AUS film talent shines in international indie film festivals

Homegrown storytellers captivate a global audience

Students and faculty from the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) have recently won multiple awards at independent international film festivals. Three AUS students—two junior students and one senior at the time of scripting and shooting their films—secured four awards across three prestigious film festivals in Italy and the USA. Their work stood out among thousands of entries, highlighting the exceptional film talent emerging from CAAD and its growing reputation as a hub for world-class filmmaking and visual communication education.

Ahmad Al Ariqi, a multimedia design student, won two awards at the Sherman Oaks Film Festival in Los Angeles in November 2024. His film, Arch, examines the unique journey of Amna Al Awadhi, an Emirati architecture student at AUS who is also a global archery champion on the UAE national team. The film follows Awadhi’s journey as she tries to juggle the demands of university life with her ambition to become the world’s top archery champion. Arch won the award for Outstanding Short Film and an award for Outstanding Cinematography, both in the documentary category.

“Through this film, I learned that everyone has amazing stories, but what makes them remarkable is how we visualize them. This experience has been incredible, and I’m grateful for the recognition. It’s just the beginning,” said Al Ariqi.

In the same month, Karma El Seidy, also a multimedia design student, won Best Student Short at the Milan Indie Film Festival in Italy, which had already won an award for nonfiction film at the First Frame Film Festival in the UK. Her project, Abooya, dives into the story of an Egyptian father who had to leave his home country to build a life for his family. Through the film, the audience bears witness to his sacrifices and confronts the often-overlooked issue of fathers’ mental health in the Arab world. As a result of these early wins, El Seidy has been able to travel to different film festivals, including the Cairo Short Film Festival, to represent her project on panels and talks.

“Abooya tells a deeply personal story, but at its core, it also touches on broader societal issues that often go unspoken. I love using film to bring these hidden narratives to light, whether it’s men’s mental health or cultural expectations, sparking conversations that matter. I’m proud that the film has been selected at festivals in the US and Malaysia, as well as winning these awards,” said El Seidy. Both Arch and Abooya were produced as course assignments in film courses taught by Professor Mamdouh.

Earlier, Maram Al-Isawi, another CAAD film student, was recognized with Winner - Best Screenplay at the Robinson Film Awards in Italy for her project, The Vacant Chair, a film created as part of two CAAD film courses delivered by Professors Mohammed Mamdouh and Ali Matay. The film follows Alya, a jaded and bitter woman in her mid-twenties, as she attends an Iftar with her estranged, dysfunctional family. These combined wins represent a significant achievement for these students, as they were competing against thousands of submissions from more experienced filmmakers.

In addition to these students’ successes, The Keyboard, a film directed by CAAD faculty member Assistant Professor Mohammed Mamdouh and written by his wife, Jumana Radi, an Executive Producer at Electric Lime Films, has also gained significant international recognition. The film has received four awards and two honorable mentions at film festivals in Tokyo, New York, Hollywood, Venezuela and Greece. The film delves into a woman's experience of relationships, examining themes of trust, betrayal and the process of healing one’s inner child.

“Receiving the news of these awards is truly humbling. More than anything, it reaffirms the dedication and hard work of our students, as well as the effort we’ve put into designing film courses that equip them with the skills to thrive in the industry, both regionally and globally. For years, our students have earned official selections at international film festivals— competing not just in student categories, but also as professionals, and in some cases, winning awards. Seeing them make such an impact at this level is incredibly rewarding, and I have no doubt they will continue to push boundaries in the filmmaking world. At AUS, we are grateful to play a small part in supporting the next generation of filmmakers from the region as they share their voices and stories on an international stage,” said Mamdouh.

CAAD’s Department of Art and Design is recognized throughout the region for its degrees in design management, multimedia design and visual communication, as well as minors in film, design management, illustration and animation, photography and product design. The minor in film is open to all AUS students, regardless of their major and allows students to gain theoretical, analytical and practical knowledge of the world of film and filmmaking.

For more information about CAAD’s Department of Art and Design, visit www.aus.edu/caad/department-of-art-and-design.