The Pakistani film "Bam Awaz," directed by Zainab Yunus, won the Best Short Narrative Film award at the second edition of the Sharqiya International Film Festival, which concluded today, Sunday, in Oman. The film addresses the issue of identity and family ties in the face of personal dreams through the story of a young journalist named Zaha, who lives in Quetta and faces a choice between leaving her hometown in search of better opportunities or staying to write about her city and its inhabitants.
Additionally, the film "Ramad" directed by Suleiman Al-Khalili won the Best Omani Short Narrative Film award at the festival, while the Jury Prize in this competition was awarded to the film "One Century and Six Years" directed by Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Nasif.
In the documentary category, "Beneath the Sands" directed by Bahraini filmmaker Jan Al-Balushi won the Best International Short Documentary Film award. The Best Omani Short Documentary Film award went to "Katm Al-Anfas," directed by Issa Al-Sabahi, while the film "You Will Not Dive Alone," directed by Fahd Al-Maimani, received the Jury Prize.
The festival's Identity Award, "Oman Shlouni," went to the film "Heaven of Birds" directed by Abdullah Al-Raisi, and the Jury granted its special award to the film "Al-Murad," directed by Mohamed Al-Ajmi.
In the animation category, the Egyptian film "The Pyramid," directed by Mohamed Ghazala, won the Best Film award, while Best Screenplay went to Aziz Bakour for the film "Al-Assas" from Morocco.
The audience voted the direct voting award to the Iraqi film "11 February," directed by Mohamed Makki, in the short narrative films category, and to the film "You Will Not Dive Alone" in the short documentary films category.
