Al- Wataniya Private University is once again alive with the energy of youth, as young and creative talents emerge to offer us a new ray of hope. They prove that giving knows no boundaries of time, place, or war. The university witnessed the launch of “Be Yourself,” a short film written and scripted by Saad Mohammed Ammar, a student at the College of Pharmacy, and produced by JEMAR PRODUCTION. The film was presented to the public as a complete cinematic masterpiece that combines opposites (black and white). The protagonist, Saad, appears as a strong character who struggles with life’s pressures and frees himself from despair and anxiety. At times he wears weakness like a cloak, leading us lightly into the psychology of human beings and their struggles with thoughts and visions that lead them into sadness and loss. In every scene, Saad seeks to speak about “absolute truths in the face of time” in language that speaks to both reason and emotion, leaving an indelible impression on our souls through its smooth transitions between scenes. The writer appears in his short film with an internal monologue that expresses what is felt in people’s hearts, whispering into the ears of those present about what he endures and feels using body language and gestures that touch the core of emotions. He moves between opposites such as despair and joy, pain and hope, failure and attempt, defeat and victory in a way that keeps viewers immersed in classical melodies blending oud notes with sorrowful violin strings accompanied by unique vocal performances by Al-Wataniya students (Zakaria Al-Agha, Iyas Dioub, Samir Al-Ashi). In his speech to the audience, Saad directs them to stay true to themselves without pretense or arrogance while placing keys to enlightenment in their hands. He reflects on the essence of the film as a natural product of youthful thinking that is full of desire and follows its dreams hastily. In turn, the film shifts the viewer’s gaze to the psychological and social phenomena experienced by an entire generation that has suffered from the ravages of war and living conditions that have become a shattered ruin in reality.

The cinematic shots are considered to have stirred the stillness and revealed the beauty of Al-Wataniya  University with its landmarks and nature. They embody the true meaning of friendship despite its idealized image being shaken in this day and age. They return in their beautiful form to occupy hearts before minds, as writer Saad Ammar leaves room for viewers to contemplate the meaning and significance of the message he wants to convey without providing preconceived answers. Instead, he takes them by the hand to follow their own thoughts in the courtyards of imagination until each one reaches their own conviction.

Saad excels at breaking away from convention in his formulation and composition of a dramatic film that departs from traditional dramatic or cinematic works. He blends a simple piece of everything into a complex painting that does not adhere to the rules of drama or traditional cinema, developing his tools to access the same scenes and express what he is experiencing in an artistic language that embodies contradictions, internal conflicts, and acceptance of fate.

This is Saad Mohammed Ammar’s second cinematic film after his creation of “Rouh” last year. Today, he presents a dynamic yet simple screenplay that allows viewers to read psychological and social dimensions within an open time frame, creating new dialogues with themselves to delve into the meanings and secrets of life. In his motivational speech, he writes on the cloak of awareness: “Be yourself.”