir, an influential newspaper editor, and his journalist wife Khuloud, Father Boulos, the village priest, the British dignitaries - whose personal intertwined stories play out against the consequences of the factual history.

So little exists in mainstream cinema about this particular period - the Arab peasant revolt, the plan to partition Mandatory Palestine, which helps expose it (and the later the creation of the State of Israel) as "simply" another tendril of Britain's colonialist enterprises - that Jacir deserves credit for tackling it. Helpfully, the alludes to the earlier Sykes-Picot agreement, which essentially implemented the wider partition of the region and helps shed light on the geopolitics at play today, really driving home the fact that the ongoing wars, occupations, coups, and violence have their roots in political decisions that are only a century old.

Unsurprisingly, and despite weaving so many strands together (including archival footage), Annemarie Jacir does so seamlessly, and although the various protagonists are fairly archetypal, she creates real emotional engagement with their respective destinies, and rouses anger at the cruelty and injustice of the decades that would follow, and that would eventually lead us to what we are witnessing today.

The Fifth Annual Jerusalem Arab Film Festival (JAFF)

Mydylarama team — 2025-07-23T14:27:52Z

The Jerusalem Arab Film Festival has just celebrated its fifth edition. Set up in 2020, the festival is a rare chance to celebrate Arab storytelling in increasingly restricted cultural spaces under occupation and helps foster a sense of connection for Palestinians living in the city who are for the most part physically cut off from the rest of historic Palestine and the wider Arab world. The week-long JAFF presented 31 films, including fiction features, docs, and shorts, as well as panels and talks at Al Hakawati Theater in East Jerusalem.

Founder and director Nevin Shaheen is keen to stress the importance of this space for the city's cultural life and Palestinian identity: “We dedicate a significant part of the festival's program to social and political cinema, with a spotlight on the suffering of the people of Gaza, and we present films that reflect the stories of prisoners and the weight of memory under occupation. Cinema here becomes a space of emotional, political, and cultural resistance.” (Festival catalogue)

Internationally, Palestinian cinema stands out: despite the impossible situation on the ground, the incredible precariouness which defines all aspects of the lives of the quasi-totality of Palestinians, filmmaking is surprisingly prolific. Bethlehem-based Film Lab Palestine presents a full programme of new shorts every year, most notably showcased at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, and without fail, the cinematography is exquisite, the stories are strong and rousing, the performances nuanced and captivating. Yet, Jerusalem has so far remained on the margins of this resilient sector. Festival consultant and Tripoli Film Festival founder Elias Khlat describes Jerusalem as "largely absent from the cinematic panorama”. “Had it not been for this film festival, initiated by Nevin Shaheen, it would have been entirely missing from the map.”

(EU Partners)

The festival opened on 9 July with Passing Dreams by prominent Palestinian filmmaker Rashid Masharawi (Feature Jury Prize), a family journey through Palestine on the hunt for a homing pigeon. Other entries include We Are Inside, by Farah Kassem (Shireen Abu Akleh Jury Prize); Diaries from Lebanon, by Myriam al-Hajj; The Vanishing, by Karim Moussaoui; Aicha, by Mahdi M. Al Barsaoui (Best Feature Film); The Brink of Dreams, by Ayman al-Amir (Best Doc); The Village Next to Paradise, by Mo Harawe; Madaniya, by Mohamed Subahi (Special Mention), A Passing Day, by Rasha Shahin (Best Short).

The festival was followed by a 2-day programme rescreening festival entries in Bethlehem in collaboration with Wonder Cabinet.

Latin American highlights - Clermont-Ferrand FF 2025: Aferrado

Mydylarama team — 2025-02-01T12:50:00Z

Joel repairs engines, but now his own is overheating because of his side job as a gangster's henchman. He must take a decision. A breathless ride through Mexico City begins.

Estaban Azuela's "Aferrado" is an ingenious and breathless animated short that encapsulates so many complex stories about and layers to Mexico City.

Where did the idea come from?

