ACTION/FANTASY Festival Best Scene: DJINN, by Matthew Karram

In a Middle Eastern refugee camp, 16-year-old Saeed discovers a magical ring containing a Djinn (spirit) while hiding from bullies. The Djinn offers him three wishes. With his first wish, Saeed asks for protection from his tormentors, leading to the death of the bully Hassan. For his second wish, Saeed asks to return to the time before the war, which the Djinn grants. However, Saeed realizes he’s been sent back to the exact day the conflict began. Despite his attempts to save his family, history repeats itself – his father dies in a bombing, and he and his mother are forced to flee the city. Understanding that some events are destined to occur, Saeed uses his final wish to never have found the ring, returning him to his present life in the refugee camp, where he must accept his reality.