Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Bahraini movie director Deena Alsaweer, who is working on a script for a short film that aims to give a voice to women in the kingdom, is also on the prowl for collaborators for an animated children’s series and hopes to inspire other females to join the industry.
She is currently working on a story entitled Agent Hala with screenwriter Marianne Mayer who is hosting the second edition of a script-developing workshop called ‘Action!’ on behalf of the French Embassy, as reported earlier in GulfWeekly.
“Making a short film is extremely fulfilling but requires hard work and team effort,” said Deena who has a Master’s of Arts in Film/Television, with a specialisation in directing and editing, from the Savannah College of Art and Design in the US.
“Agent Hala is a story that I deeply believe in. It’s about a pre-teen Bahraini girl who is a skateboarder facing harsh societal judgements from some peers, neighbours and so on.
“Her mother is forced to either stand up for what will make her daughter happy or stay quiet and conform to the status quo.”
The workshop, which ends on Saturday, will give one scriptwriter the chance to have his or her short-film scenario selected for production by Bahraini company Blu Steel Films.
“I am one of the seven participants,” said Deena, who started a videography business seven years ago producing, editing and directing music videos and fashion films, before studying for her Master’s degree in the US.
“I’m looking forward to hopefully going into production for this short film where I will direct and cast it. I think it’s an important story to tell to give voice to characters that we don’t normally see on screen. Even if I don’t get selected, I will look for investors and producers to support my project.
“In between working on Agent Hala, I’m researching and trying to gather collaborators for a short animated series for children.
“I can’t say much more yet but it tackles the world of therapy in a light-hearted way that isn’t so nerve-wracking for those who find it too scary to consider.”
Deena enjoys works on a variety of projects. She recently directed the Food is Culture promotional videos conceptualised by Bader Al Taranja for the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and, over the past three months, directed the No Sleep Challenge reality series that focuses on the importance of sleep and the consequences of a lack of it.
She directed a show that was screened for more than 65 hours straight alongside Omar Farooq and Hashim Sharaf.
She has also directed student short films in the US focusing on stories that highlight the human experience in a light-hearted way and especially those that give an authentic voice to people of colour and women.
“I’m mostly inspired by those coincidences in life that make you feel like you can have that Disney-type-of happy ending after all,” she added.
She would also like to see more women in Bahrain in the industry. “I don’t know any directors in Bahrain who are women,” she admitted. “It is a dream of mine to be able to work on a film with an all-women crew and cast. If you know any, please do tell them I’m interested in collaborating!”
For details, follow @itsdeenapro on Instagram.
