Award-Winning Films Named at 11th Muscat International Film Festival

Muscat: The winning films were announced at the 11th Muscat International Festival, organized by the Omani Cinema Society under the patronage of Her Highness Sayyida Hajija bint Jaif Al Said.

During the closing ceremony, the winning films in various categories were honored. In the short Omani documentary films, the award went to the film (Daughter of the Sand) by director Salah Al Hadhrami, with a certificate of mention from the jury, and the jury award went to the film (You Will Not Dive Alone) by director Fahd Al Maimani, and it won the Dagger Award for best documentary film. Omani short film (Magic of the Sands) directed by Walid Al Kharousi.

In the Omani Short Narrative Films category: The Khanjar Award for Best Omani Short Narrative Film went to the film (Water Religion) by director Haitham Suleiman, the Jury Prize to the film (Alpha and Beta) by director Asim Al Hashemi, and the Al Muhazam Award for Best Actress to artist Dalila Al Diriyah for her role in the film The Water Religion.

The Al-Muhzam Award for Best Actor was shared equally between Saleh Al-Raisi for his role in the movie (Alpha and Beta) and Hamza Al-Hashemi for the movie (Water Religion).

In the category of international and Omani animated films, the Khanjar Award for Best International Film went to Bilal Abu Samra from the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Al-Muhzam Award for Visual Design went to Iyad Abdul Hussein Suleiman from the Republic of Iraq for the film (A Dream on a Wall), and the Jury Prize for the film (Without Words). ) by Nour Gamal from the Arab Republic of Egypt.

As for feature-length documentaries, the Best Film Award went to (The Hidden Beauty of Iraq) by director Suhaim Omar Khalifa and the Belgian Jurgen Beaudet, and the Best Cinematography Award went to the film (House of Wonders) by director Friedrich from the Sultanate of Oman, and the Jury Prize went equally to: the film (The Water Mall). ) by director Fouad Al-Soubia from Morocco, and the film (God’s Limits) by director Anis Al-Aswad from Tunisia.

In the feature films category, the Khanjar Award for Best Feature Film went to the film (The Guardian) by director Sadiq Siddiq Abu Talib from Iran, the Al-Muhzam Award for Best Actress went to the artist Sonia Okasha for the film (The Divorces of Casablanca) from Morocco, and the Al-Muhzam Award for Best Actor to the artist Dhafer Al-Abidine for ( The film “A Nose and 3 Eyes” from Egypt, the Jury Prize for the film “The Swap” directed by Yasser Ahmadi from the Sultanate of Oman and Iran, the Al-Muhzam Award for Best Direction for the film “Amakor” directed by Ahmed Al-Khodary from Kuwait, and the Al-Muhzam Award for Best Screenplay for: Abdul-Jabbar Dildar, Farzana Shabani, and Hamza Salehi. For (The Guardian Film), and a special mention for the performance of the artist Neela Njana Sha Sudha for her role in the film (What the Birds Want), directed by Sudha Rawik from India.

Dr. Hamid Al Ameri, President of the Omani Film Society, said: The 11th Muscat International Film Festival featured 23 films from 11 countries around the world, which added great diversity to the festival, from feature films to documentaries, animated films, inspiring works, and workshops and artistic works in filmmaking. content, and this festival embodied the spirit of cooperation and cultural exchange. The festival also witnessed a strong international presence; Where artists and directors from different countries gathered to exchange experiences and visions; This will enhance cultural understanding and deepen relations between peoples.

The festival honored the directors and actors who contributed to the success of the festival. This reflects appreciation for the efforts made in the film industry and the focus on national identity and cultural development. Muscat represents the ideal location for this festival. It combines tradition and modernity, and cultural events enhance the status of the Omani capital as a renewed cultural center.