F
or audiences to walk into a cinema,
watch characters develop, and a
story unfold before their eyes can
bring about a wide range of feelings
and emotions. They can be drawn
towards one character or detest another, be
completely invested in a storyline almost
as if it a part of their own lives playing out
before them or find themselves questioning
the possibility of it all ever happening in
real life. Some films strike a nerve with
audiences, they hit too close to home;
some are watched and enjoyed for their
pure entertainment value. In all cases, the
idea behind producing a film is to evoke
different emotions through characters and
their stories, various settings, and bringing
everything together to create a full circle. It
is not just the moving image that can evoke
strong feelings in viewers, as photography
can be just as effective of a medium to give
rise to a spectrum of feelings – sometimes
through a single image.
For filmmaker and photographer
Summer Ameen, using both media proved
to be not only a means for her to showcase
mastery of her craft, but also a way to let
people into a world she created, to let them
experience a different perspective.
It was Summer Ameen’s childhood
dream to make films – one she has since
then worked diligently to achieve. Where
young girls often play dress up with their
friends, Summer would have her friends
act in plays she would write and direct
herself. She found great support from her
father who would record her productions –
memories she says she has kept to this day.
“I was inspired by movies, specifically how
they can transport the viewer into another
world of the filmmaker’s creation”, Summer
says. She started to explore the world of
still life photography at the age of 16 when
she got her first point-and-shoot camera
and would capture moments around
The Kingdom. Over time her interest
in photography grew into a hobby and
eventually turned into profession.
Pursuing her passion further, Summer
received a First Class Honours distinction
in her Bachelors degree in Filmmaking
from Middlesex University in the UK, and
trained at the London Film Academy as
well as with top photographers from the
US. She went on to start her career as a
teacher of Filmmaking classes in Dubai,
while simultaneously working on a variety
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APRIL - MAY 2017
Summer Ameen
of films and video production projects as a
freelancer. After moving to Bahrain in 2009,
Summer taught photography courses at
Ahlia University, and during her free time
she started to offer portrait photography
after being inspired by taking pictures of
her newborn son. Summer’s talent was such
that word of her photography skills spread
quickly around Bahrain, resulting in her
part-time hobby becoming a full-time career.
With a Nikon as her weapon of choice,
Summer has worked on various campaigns
and projects on a corporate and private
level, some of which include VIVA Bahrain,
Al Zain Jewellery, Tamkeen, GIB Bank, SICO
Investment Bank, Seef Properties, among
working with many other restaurants, as
well as recently working on the So French
campaign that included her shooting an
interview with celebrated shoe designer
Christian Louboutin. “I believe the camera
is only a tool and a relatively minor
contributor to the quality of the work
created; it is the artist’s vision and skill
that put a unique stamp on their work”,
Summer says, and it was that unique vision
and eye for something extraordinary that
earned four of her images awards at the
Professional Photographers of America’s
International Photographic Competitions.
Two of her photographs were awarded
Merits, which are recognition of excellence,
whereas the other two were awarded the
highest ranking in the Loan Collection
category. They were exhibited in the United
States and published in the Loan Collection
book, which showcases the best of the
competition winners. Summer was also
honoured when one of her award-winning
images was published in her favourite
photography magazine, Professional
Photographer Magazine.
It wasn’t just Summer’s incredible
photography skills that earned her high
honours in her career, but also her film
directing on the short musical film Ayam
Zaman in 2016, starring multi-talented
musician Ibantuta and produced by Jeo
Productions which earned her several
accolades. The film is based on the lives of
three strangers from different cultures that
come together one night in a traditional
Bahraini house in the heart of Muharraq,
and as the story evolves the characters
learn to find themselves, learn about
cultural diversities, and are united by the
power of music.
The exceptional film won awards for
Best Female Director at the Barcelona
Planet Film Festival in October 2016,
Best Short Film at the Canadian Diversity