Khorfakkan (2020 film)

Khorfakkan is a 2020 historical film directed by Ben Mole and Maurice Sweeney that tells the story of the resistance of Khorfakkan city against the Portuguese invasion in the 16th century. The movie is based on real-life events and is an adaptation of a book written by Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, a Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.^[1][2]

Khorfakkan
Directed by	Ben Mole Maurice Sweeney
Written by	Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi
Starring	Rashid Assaf Qays Sheikh Najib Ahmed Al Jasmi Khalifa Albahri
Release date	2020 (2020)
Country	United Arab Emirates

Plot

The movie portrays the events that took place during the Portuguese invasion of Khorfakkan in the early 1500s.^[1] It shows how the tribes of Khorfakkan city fought against Portuguese rule and their pursuit of freedom.

Cast

• Rashid Assaf as Afonso de Albuquerque
• Qays Sheikh Najib
• Ahmed Al Jasmi
• Khalifa Albahri as Saeed
• Abdullah Almaqbali as Nasser
• Abdullah Bin Haider as Mohammed
• Abdulla Masoud as Commander 'Omar’
• Omar Almulla
• Dan Towse as Portuguese Arsonist
• Hassan Yousuf (actor) as Ahmed

Production

The production of the movie began after the completion of a book about the resistance of Khorfakkan against the Portuguese invasion. Several historical elements were recreated for the movie, including Portuguese ships and buildings similar to those found in historic Khorfakkan.

Reception

The movie has been well-received and is considered a milestone for the Emirati entertainment industry. It has been praised for shedding light on an important chapter in UAE’s history.^[1]

Awards

Khorfakkan has won several awards from several Arab and international festivals, the most notable of which are:^[3]

• The Golden Award for Best Drama Feature Film from the Best Istanbul Film Festival in July 2022.
• The Best Historical Film Award from the Brussels Film Festival in July 2022.
• The Best Asian Film Award from the Athvikvaruni International Film Festival in India in June 2022.
• The Best Director Award for an Asian Film from the Athvikvaruni International Film Festival in India in June 2022.
• The Best Cinematography Award from the Athvikvaruni International Film Festival in India in June 2022.^[4][5]