Quick Facts
Biography
Abdullah Al-Wazzan is a Kuwaiti film director, screenwriter, film producer and Architect. He was born in Kuwait City, Kuwait in 1990. Al-Wazzan developed an interest in filmmaking in his early preteens. At the age of 17 he studied Architecture, And graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Architecture. He went on to create the animated short film Falafel Cart (2019) which was officially submitted to the 92nd Academy Awards in the animated short film category making it the first short film from Kuwait to ever be submitted to the Academy Awards.
In 2020, Falafel Cart by Abdullah Al-Wazzan became Kuwait's first film to be officially selected at the prestigious Hiroshima International Animation Festival in Japan where it received a "Best of the World" honorable mention. Al-Wazzan won best international short film at the 2019 Los Angeles Animation Festival and In 2021 he won best animated short film at the Burbank International Film Festival in California, United States.
Falafel Cart received nominations at D.C. Independent Film Festival, Palm Springs International Animation Festival, Southampton International Film Festival, Paris International Animation Film Festival, and Ajyal Film Festival in Doha And was officially selected at Athens Animfest in Greece, Sonoma International Film Festival in California, Rabat International Author Film Festival in Morocco and Montreal International Animation Film Festival in Canada.
In May 2017 During the Cannes Film Festival, the Doha Film Institute announced that Abdullah Al-Wazzan's drama, thriller script "Soaring over Mayhem" was selected to receive its annual film grant.
In 2014 Al-Wazzan participated officially at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival and at the Dubai International Film Festival.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Animator | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Falafel Cart | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Short animated film |
| 2025 | Soaring over Mayhem | Yes | Yes | Yes | Short live action film |
Awards & Accolades
Abdullah Al-Wazzan received the following awards and nominations:
| Year | Film | Event | Award | Country | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Falafel Cart | Los Angeles Animation Festival | Best International Short Film | United States | Won |
| 2020 | Falafel Cart | Hiroshima International Animation Festival | Best of the World | Japan | Honorable Mention |
| 2021 | Falafel Cart | Burbank International Film Festival | Best Animated Short Film | United States | Won |
| 2019 | Falafel Cart | Palm Springs International Animation Festival | In Competition Best Animated Short | United States | Nominated |
| 2020 | Falafel Cart | DC Independent Film Festival | Short Animation Finalist | United States | Nominated |
| 2020 | Falafel Cart | Southampton International Film Festival | Best Animated Short Film | United Kingdom | Nominated |
| 2020 | Falafel Cart | Southampton International Film Festival | Best Director of an Animated Film | United Kingdom | Nominated |
| 2020 | Falafel Cart | Ajyal Film Festival | Hilal Short Film Competition | Qatar | Nominated |
| 2021 | Falafel Cart | Paris International Animation Film Festival | Horizons Competition | France | Nominated |