MAD sends 13 shorts to 4th Bahrain Film Festival

release date October 31 2024

MAD Solutions, the Arab World’s leading film distribution and PR giant, continues to leave its mark on the festival circuit with 13 shorts from its extensive distribution slate, screening at the fourth edition of the Bahrain Film Festival, running from November 3rd to 7th at Marassi Galleria.
The MAD shorts lineup will be showcased across various categories at the festival, featuring the short films MADE FOR BEAUTY...USED FOR UGLINESS in the Bahraini Competition, IN BETWEEN in the Animated Films category, and the remaining films — PALESTINE ISLANDS, EN ROUTE, CONDITIONAL DESIRE, 60 EGYPTIAN POUNDS, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?, THE WOODLAND, MADONNA, NYA, FORSAKEN, BENEATH A MOTHER’S FEET, and IF THE SUN DROWNED INTO AN OCEAN OF CLOUDS — in the Short Narrative Film category.
For some intriguing insights into the participating films, here’s a quick overview of each short heading to the Bahrain Film Festival:

Bahraini director Jaffer Mohammed Al-Baqali’s psychological thriller short MADE FOR BEAUTY...USED FOR UGLINESS follows a soldier who, after 28 years of exile, finally meets his daughter in his cabin just as he is on the verge of committing suicide.

Ethar Baamer’s abstract Saudi animation IN BETWEEN depicts a woman's journey through her twenties as she navigates societal expectations in the quest for self-discovery. Overcoming challenges, she forges her path to self-realization as the lines between reality and fantasy are blurred, relying on her authenticity to guide her toward her true self.

Nour Ben Salem and Julien Menanteau’s drama Jordanian-French short follows a young Palestinian refugee girl who plans an elaborate ruse to make her blind grandfather believe the separation wall fell, giving him hope of returning to his homeland.

Munir Abbar’s Moroccan drama short ENROUTE follows three friends walking along a road; one takes advantage of this desert path, the other succumbs to melancholy, and the third becomes rageful. As tension builds between them, a confrontation becomes inevitable.

Houcem Slouli's Tunisian short CONDITIONAL DESIRE follows Ahmed and Salma, who, despite residing in a society that values conformity, strive to remain honest with themselves. However, they find themselves grappling with a heart-wrenching psychological burden as they sacrifice their happiness to meet the expectations of others.

Amr Salama’s short thriller, 60 EGYPTIAN POUNDS, follows aspiring rapper Ziad and his family, who have long suffered at the hands of his abusive father. However, when tensions reach a boiling point, Ziad takes it upon himself to end his family’s suffering once and for all.

Mohammad Gotta’s Jordanian drama short, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? follows a young artist in his twenties who abandons his family, refusing to submit to social constraints. Depressed, lonely, and stuck in his small derelict studio flat, he stumbles upon his elderly neighbor, a woman neglected by her family and in need of intimacy.

Despite their differences, the two develop an unlikely connection through their shared experiences of hardship and love of music.

Firas Al-Taybeh’s Jordanian drama short THE WOODLAND follows two estranged brothers who find themselves in the untamed wilderness as they journey to bury their father. Reunited in the wake of tragedy after years of tense separation, the two brothers find themselves at a crossroads where they must confront their shared past before making a pivotal decision.

John Fareed Zaki's Egyptian short MADONNA revolves around the theft of an Italian painter's artifact, reigniting an old conflict between two Jesuit priests. When an investigation is launched, all suspicions fall on the monastery's chef. However, a confession is eventually made, and the real perpetrator is uncovered.

Imene Ayadi’s Algerian-French film NYA is set at the cusp of the Algerian Civil War and follows Anya, a carefree little girl who is blissfully unaware of the war tearing the country apart. Her one wish is that her father, a journalist on a mission, returns home in time for Mouloud celebrations. The troubles of reality seep into her life, however, causing her innocence to waver.

Aziz Shennawy’s Tunisian drama short FORSAKEN follows the captivating journey of Meriem — a 30-year-old woman who embarks on a vacation only to stumble upon the lifeless body of a Sub-Saharan African man right in front of her balcony. Upon discovering the victim's identity, Meriem is faced with a conundrum.

Elias Suhail’s Moroccan-British drama short BENEATH A MOTHER'S FEET is set in a serene coastal town in southern Morocco, where young mother Wedad bears the weight of family duty with quiet resilience. Amidst the bustling marketplace, she yearns for something beyond her daily grind.

Wissam Charaf’s Lebanese-French drama short IF THE SUN DROWNED INTO AN OCEAN OF CLOUDS is set on the waterfront of a construction site in Beirut, where Raed — a security guard — must prevent passersby from accessing the shoreline. Yet, as the horizon becomes more obscured with every passing day by the under-construction building, Raed begins finding himself in all manner of peculiar encounters; or maybe mere dreams and figments of his desires.