2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

As the film opens to an overweight man as he steps on a scale, the narrative introduces the concept of Ramadan’s battles. Focused on ‘losing’ weight and saddened by ‘gaining’ any, we follow the man struggling to accept the scale’s verdict. As he strives to work out, struggling to refrain from delicious indulgences, weakness overtakes him with a bucket of fried-chicken. Unaccepting of himself, he stands watching his trouser’s button flies off, no-longer able to contain his weight. Fed up, he throws the scale against the wall, while the narrator reminds us that giving-up is the simple way, and while we battle to ‘lose’ weight, others are not privileged to apprehend what gaining is, as their only battle is hunger. Closing on a dark shot of children, we are shamed by the narrative to reprioritize our own battles and instead help those who don’t have a choice.

Cultural / Context information for the jury

Obesity rates in the KSA is considerably high, overtaking 73% of adults over the age of 40, and a growing 18% of children. Due to the dietary custom of the country, and with Ramadan being where people overcook, overeat and are forced to eat twice a day at night after fasting, the struggle of gaining weight is a common insight that most people avoid discussing openly. While poverty rates are not very high, Ramadan traditions focus on giving back and donating to those who are in need. Marrying a true insight that is occasionally relevant to the nature of the month creates a cohesive solution that benefits both ends, and strikes a culturally unaddressed topic.

Provide the full film script in English.

It’s intriguing the way we think about gaining and losing. In Ramadan, the scale takes precedence over everything else. We seek losing And run after it for miles and miles. But when we gain, we’re flooded with misery. Strange. Working hard is difficult. But when we see this, it’s devastating. You want to lose weight without effort? Impossible. And we never ask why? Why fry when you can bake? Where is your persistence?! Don’t stop. Push harder! The most important thing is not to give up. Ramadan and your weight is an on-going battle between gaining and losing. A battle and a choice, other people never apprehended. Because the only struggle they ever had to fight, is hunger. Donate a meal for them. And gain more weight to your scale of virtue.