Mohammed Rashed Buali is a Bahraini filmmaker. He has directed and produced several award-winning shorts including: BETWEEN THEM, ABSENCE, THE GOOD OMEN, CANARY and RECLAIM. THIS IS LONDON won Third Prize at the Gulf Film Festival 2012. RECLAIM won the Golden Lion at the 12th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia in 2010.
Al Shajarh Alnaemah (The Sleeping Tree)
Bedridden Amina has cerebral palsy and her parents, Jassim and Noora, must ensure that she receives proper care. Noora stays at home to take care of her daughter, but Jassim’s refusal to participate in family life heightens the tensions within the family. Constrained and desperate, the couple leads an estranged existence. A series of coincidences however, bring new light as Jassim moves between reality and hope… With his brother’s taxi he embarks on the journey of his life. At the legendary Tree of Life, he is mesmerised by his passengers’ attraction to the tree and is overwhelmed by the surroundings. In an unexpected convergence of experiences, life appears to regain purpose. However, Jassim and Noora’s happiness is fleeting and their marriage is tested yet again.
Producer : Mohammed Rashed Buali, Suha Matar, Fareed Ramadan
Scriptwriter : Fareed Ramadan
Cinematographer : Mohammed Maghraoui
Editor : Saleh Nass
Composer : Mohammed Haddad
Cast : Haifaa Hussain, Jamaan Alrowaiei, Maryam Zayman, Ibrahim Khalfan, Ibrahim Al-Hsawi, Hawra Sharif
In 2006, DIFF launched the Muhr competition for short films, features and documentaries originating from the United Arab Emirates and Arab world. The prestigious competition is heavily contested and has emerged as a definitive platform for Arab film, nurturing and rewarding filmmaking excellence in the Arab world.