Warsha is a 2022 French-Lebanese short film directed by Dania Bdeir.[1] The fifteen-minute short stars multidisciplinary performer Khansa, who plays a migrant worker and crane operator in Beirut.[2] After its premiere at Sundance Film Festival,[3] where it won the award for Best Short Film,[4][5] the film has been presented in numerous international film festivals,[6] including the Clermont-Ferrand Film Festival[7] and the Seminci Valladolid Film Festival, where it won the Rainbow for Best Film.[8] The short advanced to the shortlist for the 95th Academy Awards under the category of Best Live Action Short Film,[9][10] but did not qualify to the final five. The short also competed in the 48th César Awards.[11]
| Warsha | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Dania Bdeir |
| Written by | Dania Bdeir |
| Produced by | Coralie Dias Carine Ruszniewski Pierre Sarraf |
| Starring | Hassan Aqqoul Khansa Kamal Saleh |
| Edited by | Ali J. Dalloul |
Release date | January 2022 |
Running time | 15mn |
| Country | Lebanon |
Plot edit
In Beirut, a migrant worker volunteers to operate a very dangerous construction crane. Finally alone, he feels free to express his fantasies.
Reception edit
Since its launch, the film has been selected in various festivals and academies around the world:
| Year | Festivals | Award/Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Sundance Film Festival[12] | Short Film Jury Award international fiction[13][14] | Won |
| IFFR Rotterdam | Best Short[15] | Nominated | |
| Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival | Grand Prix National | Nominated | |
| Best Queer Short | Nominated | ||
| Tampere Film Festival | Best International Fiction[16] | Won | |
| Saguenay International Short Film Festival | Jury Prize[17] | Won | |
| Aspen Shortsfest | Special Recognition[18] | Won | |
| Outfest | Grand Jury Prize for Outstanding International Narrative Short[19] | Won | |
| SXSW Film Festival | Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Short[20] | Nominated | |
| Zubroffka Festival | Grand Prix[21] | Won | |
| Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia | Grand Prix[22] | Won | |
| Whistler Film Festival | Best International ShortWork[23] | Won |
References edit
- ^ "Dania Bdeir | IFFR". iffr.com. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ Mottram, James (2022-01-24). "'Warsha': Lebanese director Dania Bdeir's short has its premiere at Sundance Film Festival". The National. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ Mottram, James (2022-01-24). "'Warsha': Lebanese director Dania Bdeir's short has its premiere at Sundance Film Festival". The National. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ "Dania Bdeir emmène le Liban sur les sommets de Sundance". L'Orient-Le Jour. 2022-01-31. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
- ^ OPENLY. "Arab film directors tackle gender taboos on big screen". OPENLY. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
- ^ Foreman, Liza (2022-11-14). "Hot Marrakech Project 'Pigeon Wars' Lands International Producers, Readies Atlas Workshop Pitch (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ Staff Reporter (2022-01-25). "Lebanese short film 'Warsha' premieres at Sundance Film Festival 2022". BroadcastPro ME. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ "Return to Dust, by Chinese director Li Ruijun, receives the Golden Spike at Seminci". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (2022-11-28). "Meet the Filmmakers Behind Some of the Best Oscar-Qualifying Shorts of the Year". IndieWire. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (2022-12-06). "Meet the Filmmakers Behind Some of the Best Oscar-Qualifying Shorts of the Year". IndieWire. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
- ^ Nikkhah Azad, Navid (2022-09-30). "César Academy unveils short films lineup for the 2023 César Awards". www.deed.news. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
- ^ "About The Sundance Film Festival- sundance.org". Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ "2022 Sundance Film Festival Live Awards Updates - sundance.org". 2022-01-28. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
- ^ Aftab2022-12-05T06:44:00+00:00, Kaleem. "Arab Stars of Tomorrow 2022: Dania Bdeir, writer/director (Lebanon)". Screen. Retrieved 2022-12-07.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Warsha - » Warsha". Short Shorts Film Festival ＆amp; Asia 2022(SSFF & ASIA 2022). Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ Angela. "Tampere Film Festival 2022 winners" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2022-11-15. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ "WARSHA (2022) - directed by Dania Bdeir". zenmovie (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ Angela. "Aspen Shortsfest 2022 winners" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2022-06-25. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
- ^ "Outfest LA 2022 Film Reviews: Boy Shorts". The Queer Review. 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ "Front Row acquires MENA rights for doc 'Sirens' and short 'Warsha'". www.mime.news. Archived from the original on 2022-11-17. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
- ^ "Lebanese movie Warsha wins Grand Prix at the 2022 Żubroffka Festival". LBCI Lebanon. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
- ^ Lam, Donican (2022-06-25). "French-Lebanese film wins top award at Asia short film festival". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
- ^ Pat Mullen, "River, Coyote Top Whistler Film Festival Awards Winners". Point of View, December 4, 2022.