Shahroor Documentary
The way you thread your story can shape the world. With this belief, I brought Shahroor to life.
My film Shahroor has been accepted into118 film festivals across more than 38 countries. It has garnered 31 awards, been a finalist for 7 awards, a semi-finalist for 6 awards, and received 6 honorable mentions. I was the co-director, producer, DOP, gaffer, sound recordist and editor, colorist, film editor, and distribution manager. This film is an independent project that I funded.
Enjoy the film!
https://rb.gy/5f4gjy
To watch the film, copy the link below, paste it into your search engine, and download the film to view it at full quality.
Festival history
Shahroor film was accepted in 118 festivals in over than 38 countries. Winning 31 awards, finalist for 7 awards, semifinalist for 6 awards and received 6 honorable mentions.
SamhainBaucogna International Film Festival/2024/best short film award. Golden Lion International Film Festival (GLIFF)/2024/Debut Filmmaker of Short Film award.Birsamunda International Film Awards/2024/best cinematography award. Navy international film festival/2024/best debut short film award. Londo movie Festival/2024/best director award. Tanzania International Film Festival/2023/best cinematography for short film award. Taiwan International Short Film Festival/2023/Best producer for Documentary award. Oman Indie Film Festival/2023/ Best cinematography award. Chokkie International Film Festival/2023/Best cinemaphotography award.Lvory International Film Festival/2023/Best Documentary Award. Golden Art International Film Festival Golden Art International Film Festival/2023/Best cinemaphotography award. Rose Internatinoal Film Festival/2023/Best Editor award. Keezhadi International Film Festival/2023/Best editor award. Sri Matha Film Award/2023/best cinemaphotography award. Bucharest ShortCut CineFest/2023/best short film award. Dallas Movie Awards Festival/2023/best cinematography award. Vidvin International Film Festival/2023/ best producer award. Madrid Film Awards (MADFA)/2024/best student short film award. Sittannavasal International Film Festival/2023/best documentary award. FICIMAD/2024/student movie award. Mokkho International Film Festival/2023/best documentary award. Fisheye Film Festival/2024/best documentary award. Youth Empowerment Film & Song Competition 2023/2024/ best documentary award. Rohip International Film Festival/2023/Best Documentary short film. LA Festival of Cinema/2024/best student film finalist. Paris International Short Festival/2023/ Best Cinematography in Short award semi finalist.Kansas City Independent Film Festival/2024/Intl. Documentary Short award semi finalist. International Moving Film Festival/2023/Short Films - Documentary award semi finalist.Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival/2024/best cinematography honorable mention. Post-Cinema Film Festival Post-Cinema Film Festival/2024/student short film honorable mention. Ridgway Independent Film Fest/2023/honorable mention. Short Shot Fest/2025/best short student. Cinemaking International Film Festival/2024/Institution Focused Film. Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions - hosted by Lift-Off Global Network/2024/Student Shorts - Students of Storytelling.First-Time Filmmaker Sessions - hosted by Lift-Off Global Network/2024/Shorts - New Voices. Ljubljana International Short Film Festival - EUROPANORAMA/2024/short film. New York Film & Cinematography Awards New York Film & Cinematography Awards/2024/director short documentary. Fescilmar Festival - Session for the first time Venezuela/2024/documentary internacional short. Kinosuite International/2024/International Student Documentary.Hollywood Best Indie Film Awards/2024/Cinematography. LANE DOC FEST/2023/Student Documentary. Hollywood Best Indie Film Awards/2023/Student Film. Kerala Short Film Festival/2024/Documentary. MIDWINTER SAGA WIFF - Gawler: Women's International Film Festival/2023/student films. kalakari film fest/2024/short film. Corto Creativo Short Film Festival/2023/documentary. X Premio Fausto Rossano/2023/documentary. Dispatches of War/2023/documentary. Pupila Film Festival/2023/best director. Lift-Off First-Time Filmmaker Sessions 2024/2023/documentary. Electric Film Festival/2023/short film. WILDsound Daily Festival/2023/documentary. Pune Short Film Festival/2024/student film. Black Bear Film Festival/2023/student film. Veracruz World Film Festival/2023/documentary.
