2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

The video traces the journey of a Carriage delivery in a Saudi setup. Events kick off with a local male daydreaming about burgers. Once the character places the order on his phone, the delivery guy sets off on a colorful, blue-skied ride across the city. The mobile is again visible showing that you can order flowers, cosmetics and household goods. The driver picks up the order from a burger joint and he finds himself surrounded by zigzagging jeeps driven by groovy youngsters. He drives past a cheerful crowd carrying Carriage flags. He then reaches a red traffic light where a hip-hop dancer is performing a routine. The third stop is a house where tenants are being handed flowers, cosmetics and groceries. The final pitstop is an opulent residence of our initial character who appears ecstatic as he receives his burger. End: "What you want, arrives to your door."

Cultural / Context information for the jury

At first glance, the video background might look like just another GCC setup. However, our animators threw in a few references that would immediately be grasped by Saudi nationals and those familiar with their culture. The main adult character ordering the burger is wearing a red and white headpiece known as “ghutra” with a white robe known as “thob” an attire combination unique to Saudi Arabia. The buildings visible at 00:21 are local architectural landmarks including ‘Al Faisaliyah Centre’ and ‘Kingdom Center Building’. The choice of JEEPs is a deliberate reference as they are popular in Saudi Arabia for off-roading and desert trips, favored activities of residents in the country. 00:33 shows the iconic Jeddah fountain and seafront with the well-known architectural buildings again visible on the right. The homes illustrated in the video are based on traditional Saudi homes.

Tell the jury about the creation of the original music track.

We worked to create a unique tune that our target group would find catchy and relatable. ‘Sons of Yusuf’, the regional Hip Hop sensation of the moment, were the perfect vehicle to fulfill our objective. We approached the Kuwaiti brothers, Ya’koob and Abdul Rahman Al Refaie, for the collaboration. After direction on messaging and target audience, the artists began working on composition and lyrics. They were joined by sound engineer and musician Mike Chav. Chav previously engineered songs for Eminem, D12, Snoop Dogg and the Game. He skillfully fine-tuned the brothers’ piece by adding a “Western” touch to it while preserving its Arabic beat. This truly added an international dimension to a local project.