Omani films participate in Indian Film Festival

Mumbai: Three Omani films participated in the 11th edition of the Indian Film Festival, which continues in Mumbai, India, until September 10.

The Sultanate of Oman’s participation came through the artistic presence of the Omani Cinema Society through the film “The Minor” by director Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Ajmi, and the films “Al-Maksara” and “Hashf” by director Dalila Al-Diriyah.

The film “Al Minor” dealt with the Omani art of zmat and how to prepare for the start of the competition in the form of a suspenseful documentary. As for the film “Al-Maksara,” it documents the custom of “Al-Mukasara” in Nizwa Market, which is a traditional heritage custom that means arguing or negotiating the price between the seller and the buyer to agree on a price that both parties are satisfied with.

The film focuses on the Omani dagger because of its importance in shaping the emblem of the Sultanate of Oman, and as an important part of the Omani man’s identity. The movie “Hashf” also deals with the story of a woman who lives in a remote village in Oman, and its events revolve around postponing things until they are over and we lose them, and about the abandonment of parents or children and the lack of consideration for the elderly who are still clinging to their lives, their village, and their animals.

Regarding participation in the festival, director Muhammad Al-Ajmi said: Participation in international festivals is a great gain in terms of benefiting from and learning about cinematic experiences, and a unique opportunity to gain more experiences and learn about different cultures. Al-Ajmi stressed that one of the main objectives of all international participations is to introduce the cultural heritage that the Sultanate of Oman is rich in, and it must be promoted in a way that befits it, in order to attract workers in the field of cinema and motivate them to make films in the Sultanate.