Arab Cinema Makes a Splash on the Croisette
Arab cinema and its representatives are out in full force — and in the spotlight — on the Croisette this year, where the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival kicked off on Tuesday.
Case in point: Qatar's film industry is gearing up for what insiders say will be its biggest-ever presence on the Croisette. The timing seems fitting given that the Arab Cinema Center (ACC) will, during the fest, bestow its sixth Arab Cinema Personality of the Year Award onto Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, CEO of Qatar's Doha Film Institute, for her 'noteworthy efforts to advance the Qatari, Arab, and global film industries.'
More from The Hollywood Reporter
'Two Prosecutors' Review: Sergei Loznitsa Explores the Stifling Climate of Stalin-Era Russia in a Legal Drama That Burns Slowly but Brightly
Nude and "Voluminous" Cannes Red Carpet Looks From Past Years That Would Violate New Dress Code
'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' Review: Tom Cruise Delivers but the Convoluted Eighth Entry Takes Its Sweet Time Getting There
Egypt also has reason to celebrate. It returns to the Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard lineup for the first time in nine years, with its 'central role in regional production and distribution' as 'the Arab world's largest filmmaking hub' getting the spotlight in a panel organized by the Marché du Film and ACC entitled 'Egypt: Arab World's Blockbuster Nation.'
Meanwhile, Charlie Polinger's debut feature The Plague, starring Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased, Black Mass), will world premiere in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section, giving Image Nation Abu Dhabi its first movie in one of the two big Cannes fest sections. Made under its co-production partnership with Spooky Pictures, along with producers Hellcat, The Space Program, and Edgerton's Five Henrys, the psychological horror movie tells the story of a 12-year-old navigating the savage social order at an all-boys water polo summer camp.
For Image Nation Abu Dhabi, it will mark a special moment, CEO Ben Ross tells THR. 'We are all super happy that we get to go to Cannes with a movie,' he says. 'I'm sure it will be a different experience.'
Palestinian cinema is also set to draw attention on the Croisette. It will be in focus in a Cannes market session, while revenge thriller Once Upon a Time in Gaza, directed by twin brothers Tarzan and Arab Nasser, will unspool in the Un Certain Regard program.
In addition, Iranian director Sepideh Farsi's documentary Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, which features Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona and her work documenting daily life in Gaza, will screen in the lineup of ACID (Association for the Distribution of Independent Cinema), a parallel event held during the Cannes fest. When the 25-year-old and several members of her family were recently killed in an Israeli air strike, the Cannes fest expressed 'its dread and profound sadness at this tragedy,' adding that the movie's screening 'will be, in addition to the message of the film itself, a way to honor the memory of Fatma Hassona.'
The Israel-Gaza war took center stage during the Cannes opening press conference on Tuesday when jury president Juliette Binoche was asked about a letter, published on Monday evening and signed by such film industry folks as Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Javier Bardem, that said: 'In Cannes, the horror Gaza must not be silenced,' read the letter. Binoche said she did not sign the letter but would not detail the reasons, simply saying: 'You will maybe understand it a little later.'
Egypt will also be making its presence felt in Cannes in more ways than one. In Un Certain Regard, Egyptian director Morad Mostafa's Aisha Can't Fly Away, a co-production with France, Germany, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Sudan, tells the story of a Muslim migrant from Sudan who works as a caregiver in Cairo. She lives in an area full of 'tension between the different African and Egyptian groups over the control of the neighborhood,' according to a synopsis. Egypt's return to the section after nearly a decade was in a press announcement for the movie, described as 'a triumphant breakthrough for Egyptian cinema.'
The country also plays a role in this year's competition lineup as Swedish director Tarik Saleh, the son of a Swedish mother and an Egyptian father, will bring his much-anticipated Eagles of the Republic, about a fictional Egyptian actor who falls into disgrace with the authorities, to the Croisette.
Jordan is also in the spotlight as the Royal Film Commission – Jordan just launched an 'enhanced financial incentives program' for film and TV productions in Cannes early on Wednesday. The new cash rebate of 25-45 percent for qualifying film and TV projects replaces the 25 percent cap that has been in place so far. 'Projects with production expenditures exceeding $10 million and integrating Jordanian cultural elements can qualify for the maximum rebate of 45 percent,' the commission said. 'For local productions, the rebate has been raised from 10 percent to 30 percent for projects with spending over $500,000 – part of a broader effort to empower Jordanian producers and stimulate the domestic production industry.' Existing additional financial savings on the likes of sales tax and customs duty also remain in place.
'The amendments aim to enhance Jordan's competitiveness as a major film production hub in the region by creating a supportive environment that fosters creativity, provides robust infrastructure, and facilitates the exchange of expertise, training, and knowledge transfer,' said Mohannad Al-Bakri, managing director of the Royal Film Commission – Jordan. 'They also aim to boost film tourism by promoting filming locations and highlighting Jordanian cultural identity and heritage in global productions.'
