Egyptian feature film won two awards -- best actor for Mohamed Hatem and best screenplay for Nadine Shams -- at the Malmo Arab Film Festival, which closed its 10th edition on 13 October.

The film stars Amr Abed, Ibtihal Elserety, Salma Hasan, Mohamed Hatem, and is director Tamer Ezzat’s second narrative feature.

While the film previously scored a number of awards at a variety of events, Mohamed Hatem's win becomes the second important recognition for his depiction of the character Osama, a young Muslim who falls in love with a Christian girl. 

Hatem had won the best rising actor award during the Egyptian Film Competition held by the Egyptian Society of Film Writers and Critics (2019). The same event awarded When We're Born with the Best Film Award, Ezzat received Best Director Award and Nadine Shams Best Screenplay.

The film  had its world premiere at El Gouna Film Festival (19-27 September 2019) and was screened at the Carthage Film Festival (26 October-2 November 2019). It was then released across Egyptian cinemas at the end of the year. 

Co-written by Ezzat, When We’re Born was the last screenplay by the late Nadine Shams (1972-2014), winner of the Best Screenplay at 10th Malmo Arab Film Festival. 

Nadine Shams has also cowritten Ezzat’s debut documentary feature The Place I Call Home (2006), which ties in with When We're Born. 

The synopsis on IMDB reveals that "When we are born, we each have a life path, which is then influenced by how we are raised and the beliefs ingrained in us. The film interweaves the hopes and dreams of three characters at the center of the Egyptian lifestyle, accompanied by musical narration: a son who yearns to pursue a singing career against his father's will, a romantic Christian woman who is in love with a Muslim man, and a newly-wed personal trainer who must compromise his principles for a chance to own a gym. Will these characters make the best choices for themselves and the people they love?"

10th Malmo Arab Film Festival took place between 8 and 13 October. 

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