Nahal - From the Hives of Oman

Individual stories of beekeepers are tied together by a tour company owner, set in a country where hospitality is considered a duty: provided with a wealth of stories and a bounty of traditional food, from which honey forms a small but significant example.

  • Aditi Kumar
    Director
    Director
  • Kumar Govindarajan
    Producer
  • Harini Kumar
    Producer
  • Mohammed Aulathani
    Key Cast
  • Mohammed Shanfari
    Key Cast
  • Sulaiyum al Oufi
    Key Cast
  • Masoud al Jabry
    Key Cast
  • Ibrahim al Rawahi
    Key Cast
  • Zaina Aulathani
    Key Cast
  • Midhun Mukund
    Additional Cinematography
  • Aditi Kumar
    Cinematographer
  • Aditi Kumar
    Editor
  • Anurag Kumar
    Sound Recordist
  • Brandon Engel
    Sound Mixer
  • Brad Beasley
    Sound Mixer - Re-edited cut
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Culture and Lifestyle, Nature and Wildlife
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 30, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    1,501 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Oman
  • Country of Filming:
    Oman
  • Language:
    Arabic, English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Venice Short Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    December 15, 2020
    North American Premiere
    Semi-Finalist
  • Goa Short Film Festival
    Pune, Maharashtra
    India
    December 12, 2020
    Indian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
    Athens, Attica
    Greece
    Greek Premiere
    Honorable Mention
Director Biography - Aditi Kumar

I'm a film-maker and MFA film production student at Loyola Marymount University. Although originally from India, I spent my childhood growing up in Oman, a West Asian Islamic nation sharing its borders with Yemen and Saudi Arabia. My goal is to explore culture, customs and traditional lifestyles through both narrative and non-fiction genres; Nahal is my second documentary short.

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Director Statement

Nahal is as much a film as it is an ode to the country I grew up and fell in love with. Beekeeping has gained prominence today for its ecological and sustainable goals in preserving bees and their crucial role in our failing ecosystems. To be able to practice it with this intention in a less-than-ideal climate, as well as associate it with childhood memories and familial traditions makes it a near allegory for Oman's own economical and cultural journey.

I have always wanted to make a film in Oman, and through Nahal, hope to fan the increasing interest in independent filmmaking there.