Omanis bag many awards at Muscat Film Festival

Muscat: Films by Omanis and those based on the Sultanate won several awards at the Muscat International Film Festival (MIFF) awards ceremony on Saturday.
Among them was “The Neroz Omani” directed by Hussain Al Balushi, which won the Bronze Khanjar under the “Story of Oman” category.
In the “Story of Oman” short films category, Rukaya Al Bahri’s direction “Gift to the sky” bagged the Golden Khanjar. Under the same category, the Silver Khanjar was won by Bashayer Al Mashaykhi for his short film “Overlap”. Abdulaziz Al Habsi won the Bronze Khanjar for his film “False”.
Besides, the best short film award was won by Mohamed Al Harthy’s “Asya”. Other movies on Oman, albeit made by non-Omani nationals, also bagged prizes.
“The recipient of the Golden Khanjar was “The Immigrant Falcon Adham” by Robin Pena, while the Silver Khanjar was won by Frederick Klodch’s “Sons of Sinbad”.
Besides, a host of international filmmakers, mainly from the Middle East and North Africa, bagged awards in several categories.
Iraqi film “The journey”, directed by Mohammed Al Daraji, won the jury prize under the “voices of the world” feature films category. Huda Abdul Aziz took home the best actress award for the role of Huda in the same movie.
Under the same category, Algerian filmmaker Yasmine Shuwaikh won the Golden Khanjar for her direction “Until the end of time”, besides winning another award in the critics committee category. Jilali Boujmaa won the best actor award for the same movie. Moroccan Raaof Sabahi won the best script award for his film “Life”.
Italian film “Fame” by Giacomo Abbruzzses and Angelo Milano won the best documentary picture under the “voices of the world” section.
In the short films critics committee category, the Golden Khanjar was bagged by Jordanian film “Five children and a wheel” directed by Said Zag.
Iraqi film “Face death with a wire cutter” directed by Sawar Abdullah won the Golden Khanjar under the short documentary films section.
OFS president happy with fest.
Mohammed Al Kindi, Chairman of the 10th MIFF and President of Oman Film Society (OFS), said that he was delighted with the way the film festival was conducted.
He said: “During the last few days, the festival has witnessed various cinema performances and events that have generated a lot of media mobility, constructive criticism and the acquisition of relationships that have made a home in our minds.”
“The festival will prove to be a bright spot in the history of Oman through the cinematic works of aspiring Omani youth, who have a lot of determination to bring their work to a high level,” he added.
This year’s MIFF was held under the theme “Cinema brings us together” and accordingly saw participation from both Omani and international artists.
Moreover, prominent film stars such as Hassan Salem Al Farsi, Fakhriya Khamis, Ali Bader Khan and Manisha Koirala were in attendance.