I made this film trying to understand the origins of violence in my Mexican reality and the growing glorification of criminal figures through pop culture. Narrating it from a character who constructs his strength through acceptance in a criminal group, justifying himself through his passion for cars and socioeconomic status but ultimately defeated by the ambivalence with his culture that bind him to family values. In the end, it's the portrait of a failed heroic figure of masculinity.

It was also important for me to show these characters from the innocent perspective of a 10-year-old child, like the one I was at that time, and to realise how it almost imperceptibly permeated me with video games and figures of power and competitiveness. Bringing these elements to a more intimate level; the attachment to our memories and how to live more freely if we detach from them, seen through the duality in European and Nahuas beliefs about life after death and what we take with us when we die.

Can you tell us about the shooting process and location?

"Aferrado" is an ode to my hometown, Mexico City in the 90s. All the locations were based on the characters neighborhood, the one I used to visit when I was young. All the locations were captured with photogrammetry, scanning in 3d buildings, pieces of pavement, assets on the street that helped me to reconstruct memories as we often do, incomplete, broken, selective.

What hurdles did you face?

I wanted to create a statement highlighting the contrast between big productions in pop cinema—like scenes featuring a character being chased on a motorcycle through the main streets of Mexico City, which would require dozens of people per shoot—and other techniques of image construction. So, I began researching the tools available at the time and stumbled upon 3D scanning, which could be done with a tablet and a proximity sensor on a non-professional stage with a small crew. What I didn't know, though, was the huge gap we as Latin American users face when using this technology at the consumer level. Not just the technological lag back in the 2016 but the amount of computational process required—even for a low-poly aesthetic—demands expensive hardware, otherwise, the production time increases significantly. This is one of the reasons why this 18-minute film has kept us hooked for 9 years. Although, the learning curve with this difficulties was an amazing creative process where we needed to constrain the multiples possibilities of 3d software to minimal polygon modifiers.

What is your background as a filmmaker?

I entered film through animation, inspired by the animated allegories of Svankmajer, so my early works were more in the form of visual essays. With Aferrado, I wanted to connect with the audience through a popular narrative that could also make parallels to our consumption of violence in American cinema. I have a background in traditional and analog animation techniques, which helped me transition from stop-motion to a 3dscan-by-3dscan animation style with a low-fi aesthetic.

What stories would you like to tell next?

I enjoyed working fluid in a 3d background, but now I want to stay away from the mental process required by a linear narrative. So my next film will be a visual essay on the relationship between migration from Veracruz to the United States, and the extraction of natural dyes used in the production of U.S. dollar bills, sourced from the Veracruz jungle.

What do you like about the short format?

It's definitely about experimenting. It's more about trusting the process than being fixated on the traditional length of a film just to get it screened in theaters.

What are your hopes for the festival?

Aside from being inspired, meeting with my distribution company, MIYU, and finding production partners for my next film, I'm excited that my film—which could be categorised as animation—has the potential to be showcased at festivals that aren't limited by genre. I hope it sparks meaningful conversations about new ways of constructing imagery in cinema, going beyond traditional genre labels.

Latin American highlights - Clermont-Ferrand FF 2025: Lanawaru

Abla Kandalaft, Mydylarama team — 2025-01-30T19:06:19Z

A boy learns from his grandfather how rituals in the rainforest are important to maintain the balance between humans and nature.

Absolutely mesmerising and compelling film driving home the importance and urgency of the essential work carried out by indigenous communities protecting the environment.

Where did the idea for the film come from?

The idea for the film began when, together with the NGO Conservation International, we discussed making a movie in the Colombian Amazon about conservation. I made my first trip to the Amazon, where I met with indigenous communities who were involved in species conservation in the Lower Caquetá region. During my initial talks with them, they explained that for any film made in the area, I needed permission from the traditional healer of the community, “Don Alfonso.” After meeting with him, he shared with me his practices in healing and protecting the territory, which became the main origin of the film.

Can you tell us about the shooting process and location?

