Director Ahmed Saleh’s animation film “Ayny” (My Second Eye) the Audience Award for Best Short Film at Mizna’s Twin Cities Arab Film Festival in Minnesota, USA. The film is planned to take part at the upcoming edition of Cairo International Film Festival through the Oscars Shorts programme.
The Germany, Jordan, and Palestine co-production is based on true events. The 11-minute animation tells the story of two young boy who ran away to escape their mother’s over protection and found themselves achieving their lifetime dream by playing music using their most favourite instrument, Oud. Yet, living in the area where war took their home, makes them realize that their mother’s fear was for a good reason.
The film is written, directed, edited and voiced by Ahmad Saleh, music by Nizar Rohana, animated by Frank Pingel.
Before sitting in on Cairo International Film Festival, “Ayny” won more than 20 international awards so far, including the Student Academy Award for Best Foreign Animation, Best Animation at the Lebanon International Film Festival, and the Best Short Film award at Valletta Film Festival in Malta.
The 2016 production film made its first international appearance in last year’s edition of Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). It participated at the Muhr Competition in the 13th DIFF. since then, it has participated in several international film festivals including Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film, International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and Festival Ciné-Palestine in Paris
