Oman is a country with a rich cultural heritage that spans centuries. These unique cultures and traditions are an important part of its identity. Documenting these traditions on film is an important way to preserve them for future generations.
Many ambitious young Omanis are starting to venture into photography and filmmaking, and important work is being accomplished not just on wildlife preservation but also on some important traditions that are threatened by modernity.
In the area of film, Oman has been hosting an international film festival, and efforts by pioneering film-makers in the country had led to many developments in this field. One of the recent triumphs is when an Omani film found a space on Netflix — a great start in showcasing the emerging film industry of Oman.
For Omani director Mohammad al Ajmi, the inclusion of his documentary film Al Manyour which documents the complexities of “Al Zamat” is already a big win, giving him an opportunity to interact with other like-minded creatives and develop his filmmaking voice even further.
Al Ajmi is a member of the board of directors of the Omani Society for Cinema and Theatre and from March 4 to 6, his film will be showcased at the Tyre International Film Festival held in Lebanon.
With 29 participating films covering fiction, documentary, and animation from 18 countries, the three-day festival will award the best narrative film, the best documentary, the best animation, the best actor and actress, the best cinematography, and the Jury Award.
Al Manyour is an important part of Al Zamat — the traditional method of drawing fresh water from underground wells by villagers from coastal areas of Oman.
A bucket is usually sent down into the well, and once it’s filled with water, the lever and the help of a bull bring the water up for the villagers to use. In the absence of a bull, the villagers have to manually pull it out.
This tradition was heavily practised from the early days of Oman’s Renaissance, but modern machinery, including government water infrastructure, resulted in the tradition being unnecessary.
In Al Ajmi’s film, he managed to document the practice in an area where water is still not readily accessible like in the rest of the country.
“Participating in the festival is a great chance to present a filmmaker’s skills and learn from the experience. These festivals also allow film-makers to learn from each other through exchanges and communications,” Al Ajmi said.
Attended by hundreds of other industry experts, the ground is rich for learning and taking something to develop the film even more, and in return, the platform is perfect to showcase some of Oman’s most treasured traditions.
“The main goal of joining the festival is to introduce the cultural heritage of Oman. We are rich in these traditions. Documenting and promoting these traditions also motivates film producers to enhance the cinema industry in Oman,” Al Ajmi shared.
Al-Manyour won the best Omani film award at the Al-Sharqiya Film Festival this year.
The jury for this year’s film festival included Spanish director Ana Sandero Alfrez, Sudanese director Nasser Youssef, and directors Muriel Abu Al-Rous, Walid Mones, Fadi Syriani, and Shadi Zidan from Lebanon.
Other than Oman and Lebanon, some films also come from Algeria, Bahrain, Belgium, China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Syria, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom.
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