JERUSALEM – Al Quds University filmmaking students left a conspicuous mark at the International Short Film Festival held in Nabeul, Tunisia, after screening two films produced by AQU seniors. The films, which received positive acclaim, are a culmination of the stepped up efforts by the university to upgrade the media department and the filmmaking curriculum.
This participation in international film festivals by our Media Department students is not the first to be experienced but one of many in an ongoing plan to expose the filmmaking talents of AQU students to the world.
“Since the beginning of the academic year, great interest has been placed on the production of films not only suitable for Palestinian audiences but could also touch a nerve in the international arena as well,” said Al-Quds University President Imad Abu Kishek.
“A Pen from Megiddo” by Lana Sadaqa and Mohammed Hoshiya, and “ɜalNoss” (50-50) by Raja Ali and Mohammad Khateeb were screened at the international festival. The films were inspired by true events that occurred to Palestinians.
“A Pen from Megiddo” is about a Palestinian woman racing against time to smuggle out her imprisoned husband’s sperm. It’s the only way the couple can fulfill their dream of having children. This film highlights the suffering of Palestinian prisoners and their families in communicating with each other.
The other work, “ɜalNoss”, (50-50), talks about two young boys from a modest Palestinian village who love soccer and dream of wearing the same sports shirt of their favorite team. However, their difficult financial situation does not permit them to buy jerseys so they open up a unique business to be able to afford the shirts. The film reflects on the living conditions of Palestinian families.
Al-Quds University (AQU) is a national research university based in Jerusalem, Palestine. Established in 1984 as the only Arab university in the city of Jerusalem, AQU currently offers 93 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, taught through its fifteen degree-granting faculties.
