The short film “Salem is Not Salem” by Bahraini director Omar Farouk won three main awards in the Bahraini films category at the Bahrain Film Festival 2025: Best Cinematography, Best Music, and Best Actress, recording a distinguished presence among the participating works this year.
The film presents a realistic dramatic experience that deals with the conflict between mental illness and society, through a bold presentation that highlights the gap between the individual’s internal suffering and the view of others, in an intense visual work that was filmed entirely in one continuous shot (One Scene Shoot), which gave it dramatic tension and a momentary feeling that reflects the psychological state of the character.
The film received wide attendance and great interaction from the audience during its screening at the festival, as attendees praised the way the idea was presented and the different approach the work presented in addressing a sensitive psychological topic.
This success was the culmination of a collective work trip led by Omar Farouk as director and actor, with the participation of Hashem Sharaf as creative director, Jassim Buhiji, Khaled Bin Younis, and Haitham Abdulaziz as executive producers, along with a crew of young creatives who worked in one spirit to provide a different artistic experience.
Omar Farouk expressed his happiness with this achievement, stressing that “the film was an adventure of a different kind. We worked on it from the heart, and we are happy that the audience felt the idea and interacted with it.”
For his part, Jassim Buhiji expressed his pride in this recognition, noting that “the awards reflect the success of cooperation between a group of ambitious young people united by a passion for cinema and the desire to present something new from Bahrain.”
The film is the result of joint cooperation between Anfas Creative Production Company and The Creator Space, in an initiative aimed at empowering creative youth in Bahrain and the region, and highlighting works that raise humanitarian and psychological issues from a new artistic perspective.
