The competition was launched last year by the British Council to give a platform to aspiring Yemeni film-makers wanting to raise awareness about issues affecting their country.

Ziryab Al-Ghabri’s winning film, The Gift Maker, tells the story of a bomb-maker who falls in love with a woman he sees from his basement.

Launched in October 2010, Zoooom competition was organised by the British Council in Yemen to give a platform for amateur Yemeni film-makers to raise awareness about the issues affecting their country to audiences around the world.

The five finalists - Abeer Sallam, Badr Bin Halabi, Hashim Bin Hashim, Sawsan Al-Ariqi and Ziryab Al-Ghabri - were trained by UK specialist training provider Insight Education in Cairo during in December 2010, before making their short films in January 2011.

The films were judged by a panel of film professionals from both Yemen and the UK including Yemeni film director and producer, Dr. Fadhl Al-Olofi, British film-maker and lecturer David Alamouti, British film-maker Peter Fraser and UK studio director Sue Pugh.

Michael White, director of the British Council in Yemen said:  “Choosing the best film was difficult, because all the film-makers demonstrated considerable talent and inventiveness in making these films. The winning film, The Gift Maker, is an unusual story of love and sacrifice, set in a uniquely Yemeni context. It is a film that clearly demonstrates the talent of its makers, and I wish them well in their future careers.”

To view the films click here

Topics