Cannes 2024: The Arab Cinema Center reveals the appointments of the 8th edition of the prizes for criticisms for Arab films
For the eighth consecutive year, the Center for Arab Cinema plans to organize, on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival, a ceremony for the awards for criticism for Arab films. These awards aim to reward the Arab films produced in 2023 or having made their first internationals that year. This edition marks the introduction of a new category: the price for the best short film.
A jury made up of 209 criticisms of 72 countries will assess the films via the digital partner Festival Scope, and the winners will be announced during a ceremony organized on May 18 as part of the next Cannes Festival.
Deborah Young, director of criticism prizes for Arab films commented: ” The eighth edition of criticism prizes for Arab films reflects the great success of Arab cinema on the international scene throughout the year 2023, through the different prize categories that testify to the excellence of Arab films in various formats, whether they are feature films, short films, fiction or documentaries. I am happy and proud, and I look forward to the final results of the jury. »»
Maher Diab and Alaa Karkouti, the two founding partners of the Arab Cinema Center, said: ” The year 2023 was undeniably an exceptional year for Arabic cinema, marked by a strong presence in the biggest festivals in the world, and by harvesting numerous prizes in various competitions and sections, which makes us happy to reveal the appointments of the eighth edition of the prices of criticism for Arab films, which is the strongest edition of all time. We would like to thank the members of the jury and to salute their enormous effort this year. »»
The nominees of this year go from Sudan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Palestine to Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon.
At the top of the nominations is Tunisian film Olffa’s girlswhich mixes documentary and drama, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. This feature film made its Noted entry in official competition during the 76th Cannes Film Festivalmarking as well The return of a Tunisian film in this prestigious competition after more than fifty years. In Cannes, The film won four prizes, whose golden eye for the best documentary. From, Olffa’s girls continued on its momentum, there is a lot of festivals and winning various awards. He was notably honored with the César for the best documentary Before to appear on the list of preselections in the Best International Film and Best Documentary Categories for Oscars 2024 to finally be Named for the Oscar for best documentary.
The film highlights a family whose two older girls have disappeared, by interviewing the mother and the other two remaining sisters, and using actors to play the role of disappeared. He was appointed for the prices of criticisms for the Arab films of the best documentary, best director, best music, best photography, best editing, as well as for the prices of best female interpretation for Hend Sabry and best male interpretation for Majd Mastoura.
Also receiving seven nominations, Goodbye Julia has marked history by becoming the first Sudanese feature film to be presented at the 76th Cannes FestivalOr He won the Prix de la Freedom in the A certain Regard section. In addition, the film was submitted by Sudan for the Oscar 2024 for the best international film.
Goodbye Julia Taken up nominations in several categories for criticism prices for Arab films, including best film, best director, best screenplay, best music and best editing. The performances of actress Eiman Yousif and actor Nazar Goma were also recognized by appointments. The film tells the overwhelming story of a Sudanese retired singer, tormented by guilt after concealing a murder. In an attempted redemption, she welcomed the widow and the son of the deceased at home, but is unable to confess.
The remarkable Jordanian film, Inshallah a boy, also obtains 6 nominations. Jordanian director Amjad Al Rasheed has scored his name in the cinematic history of Jordan with his first feature film, who made his Critics’ Week Department during the 76th Cannes Festival. He thus became the first Jordanian film to be selected in Cannes, all sections combined, and was Honored from the Gan Foundation Prize for broadcasting. The story takes place in contemporary Jordan, where after the death of her husband, Nawal, in the thirties, fights for what she considers the heritage of her only daughter, in a region where having a son can change everything. The film is appointed for criticism prizes for Arab films in several categories, including best film, best director, best screenplay, best actress (Mouna Hawa), best photography and best editing.
Other multiple nominated films include the Saudi film Hajjan Abu Bakr Shawky (six nominations), The Teacher by Farah Nabulsi, from Palestine (4 nominations), The Burdened d’Amr Gamal, Yemen (2 appointments), and The mother of all lies/The Mother of All Lies d’Asmae Elmoudir, from Morocco (2 appointments). It should be noted that this last film also made his debut in official competition during the 76th Cannes Film Festival, where He won the gold eye ex aequo with Olffa’s girls And The price of the best realization, section a certain look. Moreover, Director Asmae El Moudir is a member of the jury a certain look of this 77th edition of the festival. Two nominations also for Kamal Lazraq’s film, Failboats/houndsMorocco, who had won in 2023 the price of the jury a certain look.
