Thursday, December 29, 2022 – 3:25 PM
SHARJAH, 29th December, 2019 (WAM) — “The Story of the Neighborhood,” the first documentary film produced by the “Big Heart Foundation” by Mexican director Alejandra Alcala, received praise from audiences and critics at the international level, following it was approved as the “official selection” for 25 international film festivals in 14 countries in the region and the world. The film won five awards and nine nominations at major international film festivals.
The film won the Telluride Mountain International Film Festival Award in the “Women in Cinema” category, the “Toronto International Film Festival” award in the “Human Rights” category, the “Amsterdam International Film Festival” award in the “Best Documentary” category, and the “Hague International Film Festival” award. It’s in the “Refugee Challenge” category.
The film also won the “Excellence Award” presented by the humanitarian organization “Doctors Without Borders”, in addition to its nomination for the “Best Documentary” category at the “Copenhagen International Film Festival” and its nomination for the “Best Documentary” category at the “Dublin International Film Festival” and the “Youth” category. in the field of human rights” at the “Naples International Film Festival”.
Maryam Al Hammadi, Director of the Big Heart Foundation, expressed her happiness at the global public turnout for the film, as this work translates the wise vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to enhance efforts to support refugees and provide an opportunity for the people of the world to learn regarding the lives of refugees and displaced persons around the world and highlight their courage and determination to build a better future for their children and families despite the challenges they face.
Al-Hammadi added, “These international awards and nominations come to emphasize the importance of delivering the voice of refugees to the world, and thus motivate us to tell the inspiring stories of innocent war victims who succeeded in transforming challenges into opportunities for growth and progress. We hope that Asma’s story will inspire refugee women to become change-makers in their societies and inspire humanitarian organizations and institutions.” Charitable organization to adopt integrated approaches to solving problems and overcoming the challenges facing refugees.
The film, which is characterized by its influential artistic narratives regarding the personality of the Syrian refugee Asma and her insistence on building an informed generation of successful girls and women through reading, storytelling and reading sessions, was nominated for the Edinburgh Documentary Film Festival Close Up Awards and reached the semi-finals of the Atlanta International Film Festival and New York International Women’s Film Festival and Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival.
After great competition and evaluation by festival jury members from leading experts and international filmmakers, the documentary film “The Story of the Neighborhood” succeeded in reaching the “Official Selection” list of films participating in 25 international film festivals at the local, regional and international levels, including the “Documenta Kiretaro Film Festival” and “The Documenta Film Festival”. Middlebury Film Festival for New Filmmakers, International Women’s Film Festival, International Migration Film Festival, Peloponnese International Film Festival, Portland International Film Festival, The Hague International World Film Festival, Rabat International Children and Family Film Festival La Femme International Film Festival, Helsinki International Educational Film Festival, Syria Film Festival Toronto, Edinburgh Documentary Film Festival Close Up, Sharjah International Film Festival for Children and Youth, and International Refugee Film Festival.
His conversion to Al-Hussein / Batool Kashwani