The filming process had several unique aspects that I'd like to highlight here. In recent years, the self-governing systems of the Amazonian indigenous communities have been strengthened as part of social and cultural resistance in the region. As a result, the making of the film followed these principles of governance and decision-making. On one hand, the story was developed in collaboration with them; their anecdotes, cultural and spiritual connection to the land, and their social dynamics inspired the film, with a focus on capturing the atmosphere of the place rather than explaining it. On the other hand, the film's production followed the same system they used for organizing their meetings: catering, transportation, fishermen, translators, and the cast were all equally shared among the communities involved, creating an intercultural balance in how the film was made.

The film was shot in a sacred conservation area called Puerto Caimán, where two communities are working to conserve species like the black caiman. It's also near indigenous communities that remain voluntarily isolated, often referred to as "uncontacted tribes." To enter the territory, we had to undergo a healing and protection process, in which the entire filming team participated.

What hurdles did you face?

I believe that every creative process faces challenges, but one major obstacle occurred two days before filming began. Our protagonist at the time, “Don Alfonso,” the traditional healer of the indigenous reserve, had to leave urgently and had to withdraw from the film. This raised alarms, and we had to quickly take a boat to the house of another traditional healer, who welcomed us into his home before the sunset. We asked him if he could take on the role of the traditional healer in the film. It was undoubtedly the best decision, and sometimes things happen the way they need to.

What is your background as a filmmaker?

I started studying film in Colombia and later at the ESCAC film school in Barcelona, where I specialized in cinematography. I've been making films as a director of photography and director for at least 15 years, focusing on documentaries, hybrid films, and fiction.

What stories would you like to tell next?

I have several projects in development, but two directions I'm exploring are: A feature film that would allow me to continue making movies in the Amazon, and redefining production models in collaboration with the communities there. Co-writing, co-creating, and co-learning interculturally throughout the creation process. On the other hand, I'm working on a more personal fiction film about the idea of returning home. It's like Homer's Iliad, but not about returning to a physical place, but to a state of joy, of childhood, which stays with us throughout life. For now, they're just concepts and ideas, but my goal is to finish writing them this year.

What do you like about the short format?

What I appreciate most about the short format is the possibility of imagination. When I watch a short film, I like to feel the atmosphere, almost like a daydream, a fleeting moment that's difficult to grasp right away and needs to settle after it's over. That's one of the strengths of short formats.

What are your hopes for the festival?

What interests me most about the festival, and film festivals in general, is that films become starting points for bigger discussions. They should encourage questioning, dialogue, and possibilities for imagination. I hope the festival provides spaces for this and also gives me the chance to meet people with whom I can collaborate on future projects.

Latin American highlights - Clermont-Ferrand FF 2025: Jacaré

Abla Kandalaft, Mydylarama team — 2025-01-30T18:53:39Z

Pedro is a teenager who sells drinks in the traffic jam on an expressway that takes thousands of people to the coast during summer. Driven by curiosity and desire, Pedro embarks on an adventure that transforms him profoundly.

Victor Quintanilha's short is a transportative journey into the lives of our protagonists that's full of heart.

Where did the idea for the film come from?

The idea for the film Jacaré came to me on my way back from visiting some relatives. The route back to my house passes through the road where we filmed the short, and during the summer, that road is often clogged with long traffic jams. In this setting, a whole mini-economy emerges, with vendors selling drinks and snacks to travelers heading to the beaches. I was stuck in one of those traffic jams, trying to get home, and, as often happens in those moments of idleness, my mind started to wander, and that's when ideas tend to come to me—ideas that eventually turn into scripts.

As I watched the vendors walking between the cars, selling their goods under the blazing sun, a thought crossed my mind: what if I told the story of someone who works in these traffic jams on the way to the coast but has, ironically, never seen the sea? From that question, I began to unravel the idea, and little by little, it took shape and became what Jacaré is today.

It's a sunny story, full of warmth, where I explored the power in something as simple as breaking free from routine and discovering something new.

Can you tell us about the shooting process and location?

