Treasures of the Past (Knooz L'awl)
Made in Qatar
Rawan Al-Nassiri, Nada Bedair / Short Documentary / Qatar / 2017 / 8 min / Colour / DCP
In Arabic / English subtitles
Interests: Women, Documentary, Social Issues
World Premiere
Rated: Parental guidance is advised for viewers under the age of 13. Individuals under the age of 13 are not admitted into cinemas unless accompanied by an individual aged 18 or older.
Synopsis
Om Fahad, Om Khalid and Om Mohammed are three elderly Qatari women who have spent their lives putting food on their families’ tables through their handiwork. Om Fahad sews ‘batula’, the gold face-cover for women; Om Mohammed makes ‘sadw’, the distinctive, brightly coloured heavy fabric used for carpets and accessories; and Om Khalid cooks traditional Qatari food. In ‘Treasures of the Past’, these three cheerful and engaging grandmothers bring to mind the old saying, “a woman’s work is never done”.
About the Directors
Nada Bedair is a senior at Northwestern University in Qatar, where she majors in media industries and technology and minors in gender and sexuality studies. Bedair is passionate about social justice, particularly women’s empowerment. She aspires to empower women through her work as a filmmaker in documentary and fiction. Some of her notable works are her documentary ‘Treasures of the Past’, which was featured at Muscat International Film Festival and won best documentary in Ajyal film festival. It showcases three powerful old women defying gender and social stereotypes in their own communities.
Rawan Al-Nassiri is a director, cinematographer and studies Media and Communications at Northwestern University in Qatar. Her love for culture and storytelling drives her to document enthralling stories of the people of her society.
Credits
- Director
- Rawan Al-Nassiri, Nada Bedair
- Screenwriter
- Rawan Al-Nassiri, Nada Bedair
- Editor
- Rawan Al-Nassiri, Nada Bedair
- Music
- Khalid Al-Faisal
- Cinematographer
- Rawan Al-Nassiri, Nada Bedair
- Cast
- Om Khalid , Om Mohammed, Om Hamad