ALWAN, 3min., UK
Directed by Qais Sarhan
Meet Alwan, a cheerful child longing for a friend. After a series of disappointments, a box of crayons unexpectedly brings magic into his life. The crayons come alive, creating a vibrant world filled with joy and friendship. In this magical world, Alwan discovers that his imagination holds the key to happiness. The story celebrates the power of creativity and the simple joys found within our imagination.

http://www.qaissarhan.com/
https://www.instagram.com/qaisicle/

https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/alwan-review

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

I've always wanted to create a personal short film but never felt confident enough to do it. Last year, I went to an animation festival with my friend Gordon Howie, and we both felt incredibly inspired and motivated. So, we made a pact right then and there to hold each other accountable and dive into the filmmaking process together. For this film specifically, the story is a very personal one. I wanted to explore the idea of loneliness and exclusion for kids, as I think that's a big issue for a lot of children, for different reasons. I think that made it more meaningful and it became a passion project for me.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

It took around 8 months from idea to completion. However, for most of that period, I was only working on the film in my spare time in the evenings and weekends. I went into turbo-mode and started working on it full-time in the last month or so.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Emotional, colourful

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

This being my first narrative film, I had to figure out a lot of stuff along the way and do some creative problem-solving. The toughest part was keeping up my excitement and energy throughout the process.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

Seeing people connect with my film in the feedback video was amazing. It made me so happy to see them get the message and feel the emotions I put into it. It was also interesting to see a few people interpret it in their own completely different way too.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

Since I was a little kid. I was constantly running around with a camera harassing my cousins into shooting little films and music videos.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

One of my favourite animated films is Wes Anderson's "Fantastic Mr Fox". I love everything about it, from the design to the animation, pacing, and acting.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

Experimental Dance & Music Film Festival does a great job in enhancing the experience already - getting to hear and see real feedback from the audience was an amazing extra value-add. Also, getting feedback on the film even when it isn;t successfully selected would be great, although I know that would involve a lot of extra work for the organisers.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

Overall, FilmFreeway has been great. It made the whole submission process a lot less daunting for me as a newbie. My one piece of feedback would be that the platform can be a little overwhelming to navigate through because of the sheer number of festivals available. A simple way of rating the festivals and organisations might make it easier to pinpoint the best or most relevant

10. What is your favorite meal?

My family is from Palestine, and I now live very far away, in the UK. So without a doubt, my mother's stuffed vine leaves take the crown as my favorite dish.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I'd like to make another film eventually, but I'm not ready to jump into it just yet. For now, I want to focus on shorter projects and see how much I can improve and push my style before starting a new film.