Filming this short was, in many ways, a truly enjoyable experience because we were in places that are very familiar to me—places I've been visiting since childhood. What made it even more special was how much my relatives were involved in the process. It was a beautiful experience to see my uncles and cousins actively contributing. That's something I'll never forget and will always be grateful for.

That said, making this film came with its fair share of challenges, and perhaps the biggest one was recreating a traffic jam. When you stop to think about the logistics, you realize how complex it actually is. How do you get that many cars without a big budget? Where can you film the scenes without disrupting traffic? Who can drive all these cars to position and adjust them as needed? And how do you calculate the impact on the shooting schedule? There were so many questions that made filming those scenes incredibly stressful. But, despite all the stress, it's very rewarding to see the final result and know that all the hard work paid off. Still, the lesson learned is clear: never write a scene with a traffic jam again.

What hurdles did you face?

Filming on the beach turned out to be a real challenge. I wanted the camera to be as close to the actor as possible so we could capture all his emotions during this important experience for the character. But it quickly became clear that this decision brought a whole set of obstacles. The waves were relentless, and with the ocean moving so much, we kept losing our shots. On top of that, the noise from the sea made it almost impossible for the actor to hear my directions.

The cold water was another issue—the actor was shivering so much he couldn't stay in for long. We had to keep cutting to give him breaks to warm up. And, of course, the camera wasn't too happy about being in the water either. It started overheating, and before we knew it, the waterproof casing fogged up, making it hard to get good shots.

Despite all of that, the team really pulled together and adapted to each setback, and in the end, we managed to get the best we could out of the situation. But honestly, there were moments when I wasn't sure it was going to work. And I promised myself right then and there: never again will I write a scene in the ocean.

What is your background as a filmmaker?

I graduated in Film Studies in Rio de Janeiro and later specialized in sound for cinema at EICTV in Cuba. Since 2016, I've been working as a dialogue editor and ADR supervisor on films and TV shows—this is my main job, the one that supports me. But from the very start of my studies, I've always found ways to carve out time to write and direct my own projects, to tell my own stories. In 2020, I released my first professional short film, "Little Portugal", which earned a Special Mention at the 2021 Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival.

I'm someone who's always observing and open to the world around me, as it's the reality I live in that inspires me to create stories—films that connect with people and hopefully make a positive impact on their lives.

What stories would you like to tell next?

My next short film is called "Saara", and it's set in Rio de Janeiro's most important street market. It follows Niàn, a 55-year-old Chinese man who owns a variety store, and Marlene, a 53-year-old woman from the northern province of Pará, Brazil, who runs a small diner. Their paths cross at a pivotal moment in both of their lives. Marlene is on the verge of returning to her homeland, something she's dreamed of for years, while Niàn feels trapped by a store he inherited and can't escape a reality he no longer wants.

Both seek belonging and share dreams of a future where their different origins are bridges, not barriers. When Niàn's shop is shut down by the authorities for safety violations, Marlene steps in to support him as he navigates the uncertainty ahead. Together, they find comfort and hope in the face of adversity, showing the strength of empathy and resilience. As their lives become more intertwined, one question remains: will they find the courage to rewrite their stories, or will the weight of the past keep them bound to a life they never wanted?

What do you like about the short format?

I love a quote by Eliseo Altunaga, a great Cuban screenwriter, who says: "A short film is like an arrow that goes straight to the heart."

For me, the short film format has that unique power to impact the audience in just a few minutes. It is like an espresso—intense and concentrated, leaving its flavor lingering long after it's over. Shorts are like doors that, when opened, lead to a deeper exploration of the themes they touch on. And that's incredibly enriching—it's an irresistible invitation to dive into realities and discussions that extend far beyond the film itself.

What are your hopes for the festival?

In 2021, when "Little Portugal" was selected for the festival, I wasn't able to attend in person due to the pandemic, so this is a really special opportunity for me. I'm incredibly grateful to have a second chance to be part of the festival and finally experience it in person. I'm excited not only to share the film with the audience but also to connect with other filmmakers, producers, and creatives from all over the world. The chance to discuss our work, exchange ideas, and learn from each other is something I've been looking forward to. I hope this experience will help me grow both personally and professionally, and that the film will resonate with those who see it, sparking conversations and reflections beyond the screen.

