About Bassam

Film Director, Producer and Script Writer
Mailing address:
P.O.Box 33223 – Kingdom of Bahrain.
Tel: (+973) 39666466
Office: (+973) 17613130
E-Mail: bassam.althawadi@gmail.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassam_Al-Thawadi
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1504595/
Date of Birth: 13/12/1960-Bahrain
Married to the Bahraini Jewellery Designer Mrs. Donya Ahmed Al Wazzan

  • Series of short films on 8mm from 1974 to 1978
  • Short drama film Al Qina’a (The Mask) shot on 16mm in 1981
  • Short drama Malaekat Al Ardh (Angels of the Earth) on 16mm in 1982
  • Long feature film Al Hajiz (The Barrier) in 1990, considered the first feature film produced in Bahrain, also produced by Mr Al Thawadi; the film has been entered into several regional and international film festivals. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390072
  • Long feature film VISITOR in 2003,considered the secound feature film produced in Bahrain and first Dolby sound system in the Gulf , produced by Bahrain Cinema Company and Mr Al Thawadi. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390606/
  • Long feature film A BAHRAINI TALE in 2006,considered the thired feature film produced in Bahrain and first DTS sound system in the Gulf , produced by Bahrain Film Production Company and Mr Al Thawadi http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0879222/
    • Official selection of Dubai International Film Festival December 2006
    • Official selection of New York Arab and Asian Film Festival February 2007
    • Official opening for Emirates Films Compotation-Abu Dhabi March 2007
    • Official selection of 7thRotterdam Arab Film Festival June 2007
    • Official selection of Osian’s CineFan9th Festival of Asian&Arab CinemaJuly 2007
    • Official selection of Wahran Arab Film Festival-AlgeriaAugust 2007
    • Official selection of Islamic Golden Minber Film Festival-Kazan-RussiaSeptember 2007
    • Official selection of Amal Arab-Europe International Film Festival-Santiago – SpainOctober 2007
    • Official selection of Arab Film Festival-Brussel – October 2007
  • F8 in 1985; Alwan (Colours) in 1985
  • Zoom in 1985People and
  • Eid in 1985
  • Klakait (Clap Board) in 1986
  • Cinema Video in 1986, 1987 and 1988
  • Farhat Al Eid (The Joy of Eid) in 1986
  • Al Sahra Al Maftooha (The Open Forum – Cinema, Theatre and Songs), six parts produced in 1987 and 1988
  • Take Two in 1987
  • Bath Ghair Mubasher (Non-Live Broadcast) in 1991
  • Talvezyoon Suwar Al Mulawan (Coloured Images Television) in 1994
  • A number of video clips and songs
  • Programmes which were broadcast in all Arab countries which are members of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU):
    1. Nagham(Rhythm)
    2. Ray (Opinion)
    3. Leqaa (Face to Face)
    4. Hayaa94 (Corporation 94)
    All these programs were broadcast through the Arab Satellite (Arab sat).

Mr Al Thawadi has also directed and produced a number of commercials, educational and cultural programs.

