Ismail
Short Film | 28 min | 2013
Director: Nora Alsharif
Inspired by a day in the life of Palestinian painter Ismail Shammout, Ismail tells the compelling story of a young man struggling to support his parents after their expulsion to a Refugee camp in 1948 by the Israeli forces. Despite the wretched life and distressing conditions he holds to his dream to go to Rome to learn painting. One day and after selling cakes at the train station with his little brother, they heedlessly enter a minefield. As Ismail faces death, and in his struggle to save himself and his brother, we discover his true spirit.


Production
Greyscale Films / Bumpy Road Films
Countries: Jordan, Palestine, UK, Qatar
Cast: Khaled Al Ghuwairy, Nizar Idrees, Mohammed Ibrahimi
Directed by: Nora Alsharif
Written by: Hatem Alsharif
Produced by: AbdelSalam Akkad / Ana Moreno
Cinematography: Felix Wiedemann
Art Direction: Salim Shehade
Costume Design: Jamila Aladdin & Jessica Snyder
Original Music: Mohammed Sidiq
Sound Design: Victor Bresse
Edited by: Hans Lucas
Awards
Best Short Film | Arab Camera Festival | 2013 | Rotterdam, Netherlands
Best Supporting Actor in Short Film | Evolution Film Festival | 2013 | Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Best Film for Short Mediterranean Film Competition | Alexandria Film Festival | 2014 | Alexandria, Egypt
Best Short Film | Alexandria Film Festival | 2014 | Alexandria, Egypt
Audience Award - US Shorts | Film Festival of Columbus | 2014 | Columbus, OH USA
Festivals
2012
Doha Tribeca Film Festival | Doha, Qatar
2013
Palm Springs ShortFest | California, USA North American Premiere
Arab Film Festival - Jordan | Amman, Jordan
Evolution International Film Festival | Hollywood, California USA
Toronto Palestinian Film Festival | Toronto, Canada
DC Palestine Film Festival | Washington, VA USA
Boston Palestine Film Festival | Boston, MA USA
Wahran Film Festival | Algeria (Shorts from Ramallah section)
Al Kasaba Theater and Cinematheque, Ramallah
Arab Camera Festival | Rotterdam, Netherlands
Rendezvous Istanbul Film Festival | Istanbul, Turkey
Film Days of Algiers | Algeria
2014
London Short Film Festival | London, UK
30th edition of the European Film Festival of Lille | France
Chicago Palestine Film Festival | Chicago, IL USA
Palestine Film Week | Turkey
Muscat International film Festival | Oman
Eye on Palestine Film Festival | Brussels, Belgium
International Uranium Film Festival | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Malmö Arab Film Festival | Malmö, Sweden
Cannes Film Festival, Short Film Corner | Cannes, France
Asian Film Festival | Tish, Morocco
One Country One Film, Apchat International Film Festival | Apchat, France
Middle East Alternative Sound and Arts Festival | Athens, Greece
Alexandria Film Festival | Alexandria, Egypt