The film industry has suffered a massive blow, and still is, from the COVID19 pandemic. But there seems to be a silver lining for short-format content! As we are becoming more and more attached to our online presence, and coupled with our dwindling span of attention, platforms such as Facebook, YouTube and the likes are investing heavily on short films. On the other hand, platforms such as Quibi have shut down indefinitely, despited the millions of dollars of investment and celebrity power backing. But is this to say that short films are a fad? Just an excuse to fill a temporary gap? What is the importance of short-format content and where is it headed to? Is it going to replace the Marvel universe anytime soon? And how is it perceived in your respective regions? And what are you doing to stress on its importance?
Nawaf Al Janahi: Nawaf is an actor and a film director who was born in Abu Dhabi (UAE) on 7 February 1977 to an Egyptian mother and an Emirati father. His first feature length film "The Circle" was described by film critics as "a major turning point in Emirati and Gulf cinema". Al Janahi's second feature film "Sea Shadow", toured more 27 countries the most remarkable tour for an Emirati feature film to date. Beside making films, Nawaf is also the founder of a number of initiatives such as the Emirati Cinema Campaign, Black Box Cinema, and Cineolio.
Khadija Kudsi: Saudi filmmaker and a children author. Earning her film diploma from New York Film Academy in 2013, she has since written, directed and produced short films and documentaries, operettas and web series. Her films tend to tackle social issues. In 2016, four films she produced and assist-directed screened at Cannes Film Festival in the short film corner.
Saleh Nass: Saleh is a Bahraini Director, Editor and Screenwriter having made a number of short films. He’s also edited Bahrain’s first feature film in a decade, the award-winning THE SLEEPING TREE (2014). Spending his time between London and Bahrain, he is an aspiring musician - playing the Tanbour, an ancient stringed instrument. The remainder of his time is spent taking photographs.
Ayman Al Shatri: Ayman is an Iraqi director, editor and writer, born in 1992 in the city of Nasiriyah, southern Iraq. He directed many films, the most important of which is The Fifth Hour, which has won many awards and was named Young Arab Rising Star by Screen International magazine.
Ahmad Saleh: Ahmad Saleh is a writer/director based in Germany. His first work was a stories collection titled Zowwada. This collection was awarded the A M Qattan's Young Writers Award in 2004 in Palestine. His graduation project “Ayny” won a golden Oscar at the Student Academy Awards 2016 in the foreign animation category.