Saudi animation ‘Olives dream’ bagged the Cairo International Animation Forum (CIAF) award for the best cartoon competing in the forum’s twelfth edition. The winning production was directed by Omar Kwan and sponsored by Alaa Productions.
The CIAF opening launched with the participation of 121 short and short films from 20 Arab and foreign countries.
With the plot shedding light on the plight of return for Palestinian refugees, the winning Saudi film’s setting is in the ‘Ain Karem’ village and is based on historical documentaries. Production cost somewhere around $ 1 million. It is characterized by a chronological sequence and follows interesting creative events.
The production’s soundtrack was composed by the well-established Lebanese musician Elias Rahbani, and lasts up to 90 minutes.
Best Short Film went to the Austrian production: “Late Season,” directed by Daniela Littner, with the French picture "Flowing through Wonder," directed by Juan Laurie coming in second place.
The Best series award went ‘Tawasol,’ an Omani-Egyptian production directed by Ibrahim Mohamed Ibrahim. The Egyptian series ‘Team N,’ directed by Mohamed Abdel – Moneim ranked second.
The award for best experimental filmmaking went to the German motion picture ‘Carlotta's Face,’ directed by Frederick Riedal.
Best ad went to "Al-Sadaka Al-Jaraya" produced by the Children’s Cancer Hospital Egypt 57357 and directed by Amr Kamal Yassin. Best intro went to the opening intro of the Egyptian series "Emad and Itimad", directed by Osama Nazih and produced by Onek Picture.
The Mini Mix Workshop directed by Ibrahim Saad won CIAF’s best workshop award.
It is worth noting that appreciation certificates were also handed out to each of director Hussein Mamdouh Hassan, aged 15, for ‘Sinai ... Victory and treachery and revenge,’ and to the youngest participating director, Mohamed Abdel Rahman Labib, for ‘Bunyan.’