When Egyptian director Morad Mostafa sat down to reflect at the end of a successful Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in February, he must have thought this was set to be his year.
Henet Ward (Ward's Henna Party), his debut film as a director, had just had its world premiere, and was nominated for the Grand Prix at the world's biggest festival for short films. He'd already been accepted to another 40 festivals for the coming year, and was still submitting to more.
On top of all that, the filmmaker, who had previously worked as an assistant director on features including the multi-award-winning Ali, the Goat and Ibrahim, would be heading to Cannes alongside Villa 69 director Ayten Amin, whom he assisted on Souad.
However, the year 2020 had other ideas, and Mostafa's anticipated festival run was abruptly halted because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The director admits the unexpected stop to his busy year was a blow, but he is keen to focus on the positives. “Of course, all our plans suddenly changed, particularly in the Middle East, where all the festivals were postponed, but a lot of festivals went online, too,” he says. “They've used technology in a really smart way. It's a strange feeling for sure, everything being online, especially for my first film, but really I'm happy because even in this situation the film has still managed to screen at many festivals, even though it's online.”
In August, that will change when the film is screened before a live audience at the Busan International Short Film Festival in South Korea, scheduled for Thursday, August 27 to Monday, 31 August. It will be among the first festivals in the world to go ahead with a live audience in something approaching a “normal,” if socially distant, fashion.
Mostafa is delighted his film will be screening at such a prestigious event. Busan is Asia's biggest short film gathering, its prize-winners can qualify for the Oscars and Henet Ward is the only Arabic title to be selected this year.
But also, the film's central theme about the plight of Sudanese refugees in Egypt is one Mustafa hopes to share with audiences all across the globe.
“The Sudanese refugees in Egypt, their situation is very hard,” he says. “There are about 40,000 of them here, according to the UN. They came here to run away from the war and they just want a job.
"There's such suffering, but their dreams and ambitions are just the same as my Egyptian characters – food, sleep, get married, and this is what I want to talk about.”
Henet Ward's lead character, Halima, is a Sudanese henna artist who is called upon to assist with the wedding preparations of a well-off Egyptian family. The day, for Halima and her seven-year-old daughter (the titular Ward), does not go strictly to plan.
While the stories in the film are fictional, Mostafa says they are based on real events such as those seen in the video of a bullied Sudanese student that went viral across Egypt last year.
“This isn't just an Egyptian problem,” Mostafa concedes. “But these people came here to escape oppression, and maybe the oppression is less here than it was at home, but it's a really ugly reality they are living in.
"That's the same for all refugees, Syrian, Palestinian, but you can almost see why people think it's better to take the huge risk of getting on a boat and heading for Italy than staying closer to home. We need to tackle that more openly, to uncover that reality, not just in Egypt, in any place where there is suffering.”
Henet Ward is lent an extra air of realism by the director's decision to use real people rather than actors in his lead roles, to film in actual Cairo locations and to use only natural lighting on set.
Coupled with Mostafa's decision to shoot the film in 35mm, which the director says is the closest thing to “an actual human eye,” the result is a story that frequently leaves the audience unsure whether it is watching a piece of fiction or a fly-on-the-wall documentary.
Considering how the film brings such an incredibly personal look into the daily life of a Sudanese refugee, it is surprising to learn that Mostafa has no close personal or family connection to the African nation.
“I’m just a decent human being, and I wanted to talk about other nationalities, especially the Sudanese refugees I see in Cairo,” he says.
Despite the sometimes harrowing scenes on screen, Mostafa remains upbeat about the future, as long as he and his peers can get these kind of stories to audiences. “I’m very optimistic about our generation,” he says.
“We have a new wave [of cinema] with a great international presence. I’m really glad I took my time to make my first film. I really wanted to learn the art and make sure I knew how to make a film first.
"And of course the topic was very important for my first film. I’m sure I found the right topic.”
Henet Ward will screen at the Busan International Short Film Festival which will run from Thursday, August 27 to Monday, August 31.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Marital status: Single
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Community Shield info
Where, when and at what time Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday at 5pm (UAE time)
Arsenal line up (3-4-2-1) Petr Cech; Rob Holding, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal; Hector Bellerin, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck; Alexandre Lacazette
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Chelsea line up (3-4-2-1) Thibaut Courtois; Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Gary Cahill; Victor Moses, Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso; Willian, Pedro; Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte
Referee Bobby Madley
RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200
Winner: Miqyaas, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Shanty Star, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Alkaamel, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Speedy Move, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Quartier Francois, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Super Saturday race card
4pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 | US$350,000 | (Dirt) | 1,200m
4.35pm: Al Bastakiya Listed | $300,000 | (D) | 1,900m
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 | $350,000 | (Turf) | 1,200m
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 | $350,000 | (D) | 1,600m
6.20pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 | $300,000 | (T) | 2,410m
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 | $600,000 | (D) | 2,000m
7.30pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 | $400,000 | (T) | 1,800m
Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
