In great news for Arab cinema, 12 films backed by the Doha Film Institute have been selected for the 81st Venice International Film Festival.
Ahmed Malek in My Father’s Scent. Photo: Instagram.com/ahmedmalek
Taking place from August 28 to September 7, this year’s Venice International Film Festival will screen 12 Arab films that the Doha Film Institute has supported. They will screen in key programming sections of the prestigious festival, including Orrizonti and Orrizonti Shorts, along with the sidebar events of Critics Week, Giornate degli Autori, Final Cut, and the Venice Gap-Financing Market. The selections represent diversity in the region, and highlight unique stories from countries including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, and Yemen. Highlights include My Father’s Scent, directed by Mohamed Siam and starring Egyptian actor Ahmed Malek, Aïcha by Mehdi Barsaoui, and Sudan, Remember Us by Hind Meddeb depicting “the collective portrait of a generation fighting for freedom with their words, poems, and chants.”
“We are proud to continue a successful festival season with a strong showcase of films by Arab talent at Venice,” states Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, chief executive officer of the Doha Film Institute. “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.” She adds, “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.”
See the full list of films nominated in various categories at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival below:
Orizzonti
Aïcha (Tunisia/France/Italy/KSA/Qatar) by Mehdi Barsaoui
Happy Holidays (Palestine/Germany/France/Italy/Qatar) by Scandar Copti,
Orizzonti Shorts
Shadows (Jordan/France/Qatar) by Rand Beiruty
Giornate degli Autori
Sudan, Remember Us (Tunisia/France/Qatar) by Hind Meddeb
Critics’ Week
Perfumed with Mint (Egypt/France/Tunisia/Qatar) by Muhammed Hamdy
Final Cut
Aisha Can’t Fly Away (Egypt/France/Germany/Tunisia/Sudan/Lebanon/KSA /Qatar) by Morad Mostafa
In This Darkness I See You (Lebanon/France/KSA/Qatar) by Nadim Tabet,
My Father’s Scent (Egypt/Norway/KSA/France/Qatar) by Mohamed Siam
Those Who Watch Over (Morocco/Belgium/France/Qatar) by Karima Saidi
Venice Gap-Financing Market
Marie & Jolie (Tunisia/France/Qatar) by Erige Sehiri
The Station (Yemen/Jordan/France/Netherlands/Germany/Norway/Qatar) by Sara Ishaq
Theft Of Fire (Palestine/Canada/France/Qatar) by Amer Shomali
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