2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

It’s nighttime, dark, and the television is playing a wildlife documentary. In his guard room, the security guard sits in front of his fries, coke and Shawarma sandwich. But this isn’t just any sandwich, is it? As he unwraps it from the black-colored wrap and takes the first bite, the horror-like film assures us that something terrifyingly is about to happen. The light flickers before it goes absolutely dark, where we suddenly have an outside view of the room. Hearing only his screams, we watch the silhouette of his hand over the dark glass, crying out in fear as the horror over-takes him. We re-enter the room as the lights flickers back on, with no sign of the guard. As we hear an evil voice laugh, a message appears on the screen: “Don’t come near… the most frightening sandwich in the world; ‘The Boogeyman’.”

Cultural / Context information for the jury

Because Saudi Arabia is a relatively conservative country that is commonly used to adhering to rules and ordinance, they usually enjoy a challenge. Spicy food or products are usually positioned as ‘dangerous’ ‘tough’ or ‘challenging,’ which explains their association to fire and strength when communicated in any promotional or marketing form to consumers. Combining the ‘unnatural’ or ‘challenging’ aspect, with the ‘dangerous’ approach, fear become a common ground that could pose a challenging nature for consumers, especially when they are directly told to ‘stay away’ or ‘not do it.’