Cairo, (SANA)- "The Jasmine Birds" by Syrian director Sulafa Hijazi was awarded on Thursday the golden prize of the Egyptian Culture Ministry at the 20th Cairo International Film Festival for Children.

The 84-minute film touches the subject of death and immortality, giving a simplified philosophical answer to one of the commonest questions raised by children in this regard.

The protagonist is a jasmine bird called "Gaith", who roams the woods along with his friend Heton in search for the memory of his departed parents and to collect the healing therapy which will cure the jasmine birds of a perilous epidemic, which originally cost his parents their lives in search for the hoped-for therapy.

Sulaf Hijazi was born in Syria in 1977 and studied at the Higher Institute for Theatrical Arts. She is also a graduate of Painting and Sculpture Department, Adham Ismael Center for Plastic Arts.

She started her career in 1997 by writing and directing a number of TV serials and other educational development works for children and family. Her works varied between animations, living dramas, puppet shows and documentaries. She is a co-founder of “Spacetoon” satellite children TV channel.

Her works include a TV show titled “Viewpoint”, and two TV serials “Information City” and “Forever Safe and Sound” (2004). The latter won three Golden Awards for Best Work from the Arab Gulf Festival, the Cairo Film Festival and Tunisia Radio and Television Festival. Her most recent show “My Arab House” (2007) is viewed as one of the largest Arab productions designed for children.

H. Said /Mazen