Previous films that have been shot in Jordan include Dune Parts 1 & 2, The Martian, John Wick, and Aladdin. 'For the past 60 years, since Lawrence of Arabia, Jordan has been welcoming international and regional films and TV productions,' the country's film commission highlighted.
Another part of the Arab world playing Cannes this year is the Maghreb. French-Tunisian director Erige Sehiri opens the Un Certain Regard section on Wednesday with Promised Sky, a drama about an unorthodox family made up of several women in Tunis. Plus, French director Hafsia Herzi, the daughter of Algerian and Tunisian parents, is bringing her coming-of-age drama The Little Sister, about a young woman navigating life between two cultures, to Cannes where it will compete for the Palme d'Or.
Finally, this year marks 'the first time Qatar will really be showing up to Cannes in force,' according to one industry insider. Indeed, Hassan Al Thawadi, who oversaw the delivery of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the emirate and is now also focusing on the growth of the movie industry, will lead a group of executives from Media City Qatar and a new film committee to Cannes.
The Qatari delegation is understood to be made up of representatives of the Film Committee at Media City Qatar and Doha-based studio Katara Studios (Orca, series The Pact).
The influence of Qatar's Doha Film Institute and its financing support will also be visible in the Directors' Fortnight, the independent section held in parallel to the Cannes festival. After all, it will include the world premiere of The President's Cake, written and directed by Iraq's Hasan Hadi in his directorial debut. One key player in the story will be recognized well beyond the Arab world. After all, the movie tells the story of a young girl who gets tasked with baking a birthday cake for none other than Saddam Hussein.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia continues looking to make waves. Shivani Pandya-Malhotra, managing director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, which organizes the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah and just announced a new CEO, and its chair Jomana Al-Rashid are among the country's representatives in Cannes.
And Film AlUla, the film agency tasked with promoting and supporting film and TV productions while protecting the AlUla region, is back at Cannes for its fifth year in a row. Its films have included the likes of Norah, Cherry, Kandahar, K-Pops, and Siwar.
'The Cannes Film Festival is a pivotal stop on our events calendar and one of our most productive markets of the year,' Zaid Shaker, acting executive director, tells THR. 'Our team is based at the Saudi Pavilion, where attendees are invited to experience the breathtaking landscapes of AlUla through our immersive VR offering. As Saudi Arabia plays an increasingly prominent role in the global film ecosystem, Film AlUla is proud to be at the forefront of this transformation – championing regional storytelling, attracting international productions, and supporting filmmakers at every stage of development.'
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
"A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV
The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Black America Web
17 hours ago
- Black America Web
Dave Chappelle Reflects On 2016 Trump ‘SNL' Speech
Source: Arturo Holmes / Getty For comedian Dave Chappelle, the opening monologue he gave as the host of Saturday Night Live after the 2016 presidential election isn't something he regrets. He had the chance to reflect on it during a conversation with comedian Mo Amer for the Actors on Actors series for Variety. 'I haven't watched it in a while, but I remember it fondly,' Chappelle said at the 27-minute mark of the conversation, which was shared Wednesday (June 4) after Amer asked him about his perspective on it from back then to now. The monologue went viral, as Chappelle declared that 'an internet troll' had won the White House, also pointing out his history of sexual assault. He would then segue into how he felt after former President Barack Obama won in 2008. 'And it made me very happy about the prospects of our country,' he said then. 'So, in that spirit, I'm wishing Donald Trump luck. And I'm going to give him a chance. And we, the historically disenfranchised, demand that he give us one, too.''Oh, I remember that part,' Chappelle said. 'You know what? I look at it like a photograph. That's what it felt like in that moment. Now, if it ages well or not, I don't get mad if I look at a picture because it's not today. That's what it was at that time.' He continued, 'You might look at an old set and cringe, but you could just cringe because of how you were at that time. And in that sense, I'm fine with it.' Chappelle's conversation with Amer is one of the rare moments he's opened up for media – he has declined direct interviews in the wake of brushback from jokes he made against the transgender community in his 2021 Netflix special The Closer . But he and the Palestinian comedian bonded during the COVID-19 pandemic, making this a keen opportunity for the two to talk about comedy and their perspectives on the current times particularly with Amer's hit Netflix show. 'As you know, I notoriously don't like to do press,' Chappelle said, 'but today I wouldn't have missed, because it's you.' Check out the entire conversation above. SEE ALSO Dave Chappelle Reflects On 2016 Trump 'SNL' Speech was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Jewish organizations, synagogues withdraw from San Diego Pride
SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI)–Jewish organizations and synagogues are choosing not to participate in San Diego Pride because of one of the festival's headline performers. Jewish synagogues and leaders said they decided not to participate after San Diego Pride failed to remove Kehlani as a headliner, despite a coalition of Jewish leaders sharing its concerns about Kehlani's participation in May. In the past, Kehlani has made comments against Israel and zionists and opened a music video with language that the San Diego Jewish community said could lead to direct harm. 'I have no objection to her supporting the Palestinian people. I do have an objection to her saying, 'long live the antifada,' which is dangerous,' said Lilian Faderman, congregant at Temple Emanu-El and LGBTQ historian. 'If people are ignited to violence we see what happens. We see what happened in Washington, D.C., with the murder of that beautiful couple. We see what happened in Colorado,' Faderman said. Several Jewish synagogues and organizations are now saying they will no longer participate in San Diego Pride due to safety concerns. Temple Emanu-el's senior rabbi, Devorah Marcus, and the president and ceo of the Jewish Federation of San Diego, Heidi Gantwerk, are a part of the Finest Community Coalition, which started earlier this year to combat antisemitism. The coalition said it reached out to San Diego Pride, but changes have not been made to the lineup. 'This is a really painful loss for people in our community who have spent years participating with great joy and pride. Many people in the Jewish community really enjoy being a part of Pride and this hurts,' said Heidi Gantwerk, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego. Rabbi Marcus and Gantwerk said the Jewish community will still celebrate Pride in their own way with a community Shabbat and a brunch. Meanwhile, it still hurts Faderman to know she won't be able to be at San Diego Pride. 'It's really sad to me that the San Diego Pride didn't understand the needs of the community,' Faderman said. FOX 5/KUSI reached out to Kehlani's team and San Diego Pride for comment, but have not yet heard back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
‘The Phoenician Scheme' Reviews: Do Critics Buy Into Wes Anderson's Comedy?
Michael Cera, Benicio Del Toro and Mia Threapleton in "The Phoenician Scheme." Director Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme — starring Benicio Del Toro, Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson and Bryan Cranston — is now in theaters. How are critics receiving the film? Rated PG-13, The Phoenician Scheme opened in limited release on May 31 before expanding to a wide release on Friday. Also starring Michael Cera, Riz Ahmed, Mathieu Amalric, Richard Ayoade, Jeffrey Wright, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rupert Friend and Hope Davis, The Phoenician Scheme held its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in May. The logline for The Phoenician Scheme reads, "The story of a family and a family business." Featuring a screenplay by Anderson and Roman Coppola, the offbeat comedy follows the story of European businessman Zsa-zsa Korda (Del Toro) and his only daughter and sole heir, a nun named Sister Liesel (Threapleton), who are each being targeted by assassins and schemers. As of Friday, Rotten Tomatoes critics have collectively given The Phoenician Scheme a 78% 'fresh' rating based on 185 reviews. The RT Critics Consensus for the film reads, 'A caper made with all the intricacy of a Rube Goldberg machine, The Phoenician Scheme doesn't deviate from Wes Anderson's increasingly ornate style but delivers the formula with mannered delicacy.' Audiences on RT gave the film a 73% 'fresh' score on the critic aggregation site's Popcornmeter based on 100-plus verified user ratings. Kyle Smith of The Wall Street Journal is among the top critics on RT who gives The Phoenician Scheme a 'fresh' rating on RT, writing, 'Given that The Phoenician Scheme essentially concludes by saying, as some of the director's other movies did, 'Forgive your ridiculous dad for his failings,' its major attraction is the whimsy with which it is decorated, or suffused, or infested.' Also giving The Phoenician Scheme a 'fresh' take on RT is Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post, who writes, "At its fleeting best — in its meditation on the transactional and the transcendent — this one feels like it's reaching for something more than surface charm." In addition, Justin Chang of The New Yorker gives the film a 'fresh' rating on RT, albeit with some minor reservations, writing, 'The result is more digestible, though also less moving, than Anderson's recent Asteroid City, but it does have a stealth emotional weapon in [Mia] Threapleton's Liesl, who exudes the intelligence and self-possession of a young Anna Karina.' Coleman Spilde of Salon is among the top critics on RT who gives The Phoenician Scheme a 'rotten' rating, writing in his summary, 'The resulting product is just that: a product, with all of the matte pastel appeal of Anderson's oeuvre, yet little of its memorable charm.' Dana Stevens of Slate also gives The Phoenician Scheme a 'rotten' rating on RT, writing, 'For all its exquisite boxes-within-boxes compositions and cleverly designed sets, this whole movie unfolded for me as if behind a thick pane of emotion-proof glass.' Nicholas Barber of the BBC wasn't impressed by the film, either, writing in his 'rotten' take on RT, 'Some directors boast that they make the films that they want to see, and they don't care about pleasing anyone else. In the case of The Phoenician Scheme, it feels as if Anderson and his team were enjoying it more than audiences ever will.' The Phoenician Scheme is now playing in theaters in wide release.
