2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Muscat Daily
Omani filmmakers win top honours at Tunisian film fest
Muscat – Two Omani filmmakers have won top awards at the International Environmental Film Festival of Gabes in Tunisia, marking a significant achievement for Oman's growing film industry.
Mohammed al Darwish received the Pomegranate Golden Award for Best Picture for his documentary Beta Carotene, which explores Oman's unique natural landscapes and the role of marine bacteria in the formation of mysterious inland lakes.
The 12-minute film, combining live-action footage with animation, was selected from among over 145 submissions, with only 15 films making to the final competition.
'It took longer than expected because I wanted to undertake research and travel for the film,' said Darwish. 'I have always loved documentaries. I shot the scenes slowly and often took breaks. I wanted to create something distinct.'
Darwish used a combination of cameras, including Canon 5D, Blackmagic, and GoPro, along with 11 different types of lenses – ranging from zoom to wide and prime. He also deployed drones for aerial shots.
Post-production involved editing and colour grading using Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve. The film was produced by the Oman Film Society, with support from assistant director and editor Hussain al Balushi, and scriptwriter Mohammed bin Khalifa al Rasbi.
Abdullah al Raisi won the Pomegranate Silver Award for Best Film for his documentary Wetlands, which focuses on environmental themes. 'Winning this award motivates me and hopefully others to take risks, embrace innovation, and use cinema to tell our stories in new ways,' said Raisi.
The Pomegranate Bronze Award was presented to Sardinelles une responsabilité from Tunisia, while I Will Not Leave Her from Yemen won the Best Production award.
The annual festival in Gabes highlights environmental cinema and this year's edition featured entries from around the world, reinforcing the region's increasing recognition in global filmmaking.