Q&A with Dwan Kaoukji, director of Canary in a Coal Mine

Mydylarama team — 2024-02-12T20:43:02Z

One night, while guarding his aunt's house in a remote Lebanese village, Anis is forced to pretend he is a burglar to save his life during a break-in. An amusing short with a likeable cast. Very impressive debut short by Lebanese (now) filmmaker Dwan Kaoukji!

Canary in a Coal Mine was in the international competition of the Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival 2024.

Where did the idea come to you, given it's based on a true story?

I came across the idea from a friend of mine who told me a similar story that happened to someone in Iran. It really resonated with me because I felt the story reflected what is actually happening in the country today, both literally (with the rate of thefts in the country) and metaphorically (in the way corruption plays out across every facet of the government), and was compelled to write a script around it! I especially liked how the story shows demonstrates that no matter how hard you try to outsmart a corrupt system, it will always be one step ahead and will ultimately trap you into it. I also felt the story had all the ingredients for a good short film, and an engaging plot that I could work with. So I decided to contextualise it and make it a Lebanese story.

Where did you shoot in Lebanon? Why did you choose that location?

I deliberately tried to avoid locating the story to a specific place in Lebanon, so that Lebanese audiences wouldn't identify it and assume it was specific to one location. I had a hard time trying to find a remote and isolated village somewhere in the mountains with no visually identifying signs. And after several weeks of scouting, the crew managed to find a tiny village north of Beirut for the exterior shots. And for the interior shorts of the house, I managed to convince my parents to let me shoot in our family flat in Beirut to save money!! I'll be forever grateful to them for letting me do that, and just hope it never gets robbed!

How did you cast the actors?

I started by casting for the main protagonist - Anis. I was looking for a young man from Beirut of a specific class who could appear both confident and vulnerable at the same time. We cast around 15 actors before we found Josef Akiki who adopted the role really well.

As for the two thieves, I was looking for actors who could be both aggressive and violent, but also a bit comedic and relatable. I kept imaging one of the thieves to be similar in personality to a good friend of mine (Ahmad Ghossein), and managed to convince him to play the role of Rico. I got very lucky when I casted for thief because I managed to get a famous Lebanese actor to be on board. Fadi Abu Samra is extremely experienced and I noticed it intimidated the other two actors, which was perfect for the story and for developing the chemistry between them.

This is your first short film. Congratulations! How did you get into filmmaking? What's your background?

Thank you!! I'm actually a social scientist by background, but have always been fascinated by cinema and watched a lot of films. I didnt feel brave enough to make a film because I didnt have any training in it. But when I came across this story, it gave me some confidence because I could visualise it really. I decided if I was to give the process a try, I needed to self-fund it, so that I could learn from it and make sure nothing was at stake. Of course now, I'm completely addicted to filmmaking, and cant wait to make my next one!

What would you say were the biggest hurdles?

For me the biggest hurdle was getting government approval to shoot the film. Unfortunately, because of the final scene in the film, we were not able to get government permission to shoot it, so I had to find a way of shooting the scene while staying true to the story. That, and it rained miserably on the final day of shoot and the crew were all soaked for the final scene. Still, it came out beautifully!

Best thing about having been selected at the Clermont-Ferrand FF?

Being at a festival where short films are taken so seriously and really appreciated by audiences!! It's been an incredible experience! And meeting so many filmmakers from different parts of the world has been an incredibly inspiring experience! This festival is an absolute gem, and I cant wait to be back here again!

Q&A with Beth Rowland, director of Bury The Dogs - Clermont-Ferrand 2024

Mydylarama team — 2024-01-25T19:32:04Z

A coming of age drama about the cracks that form in childhood friendships, the vulnerability of youth and the frailty of parental figures.

