A Handful of Dates, a short film produced by the Sudan Film Factory and based on Tayeb Salih’s short story of the same title, has won an Award of Excellence at the Best Shorts Film Competition.

The Best Shorts Film Competition is an international awards competition that honors “film, television, videography, and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change.” The film competition gives awards for Best of Show, Awards of Excellence, Awards of Merit, and Awards of Recognition.

A Handful of Dates, published in Tayeb Salih’s The Wedding of Zein and Other Stories, is a classic coming-of-age tale that follows the perspective of a young boy who becomes disillusioned with his moral example, his grandfather.

The short film directed by Hashim Hassan captures the essence of Salih’s text with beautiful wide shots from the eyeline of a child, blurred horizons, and perfectly understated performances from the cast.

In an Instagram post congratulating the film, Leila Abouleila reflects on her viewing experience:

 

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A post shared by Leila Aboulela (@leilaaboulela)

Hashim Hassan’s adaptation of A Handful of Dates has also won the Silver Gate Award from the Digital Gate International Film Festival in Algeria and been nominated for Best Short Film at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles.

Congratulations to Hashim Hassan and the Sudan Film Factory!

Watch the trailer for A Handful of Dates below: