This year’s edition of Critics Awards for Arab Films stands out with a record-breaking jury of 307 film critics representing 75 countries, reflecting the growing international engagement with Arab filmmaking.
The nominations are led by Palestine 36, which secured six nods, followed by Calle Málaga with five.
All That’s Left of You earned four nominations, while Yunan, My Father’s Scent, and Once Upon a Time in Gaza each garnered three.
A second tier of contenders, including Promised Sky, The Voice of Hind Rajab, A Sad and Beautiful World, The President’s Cake, The Settlement, Hijra, and Aisha Can’t Fly Away, received two nominations each.
Launched alongside the 70th edition of Cannes, the Critics Awards for Arab Films are organized annually in partnership with Festival Scope. Now in its 10th year, the initiative continues to champion Arab filmmakers and elevate their work within the international festival circuit.
The following is the final list of nominees.
Best Feature Film
Once Upon A Time In Gaza | Tarzan and Arab Nasser | Palestine
Palestine 36 | Annemarie Jacir | Palestine
All That’s Left Of You | Cherien Dabis | Palestine
Calle Málaga | Maryam Touzani | Morocco
Cotton Queen | Suzannah Mirghani | Sudan
Best Screenplay
Amer Nasser and Marie Legrand | Once Upon A Time In Gaza
Cherien Dabis | All That’s Left Of You
Annemarie Jacir | Palestine 36
Maryam Touzani and Nabil Ayouch | Calle Málaga
Ahmed Amer and Mohamed Siam | My Father’s Scent
Best Director
Maryam Touzani | Calle Málaga
Cherien Dabis | All That’s Left Of You
Tarzan and Arab Nasser | Once Upon A Time In Gaza
Annemarie Jacir | Palestine 36
Kaouther Ben Hania | The Voice Of Hind Rajab
Best Actress
Deborah Christelle Naney | Promised Sky
Mounia Akl | A Sad And Beautiful World
Yasmine Al Massri | Palestine 36
Carmen Maura | Calle Málaga
Baneen Ahmad Nayyef | The President’s Cake
Best Actor
Adham Shukr | The Settlement
Nawwaf Aldaferi | Hijra
Dhafer L’Abidine | Palestine 36
Georges Khabbaz | Yunan
Ahmed Malek | My Father’s Scent
Best Music
Armand Amar | Hijra
Suad Bushnaq | Yunan
Amine Bouhafa | Aisha Can’t Fly Away
Omar El-Deeb | The President’s Cake
Freya Arde | Calle Málaga
Best Editing
Ameer Fakher Eldin | Yunan
Ahmed Hafez | My Father’s Scent
Qutaiba Barhamji, Maxime Mathis, and Kaouther Ben Hania | The Voice Of Hind Rajab
Heba Othman | The Settlement
Zeina Aboul Hosn | Dead Dog
Best Cinematography
Hélène Louvart | Palestine 36
Mostafa El Kashef | Aisha Can’t Fly Away
Joe Saade | A Sad And Beautiful World
Christopher Aoun | All That’s Left Of You
Frida Marzouk | Promised Sky
Best Documentary
The Lions By The River Tigris | Zaradasht Ahmed | Iraq
Khartoum | Anas Saeed, Rawia Alhag, Ibrahim Snoopy, Timeea Mohamed Ahmed, and Phil Cox | Sudan
50 Meters | Yomna Khattab | Egypt
Life After Siham | Namir Abdel Messeeh | Egypt
Do You Love Me | Lana Daher | Lebanon
Best Short Film
L’mina | Randa Maroufi | Morocco
It's So Beautiful Here | Basma Alsharif and Kamal Aljafari | Palestine
Control Anatomy | Mahmoud Al Haj | Palestine
I’m Glad You’re Dead Now | Tawfeek Barhom | Palestine
Sous Les Ruines | Nadhir Bouslama | Tunisia
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