It’s always exciting to see a local creatives gain major recognition, but when 12 of them achieve it at the same time, it’s even sweeter. This week, it was revealed that 12 Arab films, funded by the Doha Film Institute (DFI) will be screened at the forthcoming iteration of the Venice Film Festival (VFF).
Running from Aug. 28 to Sept. 7, this year’s festival will spotlight a diverse range of projects, spanning across different formats from long to short films. With submissions hailing from all over the region— including Egypt and Lebanon to Jordan and beyond— in total, about 10 countries of the Arab World will be represented at the prestigious silver-screen gathering.
“We are proud to continue a successful festival season with a strong showcase of films by Arab talent at Venice. These films offer fresh perspectives on life that reflect human hopes, aspirations and challenges, presenting important voices in film from the Arab world to global audiences,” Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Chief Executive Officer of the Doha Film Institute, said. “Our mission is to support independent creators in cinema, and the compelling selection at Venice is a testament to our commitment to shed light on stories that transcend borders and present unique perspectives. We hope these films receive the acclaim and attention they deserve,” she continued.
Read on for a full list of the films screening below:
‘Aïcha’ by Mehdi Barsaoui (Tunisia/France/Italy/KSA/Qatar)
‘Happy Holidays’ by Scandar Copti (Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar)
‘Shadows’ by Rand Beiruty (Jordan/France/Qatar)
‘Sudan, Remember Us’ by Hind Meddeb (Tunisia/France/Qatar)
‘Perfumed with Mint’ by Muhammed Hamdy (Egypt/France/Tunisia/Qatar)
‘Aisha Can’t Fly Away’ by Morad Mostafa (Egypt/France/Germany/Tunisia/Sudan/Lebanon/KSA /Qatar)
‘In This Darkness I See You’ by Nadim Tabet (Lebanon/France/KSA/Qatar)
‘My Father’s Scent’ by Mohamed Siam (Egypt/Norway/KSA/France/Qatar)
‘Those Who Watch Over’ by Karima Saidi (Morocco/Belgium/France/Qatar)
‘Marie & Jolie’ by Erige Sehiri (Tunisia/France/Qatar)
‘Theft of Fire’ by Amer Shomali (Palestine/Canada/France/Qatar)
‘The Station’ by Sara Ishaq (Yemen/Jordan/France/Netherlands/Germany/Norway/Qatar)
The chosen films will appear in main programming sections of the festival like Orizzonti and Orizzonti Shorts, alongside other notable categories such as Critics’ Week, Giornate degli Autori, Final Cut, and the Venice Gap-Financing Market. Winning in these categories could not only bring prestige but also offer cash prizes.