Awards:
SamhainBaucogna International Film Festival/2024/best short film award. Golden Lion International Film Festival (GLIFF)/2024/Debut Filmmaker of Short Film award. Birsamunda International Film Awards/2024/best cinematography award. Navy international film festival/2024/best debut short film award. London movie Festival/2024/best director award. Tanzania International Film Festival/2023/best cinematography for short film award. Taiwan International Short Film Festival/2023/Best producer for Documentary award. Oman Indie Film Festival/2023/ Best cinematography award. Chokkie International Film Festival/2023/Best cinemaphotography award. Lvory International Film Festival/2023/Best Documentary Award. Golden Art International Film Festival Golden Art International Film Festival/2023/Best cinemaphotography award. Rose International Film Festival/2023/Best Editor award. Keezhadi International Film Festival/2023/Best editor award. Sri Matha Film Award/2023/best cinemaphotography award. Bucharest ShortCut CineFest/2023/best short film award. Dallas Movie Awards Festival/2023/best cinematography award. Vidvin International Film Festival/2023/ best producer award. Madrid Film Awards (MADFA)/2024/best student short film award. Sittannavasal International Film Festival/2023/best documentary award. FICIMAD/2024/student movie award. Mokkho International Film Festival/2023/best documentary award. Fisheye Film Festival/2024/best documentary award. Youth Empowerment Film & Song Competition 2023/2024/ best documentary award. Rohip International Film Festival/2023/Best Documentary short film. LA Festival of Cinema/2024/best student film finalist. Paris International Short Festival/2023/ Best Cinematography in Short award semi finalist. Kansas City Independent Film Festival/2024/Intl. Documentary Short award semi finalist. International Moving Film Festival/2023/Short Films - Documentary award semi finalist. Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival/2024/best cinematography honorable mention. Post-Cinema Film Festival Post-Cinema Film Festival/2024/student short film honorable mention. Ridgway Independent Film Fest/2023/honorable mention.
Below are a few BTS shots captured during Shahroor making.
The section below contains the process of postproduction. It took me 35 days to complete the postproduction of this film.
The editing process proved to be the most creatively challenging aspect of the project. I filmed 9 hours of footage, with the goal of condensing it into a 15-minute film, necessitating a reduction of 3600%. This required meticulous decision-making to prioritize the story flow and adhere to several essential editing principles. Each cut was a deliberate choice to ensure the narrative remained cohesive and engaging. During the sound editing phase, I faced the intricate task of matching sound levels to create a consistent auditory experience. This involved connecting different scenes with a variety of sound effects, carefully selected to enhance transitions and reinforce the mood. Finding the right sound effects and music was crucial in creating the overall ambiance, enriching the visual narrative with a complementary soundscape. I also employed advanced techniques, such as L and J cuts, to ensure a seamless flow between scenes. These techniques allowed for audio from one scene to overlap with the visuals of another, creating a smoother and more engaging transition. This not only enhanced the story's continuity but also added depth to the viewing experience. In summary, the editing process was a meticulous and creative endeavor that demanded a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of storytelling. By balancing technical precision with artistic expression, I was able to craft a compelling and cohesive short documentary from hours of raw footage.
Below is a screenshot of the film editing timeline.
During the coloring process, I crafted a warm visual palette reminiscent of classic film cameras to convey the profound emotions of the film to the audience. For the old family videos, I employed a retro film look to highlight the wholesome, archival nature of the footage. Each shot was meticulously colored by hand, without relying on LUTs. This involved creating multiple selective masks for each clip and tracking the moving subjects. I performed white balance corrections, adjusted the coloring look, refined skin tones, applied film simulation layers, enhanced sharpness, and more. By manually coloring each shot, I ensured that every detail contributed to the overall emotional impact of the film.
The section below contains pictures that show before and after coloring the clips. I filmed in REC709 color profile.
