ZUMEFF Article
ZUMEFF is a Middle East wide film festival that occurred in Zayed University, for students by students. It exhibits the best films from universities across the region, prizes are determined by student’s reviews and industry judges.
This is my second time I visit ZUMEFF, it has wonderful films and it give students a chance to produce short and meaningful films. I had a pleasant experience in these two years of visiting ZUMEFF, it encouraged me to produce a short film that carries a life message for people. The most influence film to me was Ayny, it has a meaningful direct message to people to be satisfied of what we have. It also tells a story that have some reality like starting a destruction small village, reminds me of Palestine and Syria after the War. So the producer Ahmed Saleh transferred the picture that in his mind in a direct and clear way, convince people of his message.
The three films I reviewed:
1- II Silenzio — produced by Farnoosh Samadi from Italy/Iran
Film sort: Narrative
It is about a Kurdish woman with her daughter visited a foreign hospital to diagnose about her mother disease. As the mother does not speak English but only her daughter knows, it was hard for her daughter to translate for her mother and tell her that she has a breast cancer disease.
I like the movie, they showed us how a feeling of loosing and disappointment can be reflected on a child. The action was like real.
2- Ayny — produced by Ahmad Saleh Germany/Palestine
Film sort: Animation
The story begins as a small village in palestine was harmed by a war. Then talks about two kids talking about their village, they moved to a new empty village and build it so it became beautiful like their old village. These two kids have a mother who tell them to be satisfied of what they already have, not to see more than what they need. They had a dream to buy Oud(musical tool), they found something underground they thought it is a heavy coin that make them buy the Oud, but actually it was a booby trap. They lose one hand each of them.
The film was carrying a direct life message, which is an important standard to done a successful film, makes everyone talks about it. It has an emotional appeal so it affects me deeply, remind me of the wars and migrant children who trying to survive with their new life.
Here are few questions from the students to the producer Ahmed Saleh;
A student question: what are the challenges that you face in making that movie?
Ahmed: a witness story and it is a war and real so maybe some of people will not understand it because they never had it, so this is a challenge for me.
A student question: is writing of this movie as escape for you from what happened in Palestine?
Ahmed: It is never out of me, whenever the film showed again I feel nervous. I will not get it out of me so no escape.
A student question: what is your vision for this film.
Ahmed: I want to tell this movie for 10 millions of people if it is possible, but I think we all have different problems everywhere. It is hard to reach people feelings sometimes.
3- Face The Music — produced by Saeed Rachid UAE
Film sort: Narrative
A local musician man called Yusef, his face is burned, he is married and his wife it pregnant but the income is not enough for living. He accepted an offer from a musical agency, they wanted him because his face matching for Rock music themes with electric guitars. He gained too much money of that job, but not feeling comfortable with his face and he felt that this agency is exploiting his look. Later, he became a famous person because of his play and his face.
This movie gives me a message of being who you are, your look is not everything. But what you do is much important and it reflects you.
