BAFTA: Palestinian film 'The Present' wins best short film award

The Present, a movie set in the occupied West Bank and directed by British-Palestinian filmmaker Farah Nabulsi, has won a BAFTA award for best short film.

The award was presented on Saturday at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards ceremony. 

The Present is Nabulsi's directorial debut and was co-written with by Palestinian filmmaker and poet Hind Shoufani.

In her acceptance speech, Nabulsi dedicated the award to "the people of Palestine for whom freedom and quality is long, long overdue".

The director later tweeted about her win, writing "Absolutely blown away!!! A BAFTA!!!"
Palestinian politician, activist, and scholar Dr Hanan Ashrawi was among many who took to social media to congratulate Nabulsi on her achievement. 
 

The Present, which was released on 2 February 2020, focuses on the story of Yusuf and his young daughter, who brave Israeli soldiers and checkpoints in their mission to buy a gift for his wife on their wedding anniversary. 

The film, which was shot over six days in Palestine, opens at an overcrowded Israeli checkpoint, a scene that was filmed on location.

At a panel in the Other Israel Film Festival, Nabulsi said that particular scene was "probably the most rewarding" to make. 
In a testament to the film's raw and honest quality, Nabulsi has highlighted the authenticity of the backdrop of The Present's opening scene.

"The only fiction in that scene is our protagonist, Yusuf. All the other hundreds of Palestinians you see there are actual Palestinians going to work at the crack of dawn."

The news of the film's achievement was celebrated online, with a wave of tweets congratulating Nabulsi and her film, and expressing amazement at the news.