The Myth of Mahmoud (Working Title)
Spring Grants 2024 - Post-Production Stage
Mayar Hamdan, Shaima Tamimi / Feature Documentary / Palestine, Lebanon, United States of America, Qatar / 90 min / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Women, Immigration, Family, Creative Documentary
Synopsis
In this reflexive and creative documentary, Mayar, 23, picks up the camera to capture the intricate lives of her Palestinian family, who have resided in Doha for over six decades. Against the backdrop of never-ending conflicts in their hometown, Gaza, the family’s Doha home reflects their turmoil, with the focal point being Mayar’s mother, Amal, 61, whose grief is concealed beneath a veil of sarcasm. Amal navigates an enduring sense of displacement exacerbated by the loss of her father and residency sponsor, Mahmoud. As Mayar makes the United States her new home, Amal confronts the challenging task of determining the family’s future place of residency. The end of her residency in Doha, marked by the arrival of the “retirement & end of service” letter, is fast approaching—a reality made more pressing amidst the global political turmoil in the family’s homeland. Alone, Amal faces the responsibility of deciding where to go and how to care for her elderly mother, Teta, and her emotionally unstable sister, Wafaa. In the face of the current political climate, a haunting question persists: in a world seemingly devoid of refuge, where will this displaced family find a haven?
Credits
- Director
- Mayar Hamdan, Shaima Al Tamimi
- Screenwriter
- Mayar Hamdan
- Producer
- Shaima Al Tamimi
- Production Company
- Y2P Studios
About the Director
Mayar Hamdan, a Palestinian multi-platform writer, director, and producer, brings a distinctive design sensibility to her work, exploring MENA-centered themes like migration, displacement, generational trauma, and female-centred stories through the lens of colour theory. With a background in art and technology from CalArts, film training and development via the Doha Film Institute, game writing for multiple indie studios in Barcelona, and experience as a Lead Narrative Designer for Saudi game studio Lunacy, she now serves as a story consultant for multiple AAA games and as a writer for a Saudi Netflix series in development. Her diverse portfolio includes writing, directing, and producing projects like 'Beit Byoot' (2019), available on Sundance TV, 'Don't Get Too Comfortable' (2021), which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, and 'Ibqi: A Visual EP,' set to be released in June 2024.
Shaima Al-Tamimi, a Yemeni-East African photographer and filmmaker based in Qatar, uses her lived experiences to address social issues focusing on migration, healing, and sociocultural dynamics. Shaima is currently in production with her first feature documentary with Mayar Hamdan. In 2021, she was commissioned by Qatar Museums to document the National Flour Mills prior to its demolition to make way for Qatar's upcoming Art Mill Museum in 2030, where her work will permanently reside. Her award-winning short film 'Don't Get Too Comfortable' (2021) premiered at the Venice International Film Festival and showcased at over 35 festivals worldwide. Shaima is also on the board of YWT, an organization based in Yemen that focuses on providing opportunities in film mentorship and production to the youth of Yemen.