Doha Film Institute
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Bader Short Film Programme 2
Matters of the Mind – Short Films Programme (15+)
Embark on explorative tales of self-discovery and resilience—these acclaimed shorts reveal the nuances of identity and our collective journey toward true understanding.
Struggling to adjust to a new city, Khaled adopts a goldfish as he searches for connection in a foreign world. His quiet journey unfolds into a poignant reflection on adaptation.
Arriving in an unfamiliar city, Khaled faces isolation in a place where the language and culture feel alien. Seeking companionship, he adopts a goldfish, a small but comforting presence in his new life. Through his bond with the fish, Khaled confronts feelings of loneliness and the need for connection. Amphibious explores themes of belonging and identity, offering a powerful metaphor for the journey of migration and the delicate balance between survival and adaptation.

Credits

Director
Amer ALBARZAWI
Screenwriter
Mohamed SAAD EL-DIN, Amer ALBARZAWI
Producer
Alain FLEISCHER
Executive Producer
Luc-Jérôme BAILLEUL
Cinematographer
Vinicius MANTOVI
Editor
Majid Mohammad DOUST, Amer ALBARZAWI
Production Company
Le Fresnoy - Studio National des Arts Contemporains
Sound
Remi CHANAUD,
Mixing
Martin Delzescaux
Music
Omar HAYDAR, Bashar DARWISH
Cast
Moutaz ALHOWARI

About the Director

Amer Albarzawi
Amer AlBarzawi was born in Damascus in 1987 and grew up in Rukneddine, Syria. He left Syria after the start of the current conflict, and has lived in France since 2017. He is a co-founder of the Majooneh collective, with whom he began to make stop-motion films. ‘Fade to Black’ (2014), their first film, won the Jury Prize at the Toronto Urban Film Festival, and ‘Yaman’ took the Best Short Film Awar