2021 has been a fruitful year for Arab cinema, with recognition for its labour and innovation spreading worldwide. We have seen film festivals across the region celebrating Arab film in Egypt at The Cairo Film Festival and in Saudi Arabia at the Red Sea Film Festival. Netflix has played a big part in allowing Arab creators to shine on screen, with its dedicated category ‘Celebrating Arab Cinema’.
With the year coming to an end, we’ve rounded up eight of the best Arab films of 2021.
The Present
Set in the West Bank, The Present takes you on Yusuf’s journey to buy his wife a wedding anniversary present, a task that isn’t as easy as it seems. Watch it on Netflix now.
Qamar 14
Qamar 14 follows five couples as they navigate their relationships and the challenges that come with them. The cast includes Khaled El Nabawy, Ghada Adel, Shereen Reda and Yasmine Rais. Watch it on OSN now.
Mesh Ana
Watch Tamer Honsy’s return to the big screen in Mesh Ana. Hassan (played by Hosny) wakes up one morning unable to control his actions and words, he spends the next few days physically lashing out at friends, family and anyone he sees. Every action is paired with Hassan pleading ‘mesh ana!’.
Children’s Game
Released at this year’s Red Sea Film Festival, Children’s Game by Rim Mejdi follows Kamilia as she experiences a traumatic event on her favourite football playground. The story follows her as she struggles and fights against her own demons.
Wadjda by Haifaa Al Mansour
While Wadjda was originally released in 2012, the film has gathered attention this year, as the Red Sea Film Festivals honoured Haifaa Al Mansour. The story follows eleven-year-old Wadjda as she tries to secure a bicycle in suburban Saudi Arabia, in order to race against her friend Abdullah.
Memory Box
Memory Box is a Canadian-Lebanese-French film directed by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige. The plot follows Maia and her daughter Alex. Maia receives an unexpected delivery from her past, a box of notebooks, tapes, and photos. All of the memorabilia Maia had sent to her best friend in the 1980s in Beirut. While Maia refuses to open the box or confront its memories, her daughter Alex secretly begins diving into it.
Lift Like A Girl
Lift Like A Girl follows Zebiba as she trains to become a champion weightlifter. Training since she was 9 years old, Zebiba aspires to be among the likes of the first Arab, female, two-time Olympic medalist, Abeer Abdel Rahman, and World champion and Olympic athlete, Nahla Ramadan. The film follows Zebiba as she struggles between her childlike instincts and focusing on her weightlifting career.
Mariam FaRES The Journey
Lebanese singer, Mariam Fares, lets us into her life during lockdown. From dealing with a global pandemic and recording a new album, we see Mariam in her element. Watch it now on Netflix.
