Syrian Film “Positive” Wins an Award at the Souss International Short Film Festival

The Syrian short film “Positive” has won the screenplay award at the 17th edition of the Souss International Short Film Festival held in Morocco. The film stars Eliana Saad and Jibril Al-Hussam, and is directed by Rami Nidal, with a runtime of 17 minutes.

Directed and written by Rami Nidal, the film is set in Damascus, which is burdened with many restrictions and difficult circumstances. It revolves around a couple from a middle-class background whose conditions were much better before the time in which the film takes place. However, due to the suffocating circumstances the country has faced, they have involuntarily transitioned from a certain economic class to a lower one. They live in a space that does not truly resemble them, which is evident in their home filled with valuable furnishings and numerous decorations, divided into large, spacious rooms, and overflowing with signs of a luxurious life.

The film highlights the idea of childbirth and its repercussions. While the news of pregnancy is a source of joy and happiness for many, for the protagonists of “Positive,” it becomes a disaster and a heavy burden, especially as it is discovered after they have obtained a visa to enter a Western country following the devastation, destruction, and economic hardship their homeland has endured.

It is worth noting that the festival, held in the city of Ait Melloul, honored numerous films from various Arab nationalities including Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Sudan, Oman, and Iraq, as well as some Western countries such as France, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, and Italy.

The Souss International Short Film Festival is considered a major international cinematic event specializing in short films (both narrative and documentary), serving as a platform for film screenings and the exchange of experiences and expertise through training workshops.

Nada Haj Khidr

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