Eight international films competed in REEF’s annual international short-film competition, which has been held since 2019. The eight films from the “Biodiversity & Cinema” program were also part of this year’s competition.

All films were evaluated by three panels:

• A professional jury made of filmmakers and environmentalists
• The REEF Ambassadors and
• The audience

The professional jury praised the “Biodiversity & Cinema” program for fostering collaboration among directors, producers, and environmentalists, commending their ability to complete projects within tight constraints. Sponsored by the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the jury’s award went to The Tree of Hell by Raed Zeno, highlighting its powerful parallel between invasive species and colonialism. Zeno remarked, “Environmental and political issues are inseparable. The film explores invasion and occupation, linking the Israeli occupation with ecological threats.” The jury also gave a special mention to Horizon by Moussa Shabandar and Shérine Raffoul, noting its positive environmental message and the protagonist’s transformation from bird hunter to conservationist.

In the international short-film competition, the jury awarded *Manity* by Hussen Ibraheem, which resonated with Lebanese men who, as children, were pressured to prove their masculinity through hunting. Ibraheem described the film as a reflection on post-civil war Lebanon, where suppressed war trauma shaped how children were raised. A special mention went to Xiaohui he ta de niu by Xinying Lao for its nuanced portrayal of a child’s struggle with separation from family, nature, and his cow.

The REEF Ambassador Award, sponsored by The British Council, was presented to The Revenge of Nature by Kim Elias Majdalani, which showcases ecological succession at an abandoned Lebanese train station. The audience award went to The Tree of Hell, affirming the emotional impact of Zeno’s work.