Avoiding didacticism and cliches, Beth Rowland shares a thoughtful, nuanced and well-told story depicting how far-right thoughts and ideals can take root in specific contexts. An impressive early short carried by a solid cast.

The film will be shown at the International Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival 2024.

What gave you the impetus to tell this story?

I'm always interested by what drives people to act the way they do, and violence and aggression is so often born out of sadness and insecurity. It felt like such an interesting moment in Anthony's life to be with him on this night, where he's really teetering between his loyalty towards Emily and Tosh, and the wider implications of that. I feel like, as a society in general, we've become very polarised between the left and right politically. Only having empathy for those whose views we agree with is so dangerous, especially with right-wing rhetoric, it really creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, leaving people ignored and dismissed, and essentially angrier. Bury the Dogs isn't about making excuses for men like Anthony and Tosh but exploring why they believe what they do.

How did you get your cast and crew together?

Crew-wise, I either work with regular collaborators or my producers and I get recommendations from other directors I know. I'm a bit careful with who have on set because when it comes to improvising, the atmosphere is so important. There needs to be so much mutual respect, trust and communication to allow for that kind of freedom – basically you have to be proper mates. My DoP and Gaffer Dave Galloway and Owain Wilson are particularly genius at walking that line between naturalism and allowing the actor's freedom to be authentic, whilst finessing the look. For me with cast it's about finding great collaborators with the right chemistry. Paddy Rowan, I'd seen his work before on telly, I knew he had the right feel, and then, we had this first phone call, and he understood Anthony so instinctively that it had to be him. Sometimes it just clicks with for people. For Emily, the chemistry between her and Anthony was very specific, this brother sister bond, so we did workshop auditions to find Kirsty Johnson. I had Frank Harper in mind the whole time I was writing Tosh. I love his work and his on-screen presence, so for him to like the script and have this great immediate chemistry with Paddy was a bit surreal really.

Bury the Dogs Teaser from Cosmosquare Films on Vimeo.

What would you say where the biggest hurdles you faced?

Keeping the run time down! With improvising, the blessing and the curse is that you do all these workshops, and there's always so much more history and life to these characters, they become real people. The whole cast were boss in both the workshops and on set, so we had all this extra material that was proper brilliant, but you can't use it because it's not moving the story forward and honestly, if we had, the film would be about ten hours long.

What is your background as a filmmaker?

I'm self-taught. I was always interested in film but it seemed really inaccessible to BE a director. I first started making films with family and mates when I came back from Uni to Stoke – on –Trent, where I'm originally from, mainly because I was unemployed, so I had a bit of time on my hands. In 2018 I was mentored by Shane Meadows through making a short film a month for 12 months, which was a game changer for me. It developed my style and confidence, as and I made a couple of films I quite liked that I could show producers I met and start applying for funding and talent labs with.

What sort of stories would you like to explore next?

Character-driven black comedies with a bit of heart. It's a scary time but I reckon that's even more reason to have a laugh, you can push the boundaries more with comedy, and that's also how life is; you can be crying one minute and laughing the next. I'm always interested in exploring social issues and themes of masculinity and community, but I never want to be preaching to anyone - I'd never write a story around an issue, it's always character-driven for me.

What are your top shorts recommendations from the last couple of years (or generally!)?

The last few years -‘Three Bull Mastiffs in a Corner Kitchen' by Paul Chambers, ‘Saltwater Town' by Dan Thornburn, ‘Gooseneck' by Jamie Shelton, ‘Hanging On' by Alfie Barker & ‘For Heidi' by Lucy Campbell and in general ‘Father Christmas' by Raymond Briggs has me absolutely creasing every time I watch it.

What are your hopes for Clermont 2024?

Meet some other filmmakers and see some great short films, I've never been before and I've got
some of the cast and crew coming with me, we are buzzing for it.

Q&A with Elham Ehsas, director of Yellow - Clermont-Ferrand 2024

Mydylarama team — 2024-01-22T10:21:29Z

In Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, a woman walks into a chadari store in Kabul to buy her first full-body veil and face an uncertain future.

