Muscat – The Omani documentary film Al Darrooj – by director Dr Humaid bin Saeed al Amri – won the Best Screenplay Award at the fourth edition of the Cinemakna Days of Poetic Films festival held from December 20 to 23 in Tunisia.

Participants from 16 countries – Tunisia, Palestine, Oman, Libya, Mauritania, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Cuba, Rwanda, Pakistan, South Africa, Canada and Iran – took part in the festival.

Al Darrooj has had the honour of being the first Omani short narrative film to be screened at Sultan Qaboos Cultural Centre in the United States of America in 2022, the first Omani short narrative film to be shown at the Arab Film Festival in Korea, and El Hanager Arts Centre in Cairo Opera House.

The film has participated in more than 40 festivals around the world and won several international awards.

Amri praised the efforts of the organisers of the Cinemakna Days of Poetic Films festival and its jury, which had the difficult task of choosing the best from a host of excellent entries.

“I congratulate my country, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Omani films that have a distinguished presence on the podium. I congratulate my crew who contributed to the success achieved by the film. Thank you, Tunisia and the filmmakers, intellectuals, poets and writers who appreciated the film,” Amri added.