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For the longest time, cinema has provided a platform for meaningful stories across the Arab World to transcend borders. Rooted in the region’s overflowing narratives of identity, heritage, and belonging, transforming them into contemporary stories that resonate far beyond the silver screen. Capturing moments that transform cultural conversation, ensuring that they cannot be forgotten. Now, the rest of the world is starting to take notice – and Arab Filmmakers are unapologetically stepping into the spotlight with a commanding presence on the global stage.
Few celebrations of the silver screen carry the weight of the Venice Film Festival – which is often regarded as the most prestigious event in the cinema industry. Hosting the highest echelon of today’s cinematography landscape. Taking place from September 2 to 12, the ten-day festival is often considered a founding platform for titles that go on to compete (and often win) some of cinema’s highest honours.
This year, for its 83rd edition, the festival will feature six films from the region representing Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq. From May el-Toukhy’s Woman Unknown to Muayad Alayan’s Conversation With The Sea, here are the six Arab Films that will be screening at the Venice Film Festival.
Woman Unknown by May El-Toukhy
The most compelling stories on screen are often born from the values of the people who bring them to life. For Egyptian-Danish filmmaker May El-Toukhy, that sentiment takes centre stage in Woman Unknown. The film is the sole Arab title selected for the renowned Golden Lion prize, the festival’s most prestigious competition. The director stands as the only woman against a backdrop of 20 directors nominated for the prize, and is the only filmmaker representing the region. Set amongst the landscape of Denmark post-World War 2, the film follows a former housekeeper named Marie, who plans an elaborate engagement dinner with the patriarch of the household she formerly worked in. May El-Toukhy is widely known for her critically acclaimed and award-winning film Queen of Hearts and episodes of The Crown from 2022-2023. When referring to the movie, the director said, “With Woman Unknown, I want to explore the idea of the female body as a public domain, a public matter for society to pass judgement on regardless of time and place. I am preoccupied with what it does to a person to carry the burden of a concealed secret for too long, the stigma, the shame – internalized and collective.”
Conversation With the Sea by Muayad Alayan
Written and directed by Palestinian filmmaker Muayad Alayan, Conversation With The Sea centres on a Palestinian man named Kamal in Jerusalem, who is ordered by the court to pay a large social security debt allegedly incurred by his son Wael – who drowned in the Red Sea decades prior despite there being no official record. The movie follows Kamal as he begins to unravel what happened to his son and the events that led up to his disappearance. The film stars Palestinian actor Kamel El Basha, who gained critical acclaim in 2017 after winning the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 74th Venice International Film Festival for his role in The Insult. Now, the movie is set to screen within the Venezia Spotlight Section, which curates its selection on the uniqueness and originality of films in varying genres. The film has been nominated for the Orizzonti short film prize and is the only film representing Palestine in the renowned competition.
Citizen Osama by Ahmad Hasouna
Outside of the competition is a window into a life of resilience, conflict and humanity — through the documented lens of Palestinian photographer Osama Al-Ashi. Made by Palestinian filmmaker Ahmad Hassouna, who turned to journalism after earning a degree in filmmaking at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, the documentary follows the life of artistic photographer, journalist and filmmaker Osama Al-Ashi— a close friend of the director. The film alternates between Osama’s daily life, centreing on his work and family. Intending to focus on emphasising the life of a Palestinian journalist living within the Gaza Strip. With scenes varying from moments of Osama with his wife and newborn child to focusing on his unexpected life as a war photographer. Acting as an intimate portrait of life within the Gaza strip.
No Paradise If You Are Killed by a Woman by Halkawt Mustafa
CinStrips often championed for showcasing meaningful, authentic narratives to a wide audience – representing voices that are often unheard. A concept brought to life by Kurdish-Norwegian director Halkawt Mustafa. Occurring outside of the festival’s competitive landscape, No Paradise If You Are Killed By A Woman follows a sniper who returns to Mosul, Iraq, after learning her sister may have survived the war in 2014. The movie aims to shed light on the stories of Kurdish women who fought in the War in Iraq, many of which are based on real-life testimonies of women soldiers interviewed by Halkawt Mustafa. Starring Iraqi actress Avan Jamal as Vyan, the main character of the film. The movie is a co-production between Norway, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Sweden, and will be making its world premiere on September 6 at the Venice Film Festival.
Furies by Rami Kodeih
Set within the landscape of Lebanon following the nations devastating financial collapse from – filmmaker Rami Kodeih follows the story of two young women in the film Furies. The film marks the directorial debut of Lebanese filmmaker Rami Kodeih who primarily shot the movie scenes in Beirut. Additionally, the film featured renowned actor George Clooney as an executive producer through Smokehouse Pictures. The plot follows two young women attempting to accrue funds for a surgery, but are denied access to their own savings amidst the country’s banking crises in 2019-2022, where banks froze millions of depositor’s life savings. Resulting in the duo devising a plan for an overnight heist. The movie will be making its debut at the festival on September 4 and will be screening at the Venezia Spotlight section.
A Few Moments of Happiness Shaden Safieddine Tazi
In today’s digital landscape, moments throughout the globe are captured and shared on the same screen. But when war and conflict enter the conversation, it can be difficult to understand the depth of its impact from the outside. In A Few Moments OF Happiness, Lebanese-Moroccan director Shaden Safieddine Tazi captures this feeling, through fragments of conversation between the filmmaker and her father during the war in Lebanon in 2023. The director compiles screen recordings, alongside her family’s voices, as she watches the war in her home country unfold through her phone. Capturing the feeling of growing up outside of Lebanon and understanding it in fragments.
