A documentary film about the life of iconic Bahraini poet Qassem Haddad is continuing to make waves internationally. The film, “Qassem Haddad… The Last Door’s Hour,” has won the “Pen of Honour” Award at the Cult Critic Movie Awards in India. 

Directed by Khalid Al Rowaie, the film received the award in celebration of the 7th anniversary of the festival’s establishment. The Pen of Honour is an award for critics who have reviewed films participating in the festival over the past seven years. 

The festival management said: “Over the past seven years, the Cult Critic Movie Awards have become a beacon for independent voices. We have proudly recognized filmmakers who create stories that challenge perspectives, demonstrate artistic excellence and mastery, and leave a lasting impact on audiences and the film community. As we celebrate the festival’s seventh anniversary, we are delighted to continue this tradition.”

The film, “Qasim Haddad… The Last Door’s Hour” was presented in 2019 at the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation during a celebration of the Bahraini poet Qassim Haddad. The event, marked by a distinguished public presence, coincided with the launch of his book “The Solitude of Queens and the Treatment of Distance.” 

During the celebration, Qassim Haddad, the winner of the Poetry Award of the seventh edition of Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award (2000-2001), read a collection of his poems.

The 64-minute film captures images from the depth of writing to dive deeply into the world of Qassem Haddad. It takes audiences through different realms of Haddad’s poetic career. The film has won several awards, including the Best Documentary Film Award at the Oniros Film Awards in Italy.

The film has previously won the Excellence Award at the Calcutta International Film Festival, the Bronze Award at the Spotlight Documentary Film Awards in Atlanta, USA, and the Gold Award at the International Independent Film Awards in California.