Short film makers Khalifa AlMarri, Karim Rahbani, Jeremie Reichenbach and Ahmad Saleh pose for photograph during the Ajyal Youth Film Festival in Doha, yesterday.
Directors of nine of the short films selected for screening at the fifth Ajyal Youth Film Festival, talked about their films during one-on-one discussions with members of the local and international press at Katara Cultural Village.
Ahmad Saleh, director of animated short My Second Eye an animation based on a traumatic real-life event he witnessed at a refugee camp talked about bringing his vision to life. “At first, I couldn’t even imagine what I would do with it, the event was so shocking. I’m glad I could transform it into a story that people are now able to watch.”
Katja Benrath, who directed her co-production All of Us which deals with an incident in 2015, when a bus of Muslim and Christian Kenyans was attacked by Al Shabab terrorists, as a graduation project, said that she was especially pleased that her film would be judged by a youth audience. “I was here five years ago and I was impressed by the young jurors and how knowledgeable they were. I really like the idea of educating through film and it is amazing that the youth is learning from the festival this way.” Elina Fessa, who tells two separate but intersecting stories that will change the lives of those involved in Tracks was excited to be showing her film in the Middle East. “It’s the first screening at a festival focussed on youth rather than other filmmakers, so I’m expecting the reactions to be more raw. It’s amazing to be given the opportunity to reach such a genuine audience.”
The shorts were shown in two of the three programmes dedicated to international film that are part of the 5th Ajyal Youth Film Festival: Abstract Visions and Home.
