We had an interview with Farzad Samsami, winner of HP’s 2014 Bridging the Borders Award, presented by Cinema Without Borders at 2014 Palm Springs International Short Film Festival and Market for his film FOAD (Norway). We asked Farzad about his entry to the world of filmmaking, making FOAD, winning HP’s Bridging The Borders Award and his future projects.
2014 festival was held at Palm Springs’ Camelot Theatre. The Editor-in-Chief of CWB, Bijan Tehrani, presented the award for 2014 to HP Bridging the Borders winner. Farzad Samsami who received an award diploma and an HP ZBook 15 Mobile Workstation with a DreamColor color critical display panel. An approximate $3000 value, as his prize.
“At Cinema Without Borders, we are proud to be a part of the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival and Market’s celebration of the future of world cinema by bestowing our Bridging the Borders Award to a film that helps bring the people of our world closer together. FOAD (Norway), takes the audience on a tragic-but-eye-opening journey about a young African kid that lives in extreme poverty, but has a dream; a dream for a better life in a better place.”, said Bijan Tehrani, Editor In Chief of Cinema Without Borders, addressing the audience.
Foad (Norway)
A street smart Moroccan boy devises a business opportunity with the desperate refugees at his seaside town in this film about dreaming of a better life.
Director: Farzad Samsami
Producer: Njål Lambrechts, Trude Refsahl
Editor: Rolf Thomas Løvig – Music: Tom Roger Rogstad
Screenwriter: Farzad Samsami – Cinematographer: Philip Øgaard
Principal Cast: Oussama Zemmourri, Mly youssef Ezzahr, Trond Høvik, Youssef Derkaoui
Kush (India)
Following the 1984 assassination of Indira Gandhi, a school field trip becomes a harrowing ordeal for a teacher trying to protect a 10-year-old Sikh boy from the growing violence around them.
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani – Producer: Sanjay Bhutiani
Editor: Shubhashish Bhutiani, Tom Knight – Music: Dharam & Sandeep – Screenwriter: Shubhashish Bhutiani – Cinematographer: Michael McSweeney
Principal Cast: Shayaan Sameer, Sonika Chopra, Anil Sharma