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In Short: Film Programme — Summer 2026 Edition
This summer, Hayy Cinema invites audiences to discover In Short, a new programme dedicated to the art of short filmmaking.
Running until August 6, the programme brings together three distinct slots:
- Our Stories: Bold works by emerging Gulf filmmakers and distinctive regional voices
- Borderless Intersections: Acclaimed international short films
- Across Generations: Family-friendly adventures for younger audiences and the young at heart.
From intimate dramas and documentaries to dark comedies, imaginative animation, and award-winning festival favourites, In Short celebrates the power of storytelling in its most concise and inventive form – big stories don’t always need feature-length runtimes.
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 15, 18, 22, 25 & 29 — 7:30 PM (Cinema 1)
July 16, 19, 23, 26 & 30 — 8:00 PM (Cinema 2)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 15, 16, 19, 22, 23, 26, 29 & 30 — 9:00 PM
July 17, 18, 24, 25 & 31 — 9:15 PM
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.
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.
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.
Borderless Intersections
Crossing borders and perspectives, this programme brings together internationally acclaimed short films and emerging voices from around the world, this programme explores the
grief, family secrets, and the beauty of the mundane everyday life through intimate, thought-provoking stories.
July 16, 17, 19, 23, 24, 26, 30 & 31 — 7:30 PM
I’m Glad You’re Dead Now (2025)
Two brothers return to their childhood island, where long-buried secrets compel them to confront a dark past that irrevocably binds them together.
Directed by: Tawfeek Barhom
Genre: Drama Duration: 13 minutes
Country of Production: Palestine, France, Greece
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival — Palme d’Or Short Film Competition
My Brother, My Brother (2025)
A split narrative exploring the complexities and memories shared by two identical twins. From the instant they were fused together in their mother’s womb to the moment they are parted by the tragic death of one of them.
Directed by: Saad & Abdelrahman Dnewar
Genre: Animation, Drama Duration: 15 minutes
Country of Production: Egypt, Germany, France
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | Winner of the Grand Prix at Clermont-Ferrand & Golden Gate Award at San Francisco International Film Festival
My Grandmother’s Secret (2024)
A granddaughter decides to reveal a crime that happened to her grandmother, which nobody ever reported.
Directed by: Nourhan Abdelsalam
Genre: Documentary, Drama, Thriller Duration: 11 minutes
Country of Production: Egypt
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | Premiered at the 45th Cairo International Film Festival
All this Death (2025)
An old Beirut resident, checks the obituaries page and attends funerals daily. His “mourning” routine reveals a journey of grieving and accepting the loss of a loved one, a home, a city.
Directed by: Fadi Syriani
Genre: Animation Duration: 16 minutes
Country of Production: Lebanon, Germany, Qatar, Poland
Language: No dialogue
KSA Premiere | World Premiere at the 66th Annecy International Animation Film Festival
Sari Sari (2025)
In the women-led sari-sari stores in Southern Philippines, a docufiction explores the tension between a mother’s perceived absence and her unwavering devotion to her children.
Directed by: Jam Moreno
Genre: Experimental, Comedy, Drama Duration: 15 minutes
Country of Production: UAE, Philippines
Language: Bisaya Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | An intimate docufiction portrait of of the invisible labor and enduring love of mothers.
An Orange from Jaffa (2024)
Mohammed, a young Palestinian, is desperately looking for a taxi to take him through a checkpoint to meet his mother, who is waiting for him. At the checkpoint, the driver, Farouk, discovers that Mohammed has already failed to cross the border. Trouble begins…
Directed by: Mohammed Almughanni
Genre: Drama Duration: 27 minutes
Country of Production: Palestine, France, Poland
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | Oscar® Shortlisted & Grand Prix Winner at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival.
As part of Rendezvous with French Cinema, the monthly French cinema club in collaboration with Alliance Francaise.
Across Generations
A family-friendly international slot of stories filled with heart-touching adventures and imagination exploring childhood curiosity, the spirit of sport, and unforgettable worlds.
July 17, 24 & 31 — 6:00 PM & 7:30 PM
July 18 & 25 — 5:00 PM & 6:30 PM
Maradona’s Leg (2019)
During the 1990 World Cup, two young Palestinian boys are looking for “Maradona’s legs”: the last missing sticker that they need in order to complete their world cup album and win a free Atari.
Directed by: Firas Khoury
Genre: Sport, Comedy Duration: 24 minutes
Country of Production: Palestine, Germany
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | World Premiere at Palm Springs International ShortFest & Winner of the Best Short Film at Ajyal Film Festival
Malika (2024)
To save a queen, little Salma has to become one.
Directed by: Maram Taibah
Genre: Fantasy Duration: 15 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Official Selection at the 4th Red Sea International Film Festival | A whimsical adventure where one girl’s journey becomes a heartfelt coming-of-age tale.
Water for the Birds (2026)
In the vibrant streets of Tetouan, a lost backpack sets young Amin on a daring journey, testing the limits of familial love and personal sacrifice.
Directed by: Sami Saif Sirelkhatim
Genre: Duration: 18 minutes
Country of Production: Morocco
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
KSA Premiere | From the director of Naima’s Movie (Red Sea International Film Festival), a tender coming-of-age story of family and sacrifice.
A Mosquito (2024)
In 1969 Al Ula, Saudi Arabia, a tiny mosquito named Zozo has big dreams of becoming a singer like Um Kalthoum that set her apart from her buzzing companions.
Directed by: Raneem & Dana Almohandes
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Musical Duration: 7 minutes
Country of Production: Saudi Arabia
Language: Arabic Subtitles: English
Official Selection at 4th Red Sea International Film Festival | A joyful animated tale where the smallest dreamer dares to sing the loudest.
Franzy’s Soup Kitchen (2021)
Lonely alien Chef Franzy discovers that her special pink soup is not just delicious, but also magical, when she shares it with starving creatures living on a strange planet.
Directed by: Pierre Le Gall & Sarah Malleon
Genre: Comedy, Animation Duration: 9 minutes
Country of Production: France
Language: No dialogue
KSA Premiere | A whimsical adventure celebrating compassion, friendship, and the joy of sharing.
As part of Rendezvous with French Cinema, the monthly French cinema club in collaboration with Alliance Francaise.
