Arab Cinema at Cannes 2025: Seven Films That Stood Out

CairoScene

25-05-2025

Four wins, five countries, seven selections: here are the Arabic films that were honoured at the Cannes Film Festival.
May 25, 2025
Arab cinema had a commanding presence at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, with seven films selected across the official lineup and parallel sections, and four winning major awards. From restored milestones to urgent new works, this year's entries from Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Algeria and Morocco offered unflinching perspectives on war, repression, and the quiet moments that define human resilience… Sirât | Jury Prize — Main Competition
Director: Óliver Laxe
A father and son wander through the trance-soaked deserts of Morocco searching for a missing daughter. What unfolds is less a quest than a descent—into grief, memory, and spiritual reckoning. Once Upon a Time in Gaza | Best Director — Un Certain Regard
Directors: Tarzan & Arab Nasser
Set in 2007 Gaza, a student and a falafel vendor are pulled into the drug trade. Darkly funny and deeply political, the film earned the Nasser brothers the top directing prize in Un Certain Regard. The President's Cake | People's Choice Award — Directors' Fortnight
Director: Hasan Hadi
In 1990s Iraq, a young girl is assigned to bake Saddam Hussein's birthday cake. In a nation strangled by fear, a simple pastry becomes a question of survival. I'm Glad You're Dead Now | Short Film — Palme d'Or
Director: Tawfeek Barhom
Two brothers return to their childhood island. A long-buried secret awaits them, forcing a reckoning with the trauma they've spent their lives avoiding. Put Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk | ACID Selection
Director: Sepideh Farsi
Constructed through video calls with a young woman in Gaza, this documentary captures everyday life under Israeli bombardment. Its subject, Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, was killed in an Israeli airstrike—along with nine relatives—just one day after the film was selected for Cannes. The festival issued a public statement honouring her and condemning the violence. Saïd Effendi (1958) | Cannes Classics
Director: Kameran Hosni
A rare restoration from Iraq's cinematic archive, 'Saïd Effendi' returned to the screen this year as part of Cannes' celebration of global film heritage. Waqai Sinin Al-Djamr (Chronicles of the Years of Fire, 1975) | Cannes Classics
Director: Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina
Algeria's only Palme d'Or winner, restored for a new generation. Its return marked 50 years since the film first stunned Cannes in 1975.