  • Al Bahrain Wajh Mushreq (The Shining Face of Bahrain) in 1986
  • WatanWa Muwatin (A Nation and a Citizen) in 1987
  • The Intellectual and Cultural Relationship between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in 1986
  • The Citizen- The Tree of Life in 1987
  • New Dawn in 1986
  • Arad Fort in 1988
  • Priceless Pearls in 1997
  • Pure Pearls 1998
  • Bahrain (The Island of the shining smile) in 1998
  • Bahrain Flower of Love in 1999
  • Endurance Race in 2001.
  • Al Ain (The Spring) in 1988
  • YounisWa Al Akheroun (Younis and Others) in 1989
  • Eyoun Tahat Al Jumjuma (Eyes Under the Skull) in 1990
  • Fatat Ukhra (Another Girl) in 1992
  • Hassan Wa Noor Al Sana (Hassan and Noor Al Sana from One Thousand and One Nights) in 1995 (This program was awarded for the best lighting and effects and best secondary role actor at the Cairo Television Festival in 1995)
  • Al Hareb (The Fugitive) in 1995.
  • Mr Al Thawadi also acted in a drama production: Shuaraa Al Arab (Arab Poets) in 1985.
  • 1The Author, written by Ali Salem and awarded the first prize in the First Theatre Festival in Kuwait in 1985 (actor)
  • Hold on It, written by Hassan Ownn in 1985 (actor)
  • Othello Returns in 1981 (actor)
  • Operetta Al Nakhla (The Palm Tree), written by Hamad Al Shehabi and performed in 1982 (director)
  • Farah and Marah Festival for Dalah Al Baraka Group in Saudi Arabia in 1988 (director)
  • Operetta Sada Al Ashwaq (Echoes of Love) in 1991 (director)
  • Operetta Tahiya Ela Abu Salman (Greetings to Abu Salman) in 2001 (director)
  • Operetta Ash Hamad (Long Lives Hamad) in 2002 (director)
    • Acting General Director for Radio and Television at Information Affairs Authority – Bahrain 1stJune, 2013 until 13th December 2015 (Retired)
    • BA in Cinema direction and production from Higher Institute of Cinema (Cairo) in 1982
    • Media Training Course – Communications for Development – Bahrain 1997
    • Directors of TV Production Course – Damascus- Syria 1997
    • Employed at the BRTC (Bahrain Radio&Television Corporation) from 4th May, 1985 until 13th December, 2015 (Retired)
    • Board Member of Ministry of Information Training Center – Bahrain 1997-2001
    • A Part time TV lecturer- Bahrain University-Information Section 2001-2004
    • Project Consultant for Al-Enma’a House – August 2007
    • Held a solo photography show in Cairo in 1981
    • Represent BRTC in so many conferences and meetings like:
    1. Directors of GCC Televisions meeting-Gulf Cooperation Council Joint Program Production (GCCJPP)-Kuwait 1996
    2. Sattelite Channels meeting for members of Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) (Arab States Broadcasting Union) -London 1996
    3. Emergency meeting to organize between the satellite channels members of ASBU (Arab States Broadcasting Union) -Beirut May 1999-Cairo June 1999
    4. Attend GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Ministers of Information meeting-Riyadh 1997
    5. Seventeenth Meeting of the Higher Committee for coordination between Arab satellite channels in Ramallah – Palestine January 2014
    • Organised the New Egyptian Cinema Days Festival in Bahrain in co-operation with the Ministry of Information and the Bahrain Cinema Club in 1993
    • General Organiser and Director of the ASBU (Arab States Broadcasting Union) Fifth Arab Music Festival which was held in Bahrain in November 1996
    • Founder and General Director of the First Arab Cinema Festival in Bahrain in 2000
    • Member, Committee for Studying Orders of the MemberStates of the World Trade Organization (WTO)License Unit TV and Radio Corporation-2004
    • Member, Movies Censorship Committee-Bahrain Ministry Of Information-2004 Until today
    • Member of the Executive Office of the General Federation of Arab Artists – 2010 till today
    • Organised a number of lectures and seminars dealing with cinema in the Gulf and Bahrain
    • Conducted several training sessions for television broadcasters, directors and radio announcers
    • Presented a research paper on The Reality of Cinema in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) at the Arab Cinema Symposium in Kuwait in 1995
    • Founding member of the G.C.C Cinema Society
    • Represent Bahrain in so many Art, TV, Cinema and International Festivals
    ·         Member of Bahrain Cinema Club Since 1985 and President  1999 – 2003
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee of the Baghdad International Television and Film Festival in 1988
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee of the Abu Dhabi Cultural Complex Video Film Festival in 1991
  • Selected as the chairman of the judging committee in Al Sawari Video Festival of 1994
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at the Fourth International Radio and Television Festival in Cairo in 1998
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at the Sixth Gulf Television Production Festival held in Bahrain in March 1999
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee for the State Appreciation Award in Arts, Culture, Literature and Social and Humane Sciences in Kuwait in 2001-2002-2003-2004
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at the Arab Film Festival in Paris – Documentary Films section in 2002
  • Selected as the chairman of the judging committee in The Tostmaster Clubs in Bahrain for their theater Contest Faces Phases in 24th. June 2005
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at The Emirates Film Competition in Abu Dhabi March 2007
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at Al Jazeera Documentary International Film Festival in Doha, Qatar April 2007
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at Dubai International Film Festival in Dubai, UAE December 2007 http://dubaifilmfest.com/ar/page/80/2007.html
  • Selected as the chairman of the judging committee in Bahrain Human Rights International Film Festival, May 2008
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at The 16th Damascus International Film Festival, November 2008
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at Dubai Film Connection in Dubai, UAE December 2009
  • Selected as a chairman in the Internation judging committee at Gulf Film Festival in Dubai, UAE April 2011 http://gulffilmfest.com/ar/archives/year-2011/juries/
  • Selected as a chairman in the Internation judging committee at Abu Dhabi Film Festival in Abu Dhabi, UAE October 2014 http://www.sanadfilmfund.com/ar/archive/2014/juries
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at Sharjah International Children’s Film Festival, Sharjah, October 2017
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at All Lights India International Film Festival, RAMOJI FILM CITY, Hyderabad December 2017
  • Selected as a chairman in the Short Films ( Stories from Oman ) judging committee at Muscat International Film Festival in Mascat, Oman April 2018
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at the 19th Arab Radio and Television Festival ASBU – Tunisia – April 2018 – June 2019
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at the 34th Alexandria Film Festival – Egypt – October 2018
  • Selected as a member in the judging committee at the 2nd Kuwait Film Festival – Kuwait – October 2018
  • Selected as a chairman in the Internation judging committee at Al Nahj 5th International Film Festival –Karbala-Iraq- April 2019
  • Selected as a chairman in the Internation judging committee at Al Ain 1st Film Festival – Abu Dhabi – April/May 2019
  • Selected as a chairman in the Festival Internation Du Film Arabe De Meknes judging committee – Morocco – June 2019
  • Holds the Order of the efficiency of the first class from His Majesty the King of the Kingdom of Bahrain on December 16, 2015
  • Honored by the Mayor of the French city Nantes, Jean – Marc Ayrault and imitate him in the city of Nantes medal for his contribution towards the development of the film industry in Bahrain and the Arabian Gulf region on November 27th, 1999
  • Honored by the Abu Dhabi Cultural Council and the Circle Conference for his cinematic contributions to the Gulf and the Arab world. He was honored by the American Director (Spike Lee) – 2008
  • Honored by the Kuwait Cinema Club and the National Council for Culture and Arts in Kuwait for his cinematic efforts in the Arabian Gulf – 17 January 2012
  • Honored in the 5th Gulf Film Festival in Dubai (April 2012) with the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to strengthening the regional film industry and his pioneering role in the Bahraini film industry, directing the country’s first feature film, The Barrier, in 1990. http://gulffilmfest.com/ar/archives/year-2012/honoree/
  • Honored by the Festival of Passion and Essa Cultural Center in recognition of his great contribution to the Bahraini film movement on 17 May 2019-Bahrain
  • Honored by the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its founding in recognition of its generous efforts and the advancement of the Union and appreciation for its active contributions in supporting its long career on 27 June 2019