2019 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

Take 1 Beginning of Film Text on screen in Arabic: Line 1: Over 370 million Arabs travel every year Line 2: and they all face the same problem Line 3: How do you explain what cannot be explained? (Arabic Sub: This is not a literal translation) End of Film Text on screen in Arabic: The official platform for the Middle Eastern traveler Rehlat.com Sign-Off: Rehlat Logo Animation The film acts as an in-depth exposé on a Shattaf, a handheld water hose, commonly found in Middle Eastern restrooms to rinse off “down there.” It introduces the concept of what a Shattaf is and why it is so important. However, the narrative isn’t just what you see but what you read. The film is targeting the English speaking community who have not installed it in bathrooms in the West and Europe. But the subtitles speak to a local audience and serve as satirical commentary to the absurdity of the concept and how such a basic need is not met when Arabs travel abroad. The characters on screen act as the professionals behind the “innovation” and build a case through interviews with the camera for the shattaf to be installed in hotels and airports across the globe.

Cultural/Context information for the jury

Rehlat is a travel booking application that understood the needs and anxieties of the Middle Eastern traveler. One of the biggest anxieties of travel for the Arab community is hygiene after bathroom usage, as toilet paper is not enough to rinse off. In fact, when Arabs travel abroad they compensate for the lack of a Shattaf with home-made alternatives like plastic water bottles, wet wipes, and other less convenient options. So Rehlat in an attempt to connect to customer on a relevant premise and show understanding, adopted the cause and decided to educate the western community on its importance. Because of the nature of how a shattaf is used, it is not something that would ever be discussed publicly.

Tell the jury anything relevant about the direction.

The inspiration behind bringing the vision to life were product launch films from innovation companies. They carry a sense of excitement yet stunning commercial value that really dramatizes the importance of a product. To tell a credible story, the characters needed to be diverse enough to show scale. The script helped build a sequence to how the story began to unfold.