Who Loves the Sun is a 2024 Canadian short documentary film, written and directed by Arshia Shakiba.Pat Mullen, "Short Doc Who Loves the Sun Reps Canadian Film at Venice Orizzonti". Point of View, July 12, 2024.
Summary An exploration of life in Syria, the film profiles Mahmood, a man who is working for the region's makeshift oil refineries that have been set up to keep the Syrian economy going in the face of the Syrian civil war.
Release The film premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival,Kelly Townsend, "Russians at War, The Order to debut in Venice". Playback, July 23, 2024. where it won the award for Best Short Film in the Orizzonti competition."« Who Loves the Sun » de Arshia Shakiba remporte le prix du meilleur court à Venise". Qui Fait Quoi, September 9, 2024. It had its Canadian premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.Éric Lavallée, "2024 TIFF: Torill Kove, Andrés Ramírez Pulido, Rúnar Rúnarsson & Nebojša Slijepčević Shorts in Toronto". Ioncinema, August 10, 2024.
Accolades The film was named to TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten list for 2024.Carlos Diaz, "Canada’s Top Ten: TIFF Celebrates the Best in Cinema for 2024". That Shelf, January 8, 2025.
The film received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Short Documentary at the 13th Canadian Screen Awards in 2025.Pat Mullen, "The Tragically Hip, Okurimono Lead Canadian Screen Award Documentary Nominees". Point of View, March 26, 2025.
It was nominated for Best Short Film at the 2025 Directors Guild of Canada awards.Connie Thiessen, "DGC unveils film, doc nominees; Discovery Award short list". Broadcast Dialogue, September 22, 2025.
It won the awards for Best Short Documentary and Most Successful Short Film Outside Quebec at the 27th Quebec Cinema Awards in 2025.Manon Dumais, "À quoi s’attendre du Gala Québec Cinéma". La Presse, December 4, 2025.
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