An Emirati documentary about a man determined to feed 500 stray cats every day has received a Special Mention in the Best Documentary category at the Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival in the UK.
Feeding Five Hundred, a short film directed by Rafed Alharthi, a 25-year-old Emirati filmmaker, was the runner-up in the Best Documentary category at the festival, which finished yesterday.
His debut film, which was supported and produced by twofour54 creative lab, tells the story of a man who has been feeding hundreds of cats each day since 1995.
The film, in Arabic with English subtitles, was eligible for awards in three categories at the festival – the Brief Encounters Grand Prix Award, the Audience Award and the Best Short Documentary Award.
Alharthid began his career in front of the cameras, first as a volunteer and then as a professional presenter on Abu Dhabi TV, where he still regularly introduces his own show Min Alkhater.
After taking part in the Young Media Leaders programme, run by twofour54’s training academy, tadreeb, Rafed developed a passion for documentary filmmaking.
Since it was launched in 2010, the creative lab has worked across media platforms such as film, music, online applications, electronic games and publishing.
It has completed 57 projects and helped more than 500 young people to take their first steps in the media industry.
Feeding Five Hundred is the first documentary it has produced.
wissa@thenational.ae
