"Positive" Syrian wins the screenplay award at the Souss Short Film Festival.

In a celebratory cinematic atmosphere filled with noticeable Arab and international competition, the Syrian short film "Positive" was crowned with the Best Screenplay Award at the 17th edition of the International Short Film Festival of Souss, held in Agadir, Morocco.

The film, written and directed by Rami Nidal, represented Syrian cinema at the festival and captured attention with its deep human story and striking performances by its actors.

"Positive" unfolds in the heart of the Syrian capital, Damascus, where a middle-class couple lives in a luxurious house reflecting remnants of a more affluent past, before economic and social circumstances forced them to downgrade their living standards.

The house boasts precious furniture, spacious rooms, and decorations hinting at a lavish history, yet no longer reflecting their new reality.

The film portrays a bitter internal struggle experienced by the couple after discovering an unexpected pregnancy while preparing to leave the country after obtaining a travel visa to a Western country, hoping to start a new life away from the economic and humanitarian devastation in their homeland.

Although pregnancy is often considered a sign of good fortune in most families, in "Positive," this event turns into a heavy burden threatening their escape plans and raising painful existential questions.

Starring Eliana Saad and Jibril Al-Hassam, the film spans 17 minutes of intense narrative and profound symbolism, reflecting the magnitude of the psychological and social pressures faced by a large segment of Syrians.

The Souss Festival is one of the prominent specialized short film festivals on both the Arab and international levels, annually bringing together a selection of cinema professionals from various countries worldwide, celebrating works from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, and Oman, in addition to contributions from European countries like France, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, and Italy.

The festival, featuring screenings, workshops, and exchange of experiences, provides a real opportunity for cultural encounters and sharing diverse cinematic experiences, serving as an important platform to showcase new talents and stories worth telling.