Jordanian short film ‘Tala’vision’ nominated for Student Academy Awards

AMMAN — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (the Oscars) has announced the nomination of the Jordanian short film “Tala’vision”, directed by Murad Abu Eisheh from the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, Germany. 

The film will compete at the Student Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Narrative Film section, marking the first Arab nomination in this category. The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Beverly Hills on October 21, according to a statement from the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation.

Thirty-seven films from emerging filmmakers are competing in the 48th Academy Awards. 

“Tala’vision” will compete with six other films in its category. Thomas Schadt, director of the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, said: “The nomination of ‘Tala’vision’ for the Student Film Oscar is the 18th nomination for the Film Academy, since the academy’s foundation… It represents a milestone in the Academy’s internationalisation strategy.” 

“Tala’vision” had its world premiere at the 42nd Max Ophuls Film Festival in Germany, where for the first time in the festival’s history it awarded both the Audience and Jury Prizes for the same film. 

The film also won the First Steps Award and the Michael Ballhaus Award for Best Camera. It received support from the Royal Film Commission through the Jordan Fund in 2019 and was chosen by the jury of the Clermont-Ferrand Festival as a highlight of the Clermont film market. The film also won the Best Short Film Award at the Rhode Island International Film Festival.

The film revolves around the eight-year-old girl, Tala who is trapped in a war-torn reality. She finds freedom and solace in banned television, but it turns out to be a matter of life or death, according to the statement. 

The film was written and directed by Abu Eisheh. The Jordanian-German co-production stars Ziad Bakri, Aisha Blasim and Khaled Al Tarifi. 

The film was produced by Jude Kawwa, Philipp Raube, Esther Busch and Gabriel Waldvogel. 

Abu Eisheh was born in Amman in 1992 and received his bachelor’s degree in design and visual communication with a focus on filmmaking from the German Jordanian University in 2014. 

After graduating, he directed several short films. While studying, Abu Eisheh  used his cinematic approach to shed light on the political and humanitarian grievances in the Arab world. His films have been shown in many international film festivals, the statement said.