As with many other domains and categories of the world in 2023, the film-making industry has bore witness to a staggering increase in its Arab participants this year. Particularly in the Cannes film festival.
The festival which will take place from May 16th, till May 27th this year, is hosting a number of new Arab talents. So who are they?
The most notable entrants of this years’ awards are Tunisian Actress Hend Sabri & Tunisian Oscar-nominated Director, Kaouther Ben Hania. Both women are by no means new to the scene, with deep histories of awards sprawled across the past 2 decades. However, they’re new to the prize for which their film “Four Daughters” will compete for.
Another film awaiting its premiere and host of awards at this year’s Cannes festival, is none other than Firebrand, a star-studded period film in which Jude Law stars. The director is Brazilian-Algerian Karim Ainouz, who has previously won a number of Latin-American film awards.
Among the entrees also are Sudanese director Mohammed Kordofani for his movie Goodbye Julia. An arab rom-com entry by none other than Tunisian director Monia Chokri and a Moroccan presence by director Asmae El Moudir.
With 2 Arab films after the festival’s major prize Palme D’or, it’s not an entirely far fetched dream to find an Arab on your upcoming Awards roster.