The Emirati documentary “Swimming 26,” directed by Mansour Al-Yabhouni Al-Dhaheri, won the “Best Documentary Film” award at the end of the fourth session of the “Gulf Film Festival,” whose activities held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
The awareness film highlights the journey made by jiu-jitsu player Mansour Mohammed Al Dhaheri, around Abu Dhabi Island, swimming a distance of 62 kilometers, which he covered in 34 hours, which aimed to raise community awareness about the importance of preserving the marine environment. , raise awareness about the issue of climate change, and urge the reduction of practices that threaten nature.
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“Swimming 62″… Emirati film wins “Gulf Film Festival” award.
The film, which lasts 90 minutes, follows the experience of Al Dhaheri and his crew, in challenging the fear of swimming, which he faced, due to an old accident he suffered when he was young , how the cinematic work turned into a calling. for collective action, and encouraging society to come together, to succeed in making a positive change in their lives.
The film won the “Green Cinema Award”, as the best environmental film in the Arab Gulf, in the “Al Saqr Environmental Film Competition”, within the activities of the sixth session of the “Al Ain Film Festival”, which ended its operation last February. .
The director Mansour Al-Yabhouni Al-Dhaheri had stated, in previous press reports, that the idea for the film came to him through his friend Mansour Muhammad Al-Dhaheri, who asked him to film a video of himself swimming in open water, in preparation to participate in a marine environmental campaign, which made him He decided to implement the film with his friend’s work team, as work continued on the film for two whole years, between training, preparation and filming, and the focus in the scenes of the film on the idea of challenge as his main focus, with the aim of making a change in society, where he decided to improve the situation to tell the story of his friend who is to turn the fear of swimming into a community work, with the participation of hundreds of people of different ages and nationalities. To raise awareness of the environment and the importance of preserving our planet, highlighting marine pollution, as well as the devastating effects of rising water levels and the destruction of vital marine ecosystems, as well as to introduce the public to mangroves and their key role in conserving and protecting the marine environment.
Last March, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, received the film crew, appreciating the efforts of its members, and urging them continue to participate in special awareness campaigns that contribute to increasing community awareness and increasing its role in preserving… The marine environment.
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“Swimming 62″… Emirati film wins “Gulf Film Festival” award.
In the “Gulf Film Festival” session around 29 different films were presented by Gulf producers, over five days, across several tracks, including: “feature documentaries, ” “short documentary films,” and “documentary films. “
The UAE participated in the festival’s activities, in the “Feature Film Competition”, with the film “Mountain Boy” by director Zainab Shaheen, and in the “Short Narrative Film Competition” with the film “Shame” by director Fatima Al Mansouri. She also participated in the “Long Documentary Film Competition” with two films: “The Millstone” by director Nasser Al Dhaheri, and “Swimming 62” by director Mansour Al Dhaheri.
