Films From The MENA Region That Created A Buzz At The Oscars 2024
Arab filmmakers took home a win and a nomination for Best Documentary Feature Film, ensuring the spotlight was firmly fixed on Arab talent
Egyptian-French scriptwriter Arthur Harari and his partner, Justine Triet, have won the Oscar for best original screenplay for Anatomy of a Fall at the 96th Academy Awards.
The film stars Sandra Huller as a writer trying to prove her innocence in her husband’s death. Appearing in supporting roles are Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado-Graner, Antoine Reinartz, Samuel Theis, Jehnny Beth, Saadia Bentaieb, Camille Rutherford, Anne Rotger and Sophie Fillières.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences congratulated the team behind the movie in a tweet, “Congratulations to Justine Triet and Arthur Harari on winning Best Original Screenplay for ‘Anatomy of a Fall’! #Oscars.”
Congratulations to Justine Triet and Arthur Harari on winning Best Original Screenplay for 'Anatomy of a Fall'! #Oscars pic.twitter.com/vaNhZhhUfG
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) March 10, 2024
Earlier, Anatomy of a Fall, which premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2023, won the Palme d’Or and the Palm Dog Award.
Another notable film from the MENA region, which was part of the Oscars 2024 is Four Daughters, an Arabic-language documentary by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania.
It was part of the nominees for Best Documentary Feature Film, which 20 Days in Mariupol won.
Four Daughters tells the story of a mother named Olfa, played by Tunisian and Egyptian actress Hend Sabri, who discovers that two of her daughters have joined ISIS. The film is an international co-production between France, Tunisia, Germany and Saudi Arabia.
Kaouther made history by becoming the first Arab female director to be nominated for two Academy Awards. Her 2020 movie The Man Who Sold His Skin was nominated for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd edition of the Oscars.
Lead image courtesy of Instagram/@redseafilm