Mahmood Yahya Al-Shaikh’s ROSE WATER world premieres at the Muscat International Film Festival to great reception
Mahmood Yahya Al-Shaikh’s Bahraini drama ROSE WATER recently held its world premiere at the Muscat International Film Festival — which took place at the Omani capital from March 3rd to the 7th — in the presence of its director and actor.
The film was met with warm praise and an overall excellent reaction from audiences, celebrities, critics, and media personalities alike, who were quick to approach the director after the screening to discuss it at length.
ROSE WATER follows Maryam, who spent 40 years of her life raising her children and taking care of the family. After the death of her husband, Sheikh Jaafar, her ex-boyfriend proposes to her, and she decides to agree.
The film — which stars Maryam Zeman, Jamaan Al-Ruwaii, Yahya AbdulRasoul, Hussain Abdulali, and Dana Al-Salem — deep dives into the culture of contempt around women re-marrying in the Middle East.
Directed, produced, and co-written by Mahmood Yahya Al-Shaikh alongside Mohammad Ateeq — who also lensed the film — the film was edited by Mohammed Ahmed and Mahmood Ateeq, co-produced by Hassan Al-Shaikh of Frame Box Center Productions, with Mohammed Nema and Abdulla Al-Haiki handling sound, and MAD Solutions handling the film’s worldwide sales.
Mahmood Yahya Al-Shaikh is a Bahraini director and filmmaker with a Bachelor’s in multimedia from the University of Bahrain.
He recently directed the OSN drama WARM FEELING, along with several award-winning short films such as THE END ..?, NO, JUST A TOY, 301, and MY LOVE ADRAA.
His short film RAINBOW also screened at several film festivals, including the Abu Dhabi Film Festival — where it received a Special Mention from the jury — as well as the Guelmim, Josette, Alexandria Short, Spotlight, Khartoum, Baghdad, Slovakia, National Unity, Tire, China Women's, Lumiere Cinema Avvenire, Dhaka, Orient, Chennai, and Gabes film festivals.
The short film also went on to win the Special Jury Prize at the Meknes International Film Festival, the Bronze Award for Best Integrated Film at the Samawah International Film Festival, the Best Screenplay Award at the Wasit Film Festival, the Best Direction Award at the Steps Film Festival, and a Special Jury Prize at the Panorama Short Film Festival.