Author: Moe Najati| Duration: 10:55min
Just south of the Emirate of Fujairah, located along the Gulf of Oman, lies the town of Kalba. It really isn’t much more than a little fishing village, but this tiny exclave of the Emirate of Sharjah had always intrigued me. Several years ago, I would regularly be in the area for photographic and film work — taking advantage of Fujairah’s unique status as the only Emirate of the UAE that is almost totally mountainous — and would always find my way down to Kalba for a fuel stop.
Numerous pickup trucks, colourful, and yet almost becoming consumed by their surroundings, lay seemingly randomly scattered by this beach. Their function was a complete mystery, but they bore the scars and heavy patina of decades of hard labour and the constant proximity to corrosive salt water.
It was the desire to uncover the purpose of these trucks that lead me back to Kalba in the summer of 2014. This is when I learned their role as part of the Daghwah fishing method. Thanks to the kind fisherman and the help of Saif Matar, I came to know more about the history, process and challenges that the Daghwah fishermen now are facing. This is their story.
About Moe Najati
Moe Najati’s latest short film Within was awarded second place at the Reel Dubai Short Film Contest. Shot entirely on a smart phone, the film is a reflective journey questioning conventional ideas of home. Following multiple characters from different backgrounds, Within is a glimpse into the lives and daily routines of people living side-by-side in multicultural Dubai.
The success of Within follows critical acclaim of his previous short documentary Daghwah, which tackles a traditional fishing method that is now on the decline. Daghwah landed Najati a nomination for Best Director of a Short Documentary at the Tenerife International Film Festival and was screened at multiple other festivals such as: the American Documentary Film Festival, Brooklyn Film Festival and the Academy Qualifying Athens International Film & Video festival.
Moe Najati has established a strong visual narrative style based in artistic storytelling. Experienced in creating visual content for various media platforms and high profile brands, Najati is currently in the process of developing his first feature film.