I Promise you paradise by Morad Mostafa (Egypt), nominated in the short film category, had won during the 76th Cannes Film Festival the Golden Rail for the best short film in the Critique Week section, in addition to the public prize.
We can proudly add that the Tunisians Hend Sabry and Amine Bouhafa each have two nominations.
Last year, it’s the film Hanging Gardens/Jardins Suspended (2023) Directed by Ahmed Yassin Aldaradji (Iraq) which had won the prize for the best film. Three Tunisian films, HarkaAshkal And Under the figshad collected four prices. But the big winner had been The blue of the caftan (Morocco) who had won three prizes alone.
The full list of appointments is below:
Best movie
– Goodbye JuliaMohamed Kordofani, Sudan
– Inshallah a boyAmjad al-Rasheed, Jordan
– HajjanAbu Bakr Shawky, Saudi Arabia
– The TeacherFarah Nabulsi, Palestine
– The BurdenedAmr Gamal, Yemen
Best director
– Mohamed Kordofani, Goodbye JuliaSudan
– Kaouther ben Hania, Olffa’s girlsTunisia
– Karim Bensalah, Six feet on the groundFrance
– Asmae El Moudir, The mother of all liesMorocco
-Amjad al-RasheedInshallah a boyJordan
Best scenario
– Mohamed Kordofani, Goodbye JuliaSudan
– Amr Gamal, Mazen Refaat, Aden/The Burdened GluesYemen
– Kamal Lazraq, Failboats/houndsMorocco
-Delphine Agut, Rula Nasser, Amjad al-Rasheed, Inshallah a boyJordan
– Omar Shama, Mufarrij Almajfel, Abu Bakr Shawky, HajjanSaudi Arabia
Best actress
– Mouna Hawa, Inshallah a boyJordan
– Eiman Yousif, Goodbye JuliaSudan
– Hend Sabry, Kira & El GinEgypt
– Hend Sabry, Olffa’s girlsTunisia
– Adwa Bader, NagaSaudi Arabia
Best actor
-Ibrahim al-Hasawi, HajjanSaudi Arabia
– Majd Mastoura, Olffa’s girlsTunisia
– Ayoub Elaid, Failboats/houndsMorocco
– Saleh Bakri, The Teacher, Palestine
– Nazar Goma, Goodbye JuliaSudan
Best documentary
– Olffa’s girlsKaouther ben Hania, Tunisia
– The mother of all liesAsmae El Moudir, Morocco
– QJude Chehab, Lebanon
– Under the Sky of DamascusTalal Derki, Heba Khaled, Ali Wajeeh, Syria
– Life is beautifulMohamed Jabaly, Palestine
Best music
– Amine Bouhafa, HajjanSaudi Arabia
– Amine Bouhafa, Olffa’s girlsTunisia
– Mazen Hamid, Goodbye JuliaSudan
– Omar Fadel, NagaSaudi Arabia
– Alex Baranowski, The TeacherPalestine
Best photograph
– Farouk Laâridh, Olffa’s girlsTunisia
– Kanamé Onoyama, Inshallah a boyJordan
– Gilles Porte, The Teacher, Palestine
– Gerry Vasbenter, HajjanSaudi Arabia
– Ahmad al Morsy, Kira & El GinEgypt
Best editing
– Ahmed Hafez, Inshallah a boyJordan
– Heba Othman, Goodbye JuliaSudan
– Fahd Ahmed, QLebanon
– Sarah Peczek, HajjanSaudi Arabia
– Quetaiba Barhamji, Olffa’s girlsTunisia
Best short film
– I Promise you paradiseMorad Mostafa, Egypt
– The caterpillars, Noel Keserwany, Michelle Keserwany, Lebanon
– The Red Sea Makes Me Wanna Cry, Faris Alrjoob, Jordan
– Sea Salt, Leila Basma, Lebanon
– The Key, Rakan Mayasi, Palestine
See you on May 18, 2024 at the award ceremony!
Neïla Driss
