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In Short: Our Stories — A Q&A Session With The Filmmakers
This Wednesday, July 22, Hayy Cinema invites you to join us for In Short: Our Stories, featuring two screening slots dedicated to short films from across the Gulf region. Following each screening, audiences will have the opportunity to engage in a live Q&A with participating filmmakers and cast members, offering an intimate look into the stories, creative processes, and perspectives behind the films.
From personal narratives to bold new voices, Our Stories celebrates the richness and diversity of Gulf cinema while creating a space for meaningful conversation between filmmakers and audiences.
Slot 1: July 22 — 7:30pm
Slot 2: July 22 — 9:15pm
The films will continue to repeat at Hayy Cinema throughout until August 6.
Book your tickets in person, via the Hayy Cinema app or at hayycinema.org
Our Stories (Slot 1)
From across the Gulf come stories of cities and selves, friendships and futures, departures and returns. Blending fresh voices with internationally celebrated films, this programme brings together journeys that are deeply rooted in place yet resonate far beyond it. Through moments both ordinary and transformative, these films remind us that the simplest dreams are often the most universal.
July 22 — 7:30 PM
Age Classification: R15
Q&A With The Director Ibrahim AlBakiri & Producer Ziyad AlBakiri & Actor Murad Zuhair
Unknown (2025)
Imran struggles to repay his late father’s debt before his burial in a city that shows no mercy to the vulnerable.
Directed by: Ibrahim AlBakiri
Genre: Drama Duration: 16 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Winner at the 12th Saudi Film Festival | A powerful drama about the burdens we inherit and the lengths we go to carry them.
Q&A With The Director Khaled Zidan & Actors Ismail AlHassan & Khaled Yeslam
Mera Mera Mera (2024)
Saeed’s tongue suddenly betrays him, stripping away his ability to speak, except for one word his flawed mouth keeps repeating “Mera”.
Directed by: Khalid Zidan
Genre: Comedy, Drama Duration: 21 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Official Selection at the 4th Red Sea International Film Festival | An absurdist comedy where, in the impossibility of communication, one word says everything.
Q&A With The Director Ahmad Kurdi
The Certainty (2024)
After the death of the woman who raised him, Saad finds himself torn between loyalty to her and his family’s beliefs.
Directed by: Ahmed Kurdi
Genre: Drama Duration: 7 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Official Selection at the 4th Red Sea International Film Festival | An intimate drama where mourning becomes a test of conscience.
Q&A With The Director Waad Janbi & Producer Lana Komsany
Grace (2025)
When an old wave of memories attacks a woman behind the wheel of her car, she freezes between the past and the present; until her friend breaks this wall, offering her a chance to regain her balance before she is consumed by loneliness.
Directed by: Waad Janbi
Genre: Drama Duration: 4 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | An intimate portrait of a young woman learning to live with the echoes of the past and find her way back to herself.
Q&A With The Director Rawan AlGhamdi & Actress Roula Dakheel Allah
Nefsaha Bs Nafsaha (2026)
After Tamim prepares to break up with Laila, she finds herself trapped in a time loop.
Directed by: Rawan AlGhamdi
Genre: Drama Duration: 13minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Official Selection at the 12th Saudi Film Festival | A disorienting portrait of love and heartbreak between dreams and reality.
A Small Dream (2022)
Maitha is obsessed with her small dream to swim in the sea privately. She struggles between her social norms and the desires of her inner child.
Directed by: Sarra’a Abdulaziz.
Genre: Drama Duration: 7 minutes
Country of Production: United Arab Emirates
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | A tender portrait of the determination to fulfill a lifelong wish that feels both within reach and impossibly distant.
Our Stories (Slot 2)
From across the Gulf come stories that find humor, humanity, and unexpected insight in moments of uncertainty. Blending dystopian imaginings, unlikely predicaments, and sharp comedy, this programme showcases a new generation of Gulf filmmakers alongside distinctive regional voices.
July 22 — 9:15 PM
Age Classification: R15
Two Sisters (2024)
Desperate for a cigarette, Nour, an actress reeling from a hellish interview gone viral, struggles to please her socially ambitious sister who throws her a lavish 30th birthday party…against her will.
Directed by: Waleed AlQahtani
Genre: Drama, Comedy Duration: 20 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Official Selection at the 4th Red Sea International Film Festival | A sharp character comedy where family expectations collide with public humiliation.
Sandagat Ghanam (2024)
When the teenage protagonist decides to respond to an advertisement flyer for an oud for sale in a religiously conservative village, he faces a conflict between his love of music and the conservative community.
Directed by: Hani Albedani
Genre: Comedy Duration: 7 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Official Selection at the 10th Saudi Film Festival | A coming-of-age drama where a teens love of music becomes an act of rebellion.
Ghanati Man (2025)
In 2035 Abu Dhabi, romance is a subscription, until one Ghanati agent breaks the script and breaks his own heart open. Now the corporation must contend with something it can’t package: authenticity.
Directed by: Al Reem Al Beshr
Genre: Comedy Duration: 22 minutes
Country of Production: United Arab Emirates
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | A witty sci-fi satire exploring love, technology, and authenticity in a near-future Abu Dhabi.
Saeed’s Day (2025)
After waking up late, Saeed tries to salvage his day and get back on track, but he encounters a series of chaotic events that make his day anything but happy.
Directed by: Mohammed Al Zawarei
Genre: Drama, Comedy Duration: 20 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Winner of the Silver Jury Award at Alexandria Short Film Festival 2026 | A fast-paced comedy where one bad day spirals delightfully out of control.
Eye of the Beholder (2025)
A Saudi mother returns home injured on her daughter’s engagement night.
Directed by: Hmada (Mohamed) Alansary & Norah Mansour
Genre: Drama, Dark comedy Duration: 10 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | A single incident unravels into a delightfully chaotic family affair.
Q&A Session Moderator
Mohammed Ahmed Alghamdi is a Saudi actor and film content creator with a passion for cinema, theatre, and writing. Through his work, he seeks to bring audiences closer to the world of filmmaking and foster meaningful conversations around cinema.
