Ayn film fest showcases Omani cinematic talent, concludes
The Ayn Short Film Festival, organised by the Ministry of Information, concluded on Sunday with a ceremony held under the patronage of H E Dr Abdullah bin Nasser al Harrasi, Minister of Information, where winners in three categories - short feature, documentary and children's films – were announced celebrating talent in Omani cinema.
Directed by Musa al Kindi, Al Banjari won the short feature film category. Ayman al Numani's The Omani River was lauded as the best documentary film, while the children's category was won by Yaqoub al Khanjari's Burning Souls.
In the children’s film category, In Her Place by Wafa al Rashidiya won for best screenplay, while the award for best cinematography went to Burning Souls. Wafa also won the award for best actress, while Hood al Hinai was feted as best actor. Muhannad Mardi's skillful editing in In Her Place earned him the award for best editing, while Faisal al Shibli won best soundtrack for the film. Shahad al Balushi and Layan al
Khatria were winners in the best make-up artist category for Burning Souls.
In the short feature films category, Ismail bin Hilal won for best screenplay in Uncertainty, and Amjad al Nabhani won for best cinematography in The Green Box. Wafa was named best actress also for Al Banjari, with Raed al Ameri winning best actor for Uncertainty. The award for make-up went to Ibrahim al Jassasi and Rehab Adel for Al Banjari, and best editing went to Saeed al Wahaibi for Rob. Shibli claimed the best soundtrack also for Al Banjari.
In documentaries category, The Irrigated Land by Abdullah al Raisi won the best concept, Fahd al Maimani won best cinematography for You Will Not Dive Alone, and Walid al Kharousi best soundtrack for Magic of the Sands. The Jury Award was presented to Maryam al Rasbiyeh for Hajjin.
Addressing the concluding ceremony, H E Harrasi emphasised the festival’s role in the ministry's commitment to developing the film sector. He informed that the Ayn platform is a testament to this commitment, being the largest audio-visual library in Oman, attracting millions of viewers and listeners worldwide.
He also highlighted the concepts and vision of the young participating filmmakers, which reflect the social nuances and national ethos through their work
H E Harrasi acknowledged the festival's role in enhancing the Ayn platform's presence locally, regionally and internationally.