'Border' Wins Silver at New York Festivals TV & Film Awards

A Middle Eastern man tries to pass through airport security in a dystopian future in this short film.

'Border,' directed by Khalifa Al-Thani, won a Silver prize at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards in the 'Short Films' category.

On April 26, the film was honored at a virtual event. Films and television series from 42 nations were featured in this year's edition. A jury of 200 producers, directors, writers and other creative media professionals from throughout the globe adjudicated the festival.

The film is set in a dystopian future when masks are required and a severe system closely monitors everyone's every action. Al-Thani informed Al-Rayya that the idea for this film came to him three years ago.

He does his best to follow this intricate structure in the context of events, but it is not an easy voyage. Mohamed is met with institutional indifference and mounting concerns about his history and intentions at every turn. In a society where everyone has been reduced to color codes, judgments easily become skewed."

The film was made in conjunction with the Doha Film Institute and Edge after the Qatari director won the Doha Film Institute's Fall Grants 2018 cycle. It had its world premiere at the Ajyal Film Festival 2021.

As the use of digital media grew in the aftermath of the epidemic, a new vision for the film business arose.

They now have a significant presence at film festivals, and the lockdown period altered the festivals' form, leaving them completely reliant on virtual awards ceremonies.

The yearly Ajyal Film Festival, organized by the Doha Film Institute, has established itself as a breeding ground for emerging cinematic voices.

The New York Festivals TV & Film Awards honor programming from over 50 countries in a variety of durations and forms. With the goal of encouraging the next generation of authors, they award creatives that represent today's worldwide trends.

News Programs, News Reports/Features, Sports Programs, Documentary, Student Films, Corporate Image, and more are among the 14 categories.

"We need to study and grow our filmmaking talents, and we have a fantastic opportunity here in Qatar because the world's most renowned filmmakers come here every year to share their cinematic experiences with us." We need to gain from them how to promote our work outside the region, particularly when there are so many stories that circulate in our surroundings," Al-Thani continued.