OSCAR-shortlisted and BAFTA-longlisted film "Yellow" is a beautiful, sensitive and intimate glimpse into one Afghan woman's experience of navigating rules that have such wide-ranging repercussions for her bodily autonomy. Elham Ehsas, an actor born in Kabul but living in London since the age of 10, has a real eye for aesthetics, and demonstrates an impressive attention to detail in his choices of materials, colours and music. The film will be showing at the Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival 2024.

Where did you get the idea for the story?

I was watching the actual press conference that is featured in the film when it made me realise that there are women who have never worn one before who now have to go out and buy a Chadari - and bingo! that was the seed.

Where did you shoot the film?

It was shot between Afghanistan and London.

What would you say were the biggest hurdles?

Chiefly it was casting an Afghan woman in the role of Laili as, even in London, there is a cultural blacklisting of women being in the arts, so it's always difficult for me to get Afghan women in my films.

What's your own background as a filmmaker?

I am an actor and started making films in 2018, which is when I fell in love with the craft and wanted to be able to represent my culture and stories on the big screen that don't revolve around the stereotypical narratives.

What are your hopes for the Clermont FF?

I hope that the film gets seen by as many people as possible and the message is spread far and wide. I am also looking forward to seeing great films in the festival, and making new friends.

What are your top shorts recommendations from recent years?

My favourite shorts from last year have been A Dead Marriage by Michal Toczek, Big Bang by Carlos Segunda, Olla by Ariane Labed, Our Males And Females by Ahmad Alyaseer, and Falling Up by Maryam Bakhtiari.

Yellow - Trailer (2023) from elham on Vimeo.

If you can't watch the short at the festival or at one of its next cinema screenings (London in Spring, more info coming up), you can watch it here.

EFN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL - SUBMIT TODAY!

Mydylarama team — 2023-06-28T09:50:07Z

The Emerging Filmmakers Night Short Film Festival's Final Deadline for submissions is TODAY!

EFN are are a disability friendly festival with screenings and events accessible to the
d/Deaf and HoH community and a BIFA qualifying festival for the second year running!

The festival will take place in September 2023 at The Garden Cinema - an independent
art-house cinema in the heart of London.

They accept films of any genre: Comedy, Drama, Horror, Animation, Documentary,
Experimental, etc.

– All selected films have a chance of winning prizes of £1200 in total value and will be
considered for the Best British Short category at the BIFA's.
– The Critics' Choice and Audience Favorite award winners will be screened before
a commercially released film at The Garden Cinema.
– Film submissions are accepted via FilmFreeway. 10% discount for students 15%
discount for gold FilmFreeway members and 20% for those who have submitted to
EFN before.
– Visit www.efnfestival.org/submit for full details!

“The EFN team really put on a well curated show, as well as showcasing a diverse array of emerging
talent. It was a fantastic experience.” Louis Chan - Writer/ Director

"EFN Short Film Festival showed us how it's done last night - one of the most accessible and inclusive
events I have attended, with a selection of beautiful films and a terrific panel, both very funny and
insightful. Made me optimistic for our future work." - Lillian Crawford - Film Critic/ Journalist

“I honestly can't recommend this festival highly enough. One of the best experiences I've had as a
filmmaker: from the insightful and fascinating questions during the Q&A to the clear connection they
have with an engaged audience” Celestine Fraser - Writer/ Producer

Leila Latif on Capernaum and contemporary Arab film

Mydylarama team — 2023-05-10T17:11:14Z

In this episode, journalist and film critic Leila Latif talks about her coup de coeur pick from a season of Arab women filmmakers at the Garden Cinema in London - Nadine Labaki's Capernaum. We talk about the importance of the film, its sensitive and sober depiction of poverty, its positive reviews and those that called it overblown or manipulative, and what this says about Western stereotypes of the Arab world. We also talk about Sudanese film, Saleh Bakri's always charismatic turns in Wajib and The Blue Caftan and nod to Wissam Aljafari's short Ambience.