Doha Film Institute is proud to present a new program to feature emerging filmmaking talent in Qatar. This “Made in Qatar” program is created to support both student and independent filmmakers and to give them the opportunity to bring their voices on to the global stage. This is a collection of short films that are either made in Qatar or made by those who call it home – be it a Qatari national or a non-local resident.
Presented By Doha Film Institute as part of Year in Culture
Yusef is a family man from the West Bank, battling enormous queues at dawn to get to work every day, exacerbated by severe back pain and surrounded by military checkpoints. On his day off, to celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife Noor, he takes their daughter Yasmine on a trip to buy a surprise gift. The celebratory plan starts off well, but eventually, Yusef has to grapple between parenting and the humiliating realities of the checkpoints they become entangled with. Along the way, they meet many others enduring similar setbacks and daily indignities. Yusef overcomes the small but brutal realities, withstands the pain in his back and tries to motivate Yasmine to cultivate hope. However, by nightfall, as their patience shatters into fatigue and cold, the gift that was intended as a surprise is under threat of not making it home, and they find themselves in danger. Can Yusef suppress the mortification he endures and the debilitating pain in his back to overcome the limitations forced on them? Will little Yasmine succumb to the trauma of the degradation of her father or will her courage help them triumph in the face of barriers colluding to destroy their day?
About the filmmaker:
Farah Nabulsi is an Academy Award Nominated and BAFTA Award Winning Palestinian British filmmaker. In 2016, she started working in the film industry as a writer and producer of short fiction films. Her work includes 'Today They Took My Son', endorsed by British Director Ken Loach and screened at the United Nations. 'The Present', her directorial debut, which she also co-wrote, premiered at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2020 and won the coveted Audience Award for Best Film. It went on to win over 30 International Film Festival Jury and Audience Awards, a BAFTA Award and an Oscar Nomination. 'The Present' was licensed internationally, including to Canal+ and Netflix Worldwide.
- Year2020
- Runtime25 minutes
- LanguageArabic
- CountryPalestine, State of, Qatar
- DirectorFarah Nabulsi
- ScreenwriterFarah Nabulsi, Hind Shoufani
- ProducerOssama Bawardi
- Executive ProducerMohannad Malas, Farah Nabulsi
- CastSaleh Bakri, Maryam Kanj, Mariam Basha
- CinematographerBenoît Chamaillard
- EditorHind Shoufani
- MusicAdam Benobaid
Doha Film Institute is proud to present a new program to feature emerging filmmaking talent in Qatar. This “Made in Qatar” program is created to support both student and independent filmmakers and to give them the opportunity to bring their voices on to the global stage. This is a collection of short films that are either made in Qatar or made by those who call it home – be it a Qatari national or a non-local resident.
Presented By Doha Film Institute as part of Year in Culture
Yusef is a family man from the West Bank, battling enormous queues at dawn to get to work every day, exacerbated by severe back pain and surrounded by military checkpoints. On his day off, to celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife Noor, he takes their daughter Yasmine on a trip to buy a surprise gift. The celebratory plan starts off well, but eventually, Yusef has to grapple between parenting and the humiliating realities of the checkpoints they become entangled with. Along the way, they meet many others enduring similar setbacks and daily indignities. Yusef overcomes the small but brutal realities, withstands the pain in his back and tries to motivate Yasmine to cultivate hope. However, by nightfall, as their patience shatters into fatigue and cold, the gift that was intended as a surprise is under threat of not making it home, and they find themselves in danger. Can Yusef suppress the mortification he endures and the debilitating pain in his back to overcome the limitations forced on them? Will little Yasmine succumb to the trauma of the degradation of her father or will her courage help them triumph in the face of barriers colluding to destroy their day?
About the filmmaker:
Farah Nabulsi is an Academy Award Nominated and BAFTA Award Winning Palestinian British filmmaker. In 2016, she started working in the film industry as a writer and producer of short fiction films. Her work includes 'Today They Took My Son', endorsed by British Director Ken Loach and screened at the United Nations. 'The Present', her directorial debut, which she also co-wrote, premiered at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2020 and won the coveted Audience Award for Best Film. It went on to win over 30 International Film Festival Jury and Audience Awards, a BAFTA Award and an Oscar Nomination. 'The Present' was licensed internationally, including to Canal+ and Netflix Worldwide.
- Year2020
- Runtime25 minutes
- LanguageArabic
- CountryPalestine, State of, Qatar
- DirectorFarah Nabulsi
- ScreenwriterFarah Nabulsi, Hind Shoufani
- ProducerOssama Bawardi
- Executive ProducerMohannad Malas, Farah Nabulsi
- CastSaleh Bakri, Maryam Kanj, Mariam Basha
- CinematographerBenoît Chamaillard
- EditorHind Shoufani
- MusicAdam Benobaid